


Regina's Story

by InMyAsylum



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2018-10-29 17:59:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 30
Words: 498,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10859163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InMyAsylum/pseuds/InMyAsylum
Summary: This is a fanfiction about 'Once Upon A Time', written by myself and one of best friends, Maaike. This story contains characters of the popular television show but we walk another path than the writers A&E. We would like to share our story with you to see what you all think about. We'd love to read your reviews and comments!TRIGGER WARNINGS for various sensitive subjects!





	1. Young Regina

Flashback to The Enchanted Forest. Lady Tremaine (stepmother of Cinderella) is hired by Cora to look out for her daughter, Regina Mills (8 years old), when Cora is away from home with her husband. Cora and Lady Tremaine are best friends.

In her room, Regina is playing with her dolls. She doesn't have any friends her age. She gets home-schooled so the only people she sees and knows are her mother, her father and her nanny, Lady Tremaine. Regina doesn't like her nanny. She never plays with her. She always has to play alone. "Lady Tremaine?" Regina asks when her nanny enters her room without knocking on the door. "Do you want to play with me and my dolls?" With a look full of hope she looks at her nanny, waiting for an answer.

"What did I say you about manners, Regina?" Lady Tremaine snaps at Regina, "so what did you say?" With a sigh she walks to the window and opens it, it's far to hot inside.

Regina looks to the ground when she asks her question again. "Do you want to play with me and my dolls? Please?" she softly asks her nanny again.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm really busy right now..." Lady Tremaine says, she turns around and looks at the floor covered with toys, "Regina!" She yells, "what a mess! You need to clean this up now!" She walks out of the room but before she walks through the door she says, "and I came here to get you for dinner, so clean it up and come down after that," she walks away. "Hurry!" She shouts while walking down the stairs.

Regina cleans up her room. She has a lot of toys and she's been playing with them the whole day, so it's a lot to clean up for an eight year old. It takes some time. But Lady Tremaine doesn't like to wait.

"Regina!" Lady Tremaine screams, "come down, NOW!" She doesn't like to wait, that girl can never do things quickly...

With just a few toys left to clean up, Regina hurries downstairs. "I'm sorry... It were a lot of toys to clean up..." she whispers to her nanny when she got downstairs.

"You need to do it quicker next time, I can't wait for you every time again!" Lady Tremaine says, "and I want you to say my name when you apologise, you need to learn that," she walks away and she pull Regina with her on her arm. She goes to fast for her, she knows that, but she doesn't stop.

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps at her nanny. "Let go of me, you're hurting me!"

Lady Tremaine lets go on Regina's arm. The girl falls on the ground. "What did you say?" She says, "you blame me for hurting you? You hurt yourself little girl" she snaps, "you don't walk fast enough!"

Regina cries now. She had hurt her knee while falling on the floor. "I'm sorry." she whispers very softly. "I'll walk faster next time, I promise." She looks up at her nanny.

"I just told you, ONE MINUTE ago that you have to say my name when you apologize!" Lady Tremaine says angrily, "you never listen to me, I'm done with you." She pulls Regina up by her shirt and doesn't pay attention to her knee or her tears.

Regina keeps crying. "When is mommy coming back?" she asks her nanny now. "I want my mommy!"

Lady Tremaine sighs, "she isn't coming back today, sweetheart," she says as they walk on, "stop crying! You ruin your dress with those tears," she turns towards her, "look it's already wet!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Tremaine." Regina whispers. But she can't stop crying. Her dress gets more and more wet of her tears.

"That's my girl," lady Tremaine says, "so dry your tears now and move on," she takes a handkerchief out of her picked and hands it over to Regina.

Regina takes the handkerchief and dries her tears. "What's for dinner, Lady Tremaine?" she asks.

"To many to mention, sweetheart," she says with a high laughs, "the cook made us all kinds of things," she smiles.

When Regina sees the table she sits down on the ground. "I don't like any of that!" she yells.

"Regina! Manners!" Lady Tremaine says, she pulls Regina on her feet. She grabs her head to make Regina look at her, "now listen to me girl, you're going to sit down and eat your meal." She pushes Regina to the table, "never speak to me like that again!"

"But I don't like any of it!" Regina keeps yelling at her nanny. "I want my mommy! When is she coming back?! MOMMY!"

She slams Regina in her face, "SIT DOWN!" Lady Tremaine she says, "promise me to never talk like that ever again or you'll get another one" she holds her face close to Regina's "you're mommy isn't coming!" She whispers with a hard voice.

Immediately Regina stays silent. "I promise." she whispers very softly. "I'm sorry."

Lady Tremaine hit Regina again, "what did I say about apologies! You're unbelievable!" She pushes Regina on her chair and places far to much food on Regina's plate. "You're going to eat all of it! And if you don't there will be consequences."

"I can't eat all of that! I don't like any of it and it is too much for me!" Regina yells again.

Lady Tremaine let's a guard come. "Beat her," she says and she takes Regina to the wall, the guard follows. "Sit down and eat or this lovely man is going to make your face look blue!" She says, "be a good girl, Regina."

Regina cries again. "I don't like any of it. I just want my mommy." Very slowly she starts to eat. When she has eaten half of what's on her plate, she looks up at her nanny. "I can't eat no more." she whispers.

"You have to, sweetheart, you will never be a big girl if you don't," lady Tremaine says, looking at her, "I can also call the guard again."

"But I really can't eat any more. I've had enough, Lady Tremaine. Please." Regina softly says.

"Fine," she says, "but only for this time, do you understand me." She holds her face very close to Regina, "next time there will be consequences."

Regina nodds. "I understand, Lady Tremaine." she whispers very softly. "Can I go to my room now?"

"To do what?" Lady Tremaine asks kindly.

"To play with my dolls. Do you want to play with me now?" Regina asks her nanny with a little smile on her face.

"No I'm sorry, Regina, adults don't have time to play wit dolls," she says, "but you can go, I don't want to have you around right now..."

"Why not? Have I done something wrong?" Regina honestly asks her nanny.

"Did I do something wrong? How dare you to ask me this, you just did everything wrong, you ruined my dinner by crying and yelling! So go upstairs and stay there, please,"

Regina nodds and quickly goes upstairs to her room. She takes her dolls with her and then hides herself in one of her hiding places in her room. She knows Lady Tremaine won't find her there.

Lady Tremaine walks away to the living room. When she enters the floor is covered with paper and pencils. "Regina..." She murmurs and she starts to walk upstairs.

Regina has hidden herself in one of her closets. She knows Lady Tremaine will never find her there. She speaks softly to her dolls. "Mommy is coming back tomorrow, isn't she?" she whispers.

Lady Tremaine enters the room, but Regjna is nowhere to be seen. "Regina!" She shouts, "Regina come here!"

Regina laughs in herself. She likes playing this game. Until now her nanny has never found her. She giggles very softly.

"Regina NOW!" She shouts, but when she still does not come she takes on of the dolls Regina left in the room, "I think dolls will do good in a fire, they like heat!"

Regina quickly comes out of her hiding place and runs towards her nanny. "I'm sorry, Lady Tremaine. Don't hurt my doll. Please."

"It's no problem, sweetheart... But what is a problem is all your stuff in the living room which make it undoable for me to go in there, I want you to clean it up!"

Regina nodds. "I will do it now. Can I have my doll back? Please?"

"Of course," she hands the doll back, "but now go and clean your stuff, I don't want to wait for ages again."

Regina quickly runs downstairs and cleans up her paper and pencils. She takes everything with her to her room and places all of it where it should be stored. "I'm ready." Regina tells her nanny, who is still waiting in her room.

"Well done," lady Tremaine says, "you're starting to learn and you know how much I appreciate people who learn from me!" She pick up some candies out of her pocket. "Here, a special gift," she says while giving Regina the candies. "It's only for sweet girls like you!"

"Thank you, Lady Tremaine!" Regina shouts of excitement. "Can I have one now? Please?"

"Of course, Regina," Lady Tremaine says kindly, "take as much as you want." She walks out of the room, she only has to wait for about ten minutes...

Regina loves candy. She eats a couple of them and puts the rest away to save them for later.

After ten minutes Lady Tremaine enters the room again. Regina lays unconscious on the floor. "Good" she whispers and she takes her in her arms. She brings her to her coach. They drive to a dark place, darker than every other place. She carries Regina to the door and knocks. She feels Regina starts to wake up again. Finally he opens the door. "Welcome, dearie, come in please,"

Regina looks in the face of her nanny. She sees a stange man she hasn't seen before. "Nanny? Where... Where are we? What happened?" Regina looks afraid.

"The candies made you sick Regina," she lies, "I had to bring you to a doctor, but don't worry you'll be all right." She sets Regina down and they walk inside. "So here she is, like you wanted," lady Tremaine whispers, "now give me that portal." "Like you want," Rumple says and he lets a magic bean appear. He pulls Regina towards him with his magic. "Say goodbye to your nanny, you won't see her again." Rumple says to Regina.

"Nanny!" Regina shouts out in fear. "Who are you? Who is this? What did you do? You have magic?" Regina watches her nanny disappear into a... Portal? That's what her nanny called it, but Regina doesn't know what it is or what it does. "Where is my nanny? Who are you?" she cries to the strange man.

"Stop crying," rumple says calmly, "she left you, I didn't do a thing, i'm a good man..." He walks away from her, "follow me. and yes I have magic. My name is Rumplestilskin." He makes a little bow, "and you Regjna, are going to help me,"

"How do you know my name?" Regina keeps asking questions to understand what's going on. "Why would my nanny leave me? What did you do to her? With what am I going to help you?"

"Does it matter?" Rumple says, "I didn't do anything, she made her own choice, I'm sorry," he says with a grin, "no that's a lie," he laughs now.

"Why do you need my help? I'm just 8 years old. What do you need?"

"One day you'll understand, dearie," Rumple says and he looks at her. "So you're the biggest evil," he says while inspecting Regina's face, "very interesting, did you ever kill someone?"

Stunned Regina looks at the strange man. She has already forgotten his name, because it was a really strange and difficult name. "Kill? No! I would never kill someone! And I'm not evil! I'm 8 years old!" she shouts at the man. "I want my mommy! Can I go to my mommy now?" She starts crying again.

Rumple rolls with his eyes, "it's so lovely, enjoy the time you love your mother, it will soon fade," he says, seeing the future was sometimes very interesting, "your mommy won't come, and no you can't go. Not before I know you’re the right one." He goes in inspecting Regina. "Can you make a fireball?" He says while going through her hair.

"A what? No, I can't do that! I can't do magic!" Regina shouts at the man. "I want my mommy! MOMMY!"

"Be quiet," rumple says with a loud voice, "fine you can't make a fireball, but I know something you can do. One time you'll make something for me, something I can't make, but I have to prepare you to make that for me. So just do what I say and nothing will happen to you!"

Regina startles when this strange man talks loudly to her. She nodds. "If I do what you say, can I then go back home? Can I go back to my mommy then?" she whispers.

"Ehh... No," he says, "but you'll see her again, that's for sure," he poofs them to the forest very close to a little village. Rumple captures a young man with his magic, takes his voice and leads him to Regina. "All you need to do is rip out his heart."

Regina starts to cry real hard again. "No! You can't make me hurt him! I won't do that! I just want my mommy!" Regina keeps on crying and crying. "Please, I want to go back home!"

"You won't hurt him," Rumple says, "just do it and I'll bring you back to her." She sighs and leans to a tree.

Regina just keeps crying. She's scared of this man and she wants to go home. "I don't know how to do that." she cries.

"O I know you do," Rumple says, "your mother did it so many times, she followed her instinct, you have to do that too, dearie," He wants to know what Regina is capable of, he wants to know if she is really the person she is looking for.

"My mommy would never hurt anyone." Regina cries. "You're lieing!" Rumplestiltskin is making sure Regina and the young man are standing closely to one another. Regina can hear his heart beat very fast. She never heard something like this before. She looks at the strange man, Rumples.t. ? She doesn't remember his name. "Why can I hear his heart beat?" she asks him.

"That, dearie... is you instinct. The only thing you need to do now is follow it." Rumplestiltskin says, "and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not lying," he gins and takes a few steps backwards. "What are you waiting for?" Rumple asks.

"I don't know what I have to do. Mommy would know. Where is my mommy?" Regina keeps hearing the heart beat very fast. "He's afraid, isn't he?" she asks Rumple.

"Yes he is," Rumple says, "but you can show him he doesn't have to. Just take his heart, show it to me and put it back. It's as simple as that. Then I'll bring you back to your mommy,"

"But I don't know how to do that. I don't want to hurt him!" Regina shouts at Rumple. She keeps hearing the heart. It almost speaks to her. "Crush it." she hears in her mind. She looks at Rumple, scared.

"Your mind knows exactly what it wants," he says, "and he knows how to do it, so don't be afraid..." Rumple says with a smile. He sees dark thoughts are coming into Regina's little mind and he loves it.

Regina lets her little hand slide to the chest of the young man. She knows instinctively what to do it seems. She rips out his heart and looks at it, fascinated. She looks at Rumple while holding the beating heart. "I don't want to hurt him." she cries softly. "Can I put it back? Please?"

"Give it to me first, dearie." Rumple says, but as he sees she doesn't want to he adds, "or you'll never see your dear mommy again." He grins, because he knows, Regina is the one he needs. She has the instinct he needs most: one of darkness.

Regina gives the heart very slowly to Rumple. "You're not going to hurt him, are you? Please?" she asks him.

"You've good manners, Regina," Rumple says not answering her question. He squeezes the heart a little and the man falls on the ground, still alive.

"What are you doing to him?" Regina asks him, starting to get fascinated.

"This is how magic works, dearie," he says, "it gives you power, power to get everything you want." He stops squeezing the heart and the man breaths heavily, fear shows up in his eyes. Rumple gives Regina the heart again. "Now you have the power, you see..." He moves his head to her ear, "do what your heart tells you, dearie. Put it back or crush it."

"I want to put it back! I don't want to hurt him!" Regina screams at Rumple. She puts the heart back into the chest of the young man. "I don't want this, this power. I just want to be happy! Can I go home to mommy now?" Regina asks Rumple.

"As you wish," Rumple says, "but stop lying to yourself... You like the power and I know it." He walks towards her ready to poof her back to Cora, but before he poofs her home, he asks, "can you keep a secret, Regina?"

"A secret?" Regina looks at the man. The young man has run away as fast as he can. "I can keep a secret. I love secrets!" Regina gives Rumple a big smile.

"Never tell your mother you met me," Rumple says, "can you do that? Can you keep this our secret?"

Regina nodds. "I can! I'm very good at keeping secrets!" Regina proudly smiles.

"Good for you," Rumple says, not saying there will be consequences if she doesn't. He poofs her to her house. He knows Cora will be back very soon or maybe she is already there. She shortened her trip. He knows because she was with him...

"Mommy!" Regina shouts when she sees her mother in the hallway after going downstairs. "You're back! I missed you!" Regina runs towards her mother and gives her a big hug. "Daddy!" She now runs to her father and jumps in his arms. "I missed you too!"

"Hi there, sweetie," Cora says, "we missed you too didn't we Henry?" Regina's father nods and smiles to Regina picking her up in his arms. "where have you been?" Cora asks, "and where is your nanny?"

"I was playing in my room. I don't know where Lady Tremaine is. I haven't seen her the past hours." Regina looks at her mother. Does she believe her lies?

"That's weird," Cora says, "I don't think she will just leave, are you sure you didn't see her?"

Regina nodds. "I'm sure, mommy. After dinner I went playing in my room and I haven't seen her since. Why? Is she gone?"

"It seems like it," Cora says, "she always comes immediately when we come home, do you think that maybe something happened to her Henry," she asks him while she lets her fingers go through Regina's hair.

"I like it when you do that." Regina smiles at her mother. Henry looks at his wife. "I don't know. Maybe one of the guards saw something?" he suggests.

"Yes we can ask him," Cora says, she takes over Regina so he can ask someone. Cora keeps going through her hair with her fingers. "How was your day, Regina?" Cora asks her daughter.

"It was fine." Regina lies. "I missed you. I'm glad you're back home, mommy."

"I'm also happy to see you again," Cora says to Regina. Henry comes back. "The guard says he saw her for the last time, when she was on her way to Regina, are you sure you didn't see anything Regina," he asks with his always kind an lovely voice.

Regina nodds. "I'm sure, daddy." She smiles her sweetest smile towards her father. "Don't you believe me?"

"You are biting your lip..." Cora says, answering before Henry can says something, "you always do that when you lie," she smiles and starts walking to the couch.

"I'm not lieing, mommy, I'm really not." Regina softly says.

"Okay, Regina," Cora says, she knows it's not true, but she decides to trust her daughter, maybe she would tell it to her later. "Let's clean up your room a bit, before you go to sleep,"

"Alright." Regina quickly runs to her room to be there before her mother. She tosses away the candy she got from Lady Tremaine before her mother or father notice anything.

While Regina is running upstairs Cora walks to Henry, "that guard must know more about it," she says and she looks at him. Wearing her high heels their eyes are the same high. She holds his arm and whispers, "I'll let him talk..." She walks to the guard and rips his heart out. "Tell me everything you know," she commands him, while Henry stands there not liking what she does, but still loving her.

"Lady Tremaine gave Regina some candies. I don't know what they were for, but after about 10 minutes I saw Lady Tremaine coming down the stairs with Regina in her arms. Your daughter looked unconscious and not well. Lady Tremaine didn't say anything about where she was taking Regina, but she drove away in her coach. I've not seen Lady Tremaine since and I don't know how Regina got back here. All I know is that she came downstairs when you and your husband arrived back home." The guard looks at Cora with empty eyes.

"Thank you very much," Cora says and she crushes his heart. His body falls on the ground and Cora walks away, like nothing happened. "Did you really have to kill that man?" Henry asks Cora. He always feels sad and empty when his love kills someone... "Yes," Cora says clearly, not looking at him, "he knew too much. I don't know what lady Tremaine was doing, but I don't agree with her.. And I'm going to figure things out." Cora walks away, but when she wants to go upstairs, she looks right in the eyes of her daughter, the death body laying behind her.

"What... What did you do, mommy?" Regina asks her mother, stunned by what she just saw happening. "You... You killed that man? I liked him. Why did you do that? What did he do wrong?" Regina asks a lot of questions to understand what's going on. She looks at her mother, waiting for answers.

Cora looks at Regina. He holds her hands on her back, hiding the flame that came up when she saw her daughter, "I had no choice, Regina," she walks up to her daughter and takes her in her arms. "He told me terrible things..."

"What did he say then? No matter what he said, he didn't deserve to die!" Regina looks her mother deep in her eyes and feels pain in her little heart. Disappointment. Losing trust she always had in her mother.

"He wanted to kill us, Regina," Cora lies, she sees Regina is angry on her, "he deserved to die, I'm sorry," he picks Regina up in her arms, her little Regina. She has big plans for her... Really big plans.

"I don't believe you. He wouldn't do such a thing! He was a nice man, I liked him and you killed him!"

"It's true Regina!" Cora says, "I believed you too, you remember, I thought you were lying when I asked you about lady Tremaine, but you said you didn't and I believed you, now do the same for me, sweetheart."

"No! I don't believe you!" Regina shouts at her mother. She fights her way out of her mother's arms and wants to run away to her room, but Cora prevents her from doing that by using magic. The first time she used magic on her daughter.

Cora shakes while she holds up Regina with her magic. Henry runs to her and says her to stop. She lets Regina go. "You lied to me too," Cora only says, and she walks away, proofing the body to a unknown place. Henry takes Regina in his arms. He kneels down, so his eyes meet hers. "Your mother only wants to protect you Regina, she loves you." He says, looking in Regina's eyes.

Regina nodds softly. "Can I go to my room! Please?" she whispers. After her father's agreement Regina quickly runs upstairs. She feels her hands are shaking and when she looks at them, she sees a spark appearing in her right hand. She looks at it, fascinated, while it grows bigger and bigger.

While Cora is walking through the room, she sees the candies. They are laying in the trash and she pulls them up with her magic. She inspects them and knows those were the things who put Regina under a quick sleeping curse, it couldn't have been more than thirty minutes.  
She hears Henry coming in.

"What is that, dear?" he asks his wife. "Is that what was used on Regina?" He looks up at Cora.

"It is," Cora says, "lady Tremaine brought her under a sleeping curse, I need to find out why..." Cora says. Her voice is hard and she walks around.

"Mommy? Why can I make a fireball in my hand?" Regina asks her mother, while walking into the room.

Cora turns around, looking Regina in her eyes. "That's because, you're just like me..." Cora says with a soft voice, "you and I have magic, very powerful magic... You need to be careful with it, Regina." She grabs her daughters hand and makes the fire disappear.

"So it is true what that man said? You do that a lot like what you did to our guard?"

"What? No, sweetie, of course not, I'm not evil," Cora says softly, "which man told you that?"

"I don't know his name, mommy. It was a very strange and difficult name. Do you believe me?" Regina asks her mother honestly.

"I do, of course I do," Cora says. She knows exactly who Regina is talking about. She inhales deeply. "I want you to stay here with your father tonight, I still have some stuff to do."

"Mommy, no! You just got home! I want to play with my dolls with you. Please? Mommy, please?" Regina asks very politely to her mother.

"I'll be back soon," Cora says, "and I'm sure daddy would love to play with you and your dolls." Henry walks to them and holds Regina's hand. "Don't use your magic, okay? Never..."

Regina nodds. "I won't." she promises. "I don't like it anyway." She smiles at her daddy. "Can we now go play with my dolls? Please?" Regina and her father go downstairs to play with the dolls in the living room.

Cora poofs away, knowing her daughter lied to her again. She was sure Regina loved using magic, using dark magic gives you a great feeling, like the world is all yours. She appears in a room she knows all too well, "Rumplestiltskin...!" She says with a sigh when she sees him standing by the window.

"Yes, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin smiles without looking over his shoulder. He knows who it is and he knows Regina has told his secret. A secret he specifically asked her to keep. There will be consequences. "I knew you'd come. Can I help you?"

"What did you do to my daughter?" Cora snaps to him.

"Your daughter?" Rumplestiltskin turns around and seems to think. "You mean that sweet little girl with black hair? As black as her soul?" He smiles at Cora. "Even more black than your soul?"

"Don't tell me things I already know, Rumple," Cora says, "I know who she is!" She walks to him and brings her face close to his, "the question was, what did you do to her?"

"Really nothing. Nothing she didn't want to do herself. What her instinct told her to do." He smiles again at Cora. "She's got so much potential, Cora. We need to teach her the ways of magic, dark magic, now, at the beginning of it all."

"She is only eight years old, Rumple!" Cora says, "you triggered her magic, her dark magic. How can I let her marry a king if her heart is all darkness, because that's what going to happen now, her heart will grow dark until no good is left. Kings only marry good girls, kind girls..." She wants to continue but she doesn't, Rumplestiltskin doesn't have to know everything. "I want you to erase her memories!"

"I'm not doing that." Rumplestiltskin smiles. "You can do that if you really want to, but I'm telling you... Starting her lessons now will only make her more powerful. If you'll wait too long... She won't achieve her full potential. You know that, Cora." Rumplestiltskin smiles again at her. "You maybe can teach your child to behave when there are men around?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cora asks, "and yes I know, but I want her to get her power when she is queen, not before that. She will be powerful enough to take over this whole... Happy land, that's all what matters."

Rumplestiltskin shakes his head in disagreement. "If you wait that long, Regina will never reach her full potential. Not even half of it. It's your choice, Cora." He looks at her. "What I meant is maybe you can teach her not to use magic when around boys and especially when around a King. You can learn her how to behave, how to control herself."

"Thank you, and it stays my choice," Cora says clearly, "I don't want her to use magic, because you know what, then she will be more powerful than I am, and she will never allow me to marry her to a king." She looks angry, "so make her forget the whole magic thing, or I'll burn you to the ground, dark one,"

"Alright, alright. You don't need to be rude." Rumplestiltskin laughs. With a wave of his hand he conjures a potion into Cora's hand. "There you go. A forgetting potion. But remember what I told you." With another wave of his hand, Rumplestiltskin disappears into a red smoke.

Cora sighs and goes back home. Suddenly she feels really tired. She hears Henry reading a story for Regina and she stays down and waits for him to come back.

After a few minutes of reading his daughter a bedtime story, Henry notices Regina has fallen asleep. He gives her very softly a kiss on her forehead and heads downstairs. In the dining room he smiles when he sees his wife is back. "Dear. You're back." He gives her a kiss.

"You noticed..." Cora says with no emotion, her mind is spinning and she doesn't want to talk.

"What's going on, dear? Can I help you with something? What's that?" Henry points at some sort of potion Cora is holding in her hand.

"It can take away Regina's memories, so she forgets about the magic thing..." Cora softly says, she closes her eyes and sighs.

"Is that what you want, dear?" Henry asks his wife. He knows he wants that to happen, because he doesn't like all that magic. But he also knows that the most important thing is what his wife wants. Because that's what's going to happen.

"I think so," Cora says while she gets up, "shall we go to bed?" She asks him.

Henry nodds. He follows his wife to bed. They don't discuss the potion any longer.

In the morning Regina jumps on the bed of her parents. "Wake up! It's time to get up!" she laughs, while jumping on the bed.

Cora moans, "Regina..." She says, it's only six o'clock in the morning..." But Henry already gets up to make breakfast. Cora sits up straight and pulls Regina up on the bed. Letting her lay next to her. She lays the blanket over her legs. "Did you sleep well?" She asks

Regina nodds. "I did. I want to play with you, mommy. Can we play together today?" With a look full of hope Regina looks at her mother.

"Yes we can play together, Regina," Cora says, but she knows she has to go in the evening again. He lays her arm around her daughter.

"And you don't have to go anywhere today?" Regina laughs at her mother. "We can be together the whole day??"

"Almost, sweetheart," Cora says, "but it takes a long time before I have to go, so we have plenty of time to do great things."

"You have to go? Again? In the evening?" Regina is a very smart girl. "Can I come with you? Are you going to see that man I saw yesterday? R.Ru..m..? I don't know his name any more, mommy."

"No dear," Cora says, "you can't come with me, I need to do it alone. Don't talk about that man anymore, he is a bad man," Cora says and Henry comes in with breakfast. Without Regina looking she puts the potion in Regina's tea.

"But I want to come with you, mommy!" Regina shouts.

"Don't argue with me Regina, it's a no, and nothing more," she says, "now drink your tea and eat your breakfast,"

Regina nodds. She knows better than to argue with her mother now. She slowly eats her breakfast. "Where is my nanny?" she asks her mother. She slowly drinks up her tea.

When she sees Regina drinks the tea, she says, "we got home earlier than we thought, she went home herself," she smiles.

"No, mommy. I saw her going through something." Regina starts to tell, but the potion in the tea works quickly. Regina looks at her mother in confusion. "Where is my nanny?" she asks again.

"we got home earlier than we thought, she went home herself," Cora says again. "Let's go upstairs," They finish breakfast and bring it to the kitchen. They walk upstairs to Regina's room.

Regina walks alongside her mother upstairs to her room. "What are we going to do today, mommy?" Regina smiles at her mother.

"You decide, sweetie," she says and she kisses her on her forehead. She helps her put on her clothes. "We can go play outside, the weather is great!"

Regina shakes her head. "I don't want to ruin my dress." she whispers. "Lady Tremaine wouldn't approve." She looks at her mother. "Can we just play with my dolls? Please?"

"She isn't here, Regina," Cora says, "I need to go to the village to buy some food for tonight, I thought maybe you want to join me then?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, please!" She gives her mother a big smile. She loves going to the village. "Come on then! Let's go! Will daddy be going with us?"

"Go and ask him," she smiles, "I'll prepare everything,"

Regina storms down the stairs. "Daddy?!" She runs throughout the house and finds her father in the kitchen. "Daddy? Are you coming with me and mommy to the village to buy food for tonight?" Henry agrees to come with them. The three of them leave the castle and head towards the village. "There it is!" Regina smiles.

Cora softly smiles. She almost never comes in the village with Regina. She is always alone here, so no one can stop her from doing terrible things to get what she wants. But now with Regina she has to control herself. The faces of the people staring at her look angry, full of hate. She hopes Regina doesn't mention it.

"Mommy? Why are all those people looking at you? Why are they so mad?" Regina gets scared and hides behind her father. "Can we go home now? Everyone seems so angry." In the distance Regina sees a young man. She has the vague idea she has seen him not long ago, but she doesn't know where or how or when.

"They just have a bad day, Regina," Cora says, "there is nothing to worry about." But at the end of the road a man stares at them with a different look than the others.

"Who is that? Do you know that man? Not everyone can have a bad day all at once, mommy." Regina keeps asking questions. She desperately wants to understand everything that's going on.

"No I don't, Regina." Cora says, she wants to poof away, but she doesn't want to use magic on her daughter, too afraid to trigger something. Cora sees the man recognizes her daughter, but why she doesn't know. "Stay back," Cora says to Henry and she walks to the man.  
"How do you know her?" She just asks, without an introduction.

The young man points his head towards the little girl. "I saw her yesterday. With The Dark One. They were here."

"What!" Cora says, "tell me everything about it, I need to know!" Cora almost gets desperate, that never happened before.

"Your little girl ripped my heart out. He asked her too. You're lucky. She seems like a sweet girl. She didn't want to hurt me. I heard her say that. She has given me my heart back without hurting me. You're lucky she seems so sweet. Can I give you one advice, my lady? Don't let her anywhere near that man ever again. He will push your daughter to the dark side." The young man nodds and leaves.

Cora is stunned by the man’s words, she almost wants to pull him back with magic, but she knows Regina is looking. She walks back to them. "You were right Regina, we should go..."

"What did that man say, mommy? I think I know him, but I just don't know where I could have seen him. What did he say? Is he mad?"

"No it was a kind man," Cora says, "he recognized me he said,"

"Why did he look at me like that? Why did it seem he recognized me too? Have I ever met him? Mommy, don't lie to me!" Regina shouts at her mother. "I want to know!"

"He was one of my guards once," Cora lies, "you were much younger than you are now, I let him go, because he needed to take care of his children after his wife passed away, I asked him if he was all right. It was a long time since we had seen each other." Cora hates to lie to her daughter, but she knows she has too.... To give Regina the best life she can get.

Regina just looks at her mother. Just like her mother knows when Regina is lying, Regina also knows when her mother is doing the same thing. Regina shakes her little head. "I don't believe you." she softly says. "You are lying to me." Regina starts to cry.

"I do," Cora says, "but I do it to protect you, mothers need to do everything to protect their children, Regina," she kisses her forehead and wipes away her tears, "don't cry," she whispers, "you're too beautiful for that." She smiles.

"I don't like it when you lie to me!" Regina snaps at her mother. "I want to go home now. Can we go home, daddy?" Regina turns towards her father. "Everyone is still looking so mad at mommy." she whispers then. "I want to go home." Regina keeps crying.

"Can you take her home?" She asks Henry, but she knows he will, he does everything she wants. "I'm sorry Regina" and he wipes her hair, wet of tears, out of her face.

"I want you to come with us!" Regina now starts to scream. "I don't like it that everyone is looking at you with such anger! I want you to come home with us! What is going on? I don't understand!"

"I'll be home soon Regina, don't worry," she kisses her. Henry walks away with Regina in his arms. She fights back, but his arms are strong enough to hold her with him. Cora walks away and smiles at Regina when she leaves with Henry.

"NO! Daddy, no! I want to stay with mommy!" Regina keeps crying very loudly. She sees everyone staring at her but she doesn't care. She wants to be with her mommy. "Mommy! MOMMY!" she screams.

"Your mommy has to do something, but I promise nothing will happen to her Regina, I promise," he lays Regina's head on his shoulder and holds his strong hand on her back. 

Cora sees Regina crying and it hurts her. She poofs away feeling empty and she lands in the house of Rumplestiltskin again.

Regina keeps crying on her daddy's shoulder, but she remains calm during the journey back home. By the time she and her father arrived back at the castle, Regina has fallen asleep.

"I knew you would come to see me again." Rumplestiltskin smiles at Cora when she poofed into his house. "With what can I help you today, dearie?"

"You let my daughter tip a heart out?!" Cora screams, "what makes you want het magic so badly to make her do such a terrible thing!!"

"Did I forgot to mention this yesterday? Woeps." Rumplestiltskin laughs. "Sorry, dearie. I needed to make sure she's the one with the greatest darkness. And she is. She surely is!" He jumps up and down out of excitement. "Cora, your daughter has such an enormous potential for darkness. You have to let me teach her the dark ways immediately. That way she will reach her most powerful point by the time she will marry."

"We already talked about this," Cora says, "why do you care so much about my daughter's darkness, Rumple?" She says, don't lie to me,"

"I will need your daughter's help when she'll be older. For that I need her at her highest potential. Cora, I know you want to teach her your ways too. Or am I wrong?" Rumplestiltskin looks at Cora.

"No you aren't," Cora says, "but you only give me an extra reason to not let my daughter use magic." Cora walks around the room her heels make hard sounds on the floor. "But that's not why I was here..."

"Then why are you here, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin asks Cora.

"First to tell you to keep your hands of my daughter," Cora snaps, "and besides that I want to know where lady Tremaine is... What did you do to her?"

"She wanted a portal and that's what I gave her. That was my deal with her to get your daughter to me."

"Really," Cora says, "where did she want to go?" She wants her back, she has connections with the king, so she needs her. And besides that she is useful as nanny.

"I'm already back in town." a familiar voice sounds behind Cora. "I just had to do a little something private. You didn't really think I would leave you alone with your daughter? Regina needs a nanny, doesn't she?" Lady Tremaine smiles at Cora, her best friend.

"You're absolutely right," Cora says, "she needs a nanny who doesn't hand her over to some... Beast." Cora's voice grows harder, but she remembers she needs her, "but I forgive you, welcome back," she says with a grin.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, Cora, but it was the only way to get what I needed. Can you forgive me? I promise I will never do something like this ever again." Lady Tremaine smiles at Cora.

"Of course, we are friends," she says, "I forgive you." She smiles back and makes a bow. "Thank you Rumple," she says and they poof away.

"Nanny!" Regina shouts when her mother and Lady Tremaine enter her bedroom. Henry had put his daughter to bed after coming home, but Regina woke up when she hears the front door. "You're back! I've missed you!" Regina jumps out of bed and hugs her nanny.

"Hi sweetheart, how are you?" Lady Tremaine says, she doesn't mention Regina's manners, because Cora is standing next to her.

"I'm fine now. You're back!" Regina hugs her nanny again. Henry smiles when he sees his daughter so happy. "Lady Tremaine, we are all very tired after today. Will you put Regina to bed, please?" He and Cora give their daughter a goodnight kiss, leave her room and close the door. "You're back, you're back!" Regina laughs and dances around her nanny.

"Stop it!" Lady Tremaine immediately says, "your manners are horrible Regina! Don't you remember what I taught you?"

"But I'm so happy you're back! I thought you left me!" Regina now holds onto Lady Tremaine’s leg.

Lady Tremaine slams Regina on her cheek, "I said stop it!" She says, "now get in your bed!"

Confused Regina lets go of Lady Tremaine. Didn't she like her? Why did she come back if it wasn't for her? She quickly goes to bed. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

Lady Tremaine hits Regina again, "I want you to say my name as you talk to me, next time you will forget that, I'll hurt you more than just a slam on your cheek, so be careful, sweetheart." She smiles.

Regina quickly nodds. "I'm sorry." she apologizes again.

Lady Tremaine hits Regina so hard that blood streams down her lip. "My name I said," she whispers with a dark voice.

Regina starts to cry softly. "You're hurting me." she whispers softly. She then looks up at her nanny. "I'm sorry, Lady Tremaine." she whispers. Tears roll down her little cheeks.

"Good girl," lady Tremaine says, and she wipes Regina's tears away, "I only do what's best for you, Regina," she says and she cleans Regina's lip with her handkerchief. She smiles and stands up, "goodnight sweetheart," she says and she turns of the light.

Regina very silently cries herself to sleep that night. The next morning Lady Tremaine wakes her up.

"Get up, sweetheart," lady Tremaine says, and she opens the window. Without saying anything else, she walks downstairs.

Regina just turns around in bed and sleeps. She doesn't want to get up. She feels ill.

"Regina!" Lady Tremaine screams as she walks in again, "I said GET OUT." She throws the blankets away and pulls Regina out of the bed. Regina falls on the ground but she pulls so hard that she soon stands on her feet again. Lady Tremaine grabs Regina's arms and lets her look in her eyes.

"I'm feeling sick, Lady Tremaine." Regina whispers. "I really don't feel well. Where is my mommy? And my daddy?"

"They left without you, this morning," Lady Tremaine says, "I said them I would take care of you." She smiles, but she squeezes Regina's little arms out of anger, they start to get red.

"You are hurting me!" Regina starts to cry again. "Why did you come back if you don't like me? I want another Nanny!" Regina starts to scream now.

"No you don't," lady Tremaine says, "and don't talk to me like that, I'm doing what's best for you!"

Regina quickly nodds. "I know. I'm sorry, Lady Tremaine." she whispers. "Can I stay in bed? Please? I'm really feeling sick..." Regina looks at her nanny, waiting for an answer.

"Okay, Regina," lady Tremaine says, she doesn't know why she doesn't mention Rumplestiltskin and all the things with the candies. "Are you hungry?" She asks.

"No. I'm not. I told you I'm feeling sick!" Regina shouts.

"Why are you so rude!" Lady Tremaine says, "you can stay her the whole day, and don't thing I'll do anything for you after this horrible words!" She walks away and locks the door.

Regina climbs back into bed and sleeps the whole day. She's really not feeling well. At the end of the day she feels even more sick. She wants to go downstairs, to her nanny, to tell her she's feeling more and more sick, but the door is locked so she can't leave her room. Again Regina climbs back into bed and talks to her doll. "I'm not feeling very well." she whispers. "I want my mommy and daddy to come back home." Regina cries herself to sleep again.

Lady Tremaine sits downstairs, she inspects Cora's spell books and tortures the guards for fun. When she walks past Regina's room, she hears her whisper. She wants to know if someone is in there so she opens the door.

"Lady Tremaine?" Regina looks up when she hears her door open. "Nanny, I'm feeling so ill." Regina whispers. By now her face has turned really pale. Regina doesn't know what is going on. She doesn't feel well and she hears hearts beating. When Lady Tremaine comes closer to her, Regina hears her heart beating too. A tiny bit of darkness appears in Regina's eyes.

Lady Tremaine looks at Regina's pale face and wonders if it was some side effect of the candies she gave her. It can't be, she thinks, the candies were too small to cause something like this. Lady Tremaine brings Regina some water and an apple. "You have to eat something," she says, while she sits down on the side of the bed. "Do you know what caused this? I don't think you can be this sick in such a short time." When she looks at Regina, she sees a little change in her eyes.

Regina slowly starts to eat the apple and drinks the water her nanny brought her. "I don't know." Regina answers. "But I hear... I constantly hear your heart beating, in my ear. I don't like it. I've never had such a thing like this before. I want it to stop!" Regina climbs on the lap of her nanny and puts her little arms around her neck. "Can you hold me? Please? I don't feel too well." Regina asks.

Lady Tremaine is shocked by Regina's sudden movement. No one ever asked her this, no one ever seemed to love her help. She wraps her arms around Regina and starts to sing a song. Her mind seems to ignore all things that have to be done for a moment. Then her control comes back and she thinks of what Regina just said, she doesn't know what it means, but it's not something good. "It will fade," lady Tremaine says clearly.

"Do you think so?" Regina whispers in Lady Tremaine's ear. "I hope it will fade away. Because I don't like it. It feels... It feels..." Regina now sits straight up on her nanny's lap so she can look into her eyes. "It feels evil." She whispers those last three words.

Lady Tremaine suddenly stands up, letting Regina roll from her lap. "Contain it!" she snaps, "go to sleep, Regina," She is a little bit frightened.

"See! I can hear your heart beating faster now! I don't like it, nanny, I don't like any of it!" Regina cries now.

Lady Tremaine decides to stay calm and try to let Regina contain the darkness, because if she doesn't she knows she won't live for long. She walks back to her picks her up and holds her on her shoulder. "Just close your eyes, think of your dolls, think of something you like..." Lady Tremaine whispers, "you will be all right."

"I like this." Regina whispers. "I like it when you hold me." She smiles at Lady Tremaine. "I'm lucky to have you as my nanny!" Regina gives her a big and warm hug. "Do you want to play with me and my dolls for just a minute?" Regina asks. "I promise I'll be a good girl and go to sleep afterwards."

Lady Tremaine doesn't complain, "fine Regina, but you need to go to sleep after that." She sets Regina on the couch and gets the dolls from her room. "Which one is your favorite?" She smiles.

"This one." Regina takes her favorite doll. "She looks like my mommy." She smiles at her nanny. After playing for half an hour, Regina almost falls asleep on the couch.

"Come on, Regina," lady Tremaine says softly, "Let’s go to bed." She carries Regina to her bed and kisses her on her forehead before she leaves. She wants to say thank you, but her hard side won't let her, so she says goodbye and walks out. She feels weird. Almost like she enjoyed spending time with Regina...

The next morning Regina feels a lot better. When she wakes up, she sees a strange man sitting next to her bed. "Who are you?" she asks him.

"Hello dearie," Rumple says as he sees Regina wakes up, "feeling a bit sick?" She rises his eyebrows and smiles.

"Who are you? How did you get into my room?" Regina looks the strange man in his eyes. She doesn't know why, but she doesn't feel afraid of him. It's like she met him before, but she doesn't know how or when or why. By looking him straight in the eye, Rumplestiltskin can also see straight into her eyes.

"With magic of course," he says with a high voice. He looks in her eyes and sees her darkness. Now it's still hidden, but he knows he will get it out. "I can see you recognize me Regina," he smiles.

"I don't know really. I'm not sure. It's like I've seen you before but I don't know where. Does my mommy know you're here?" Regina asks the strange man.

"She doesn't," Rumple says, "but we met before and I asked you something, but you failed, and now you have to pay, dearie." He looks at the girl, so young and yet so dark.

Regina looks at him. "What did you ask me? I don't remember. How can I feel if I don't remember what you've asked me?" Regina asks him. She's a very smart girl, asking questions like those.

"You told a secret to your dear mommy, she made you forget it, but I still remember every word, so... Say goodbye to your sweet little house and come with me." But before they poof away lady Tremaine runs inside. "What are you doing here?" She shouts.

"I'm taking this little girl with me for some lessons. But don't worry, I'll bring her back. Eventually. You can tell Cora her daughter is safe with me." Rumplestiltskin poofs away with Regina to his house. "Why are we here?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

"I need to learn you some things," Rumple says, "don't worry, you'll like it, if you want it or not."

"What do you want me to learn? Can't we do that in my home? I don't like it here!"

"O you will like it here," Rumple says, "my house is far bigger and so is your room, your bed everything." She walks to her and holds her chin in his hand, "I'll teach you how to use magic, and I'm doing it here."

"But I want my bed and my room!" Regina shouts at him. "I want my mommy and my daddy and my nanny!" Regina keeps screaming.

"Well you can sit there until you stop screaming, dearie," Rumple says and he ties her up to a chair. He starts cleaning his giant desk, without paying attention to Regina.

Regina quickly stops screaming and just looks at that strange man. "I like to learn new things." Regina softly says.

"That's a good start," Rumple says and he looks at her again, "you have to free yourself... Try and you will learn something entirely new," Rumple knows it probably will take hours before she breaks free from the chair, because she needs some anger to trigger her magic.

"I don't know how to do that!" Regina screams again. "Let me go! Mommy!!"

Rumple rolls with his eyes, he lets her scream, no one will hear her here. He sits down and starts to spin gold.

Regina keeps on screaming until she has no more voice left. "I want to see my mommy." she now cries. But the man keeps on spinning. A little bit of anger appears in Regina's eyes.

"Not going to happen," Rumple only states and he goes on spinning. He looks at her face. It's full of tears, but he also sees what he wants: anger.

"I want you to let me go!" Regina jumps up, that way destroying the ropes around her and the chair. Stunned she looks at Rumple. It didn't take hours, as he suspected. It only took her half an hour. "Did I do that?" Regina whispers.

"Yes, you did, dearie," Rumple says, "you're a quick learner, good..." He walks to her, "you're free to go now, go wherever you want." He says with a grin. He knows she will get lost if she leaves his palace, he knows he is the only one who can bring her home, but he loves to give people hope without lying.

"No, I can't. I'll get lost." Regina answers the man. She's so wise for a girl her age. "Will you bring me home now, please?" Regina asks this man.

"Not really," Rumple says, "you can go, but I stay here, I've work to do. So if you’re just going to stand there, you can help me with some stuff...."

"With what?" Regina looks at the things he is doing. "Is that magic too?" Her voice sounds interested.

"You'll see," Rumple says, "just come over here," he walks to his desk where a lot of different potions are standing. "Look, magic can do whatever you want," he says, but then his voice gets slow and he whispers, "it can give you everything you want."

"Everything?" With wide open eyes Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin. "Can it give me all the dolls I want?"

"If I say everything, I mean everything, Regina!" Rumple says full of excitement, "so can you make this potion boil?"

"How do I do that?" Regina asks him. She's getting more and more excited to learn magic. "Does mommy know I'm here?"

"She doesn't," Rumple says, "but she will find out soon enough, and in the meantime, I can learn you some magic. Now just focus and follow your instinct."

"Boil... That means I need to make fire, right?" Regina asks him.

"Smart girl," Rumple says, "remember what I said, trust your instincts."

Regina keeps looking at the potion she needs to boil for this man. She still doesn't know his name completely. She focusses real hard, but it doesn't work. "I can't do it. I'm sorry, sir." She looks at Rumplestiltskin, afraid to get hit.

"Did your mother learn you to give up so easily?" Rumple says, "don't look so afraid, I'm not going to kick you or something..."

"You're not?" Regina asks him with a soft voice. "And I'm not giving up!" Just like that the potion starts to boil. Regina looks at it with her big brown eyes. "How did I do that?" she asks the man.

"One word: instinct," he whispers in her air, "and a perfect teacher and a good mother" he walks away, "ready for the next?"

"What's next?" Regina asks Rumplestiltskin with a curious tone of voice. "Another bottle to boil?"

"Doing the same thing is boring..." Rumple says, "I want you to come out..." He makes a cage around her, "this thing, I won't help you, just figure it out.." He says, "they call it proofing away." He grins.

"But I don't know how to do that! I don't want to be in here, I want to be out of this cage!" While Regina is shouting this towards Rumplestiltskin, she automatically poofs out of it and re-appears next to it. Stunned she looks at Rumplestiltskin. "Did I do that?" she asks him again, almost not believing that she did.

"You know you did it..." Rumple says, "your magic is already growing stronger, now try again." He poofs her back into the cage and puts a protection spell around it.

Regina tries to do the same thing as before but that doesn't work any longer because of the protection spell. "What did you do? Why isn't it working?" Regina asks Rumplestiltskin.

"I locked you up with magic," he says, "It’s a protection spell, and the rule is, if you can break it you can create one too, so now you already know your next assignment, but first break it,"

"But I don't know how to break that." Regina answers him. "I don't know how to do that."

"Of course you don't!" He says, "that's why you need to learn it! I thought you were smart..." He rolls with his eyes and continues to spin gold

"But how can I learn it if you don't teach me how to do it!?" Regina snaps at the man.

"Because magic is a feeling, not a trick everyone can learn," Rumple states, "all I can say is to feel the darkness, embrace the darkness..." He hopes the little girl will understand.

Regina's eyes turn a little more dark and evil. With a wave of her hand she poofs herself out of the cage, through the protection spell. She then puts a protection spell around herself. She looks at Rumplestiltskin. "You mean like this?"

"Exactly," he says, looking at her, as if he is not surprised. "But is that everything you can show me? It's a little bit disappointing, dearie."

"I don't know what else I can do?" Regina asks him. "Is there more?"

"Did you remember what I told you when you asked me about magic...?" Rumple says, "I said you could do everything, so do what you want! I'll give you another assignment after that."

"I want to go home now. I want to be with my mommy and daddy." Regina says. "Please?"

"I told you you could go whenever you want to" he says, still knowing she can't go anywhere, not yet. Poofing away such a big distance, won't work. "Let some dolls appear, that's what you wanted wasn't it..." But before he can continue he hears Cora's voice from behind.

"Rumplestiltskin! What THE HELL are you doing with my daughter?!" A furious Cora storms into his house. "Mommy!" Regina shouts.

"I'm learning her things you should learn her!" Rumple says clearly, "she already loves the darkness," he brings out a high laugh.

"No, she doesn't!" But when Cora turns around and looks at her daughter, she can clearly see a bit of darkness in her eyes. "Regina?" Cora asks her daughter. "Yes, mommy?" Regina answers.

"Can you please come here?" Cora says to Regina. Rumple grins and walks to his spinning wheel. "She already stepped over the line Cora, there's no way back now," he laughs, "and no I'm not giving you a memory potion again!"

Regina quickly goes to her mother. "Did I do something wrong, mommy?" Regina softly asks her mother.

"No you didn't, he did," she points at rumple. "He makes you do evil things!"

"Is this evil, mommy?" Regina asks her. She poofs away and re-appears behind her mother. "Boo!" she laughs.

"Yes it is!" Cora says strict. She sees she frightened Regina a bit but she doesn't care, "you have to stop with it, NOW!"

Regina quickly nodds. "I will. I'm sorry, mommy. I won't do it ever again, I promise." Regina looks at her mother with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, mommy." she whispers again.

"Good, you have to promise, Regina" she says and she looks her in her eyes.

Regina nodds. "I promise. I really do."

"Then I guess we're done here," Cora says. She picks Regina up, ready to poof away, "or is there something left to tell me, Rumplestiltskin?" She says with an almost flirting smile.

Rumplestiltskin doesn't answer. He knows he will get Regina back for new lessons as soon as possible. Before Cora can poof away with her daughter, Regina poofs both of them back to their castle. It may be a long distance but Regina's power is unimaginable.

Cora carries Regina to the couch and bows down so her eyes meet Regina's. "What did you do?" She says, "what did he make you do?" She looks angry and she holds Regina's arms.

"Nothing much, mommy." Regina looks at her mother. "He let me escape from my chair. I had to break the ropes. I had to get out of a cage and then a cage with some protection around it. And I boiled some things!" Regina looks at her mommy. "I'm sorry, mommy, I won't do it ever again!"

Cora is really angry now. He let Regina discover her magic in the fastest way possible, by making her angry... By hurting her. She gets her breath under control and looks at Regina. "Good, and remember, magic is bad, not funny."

"But, mommy, you use magic too. Are you a bad person then?" Regina asks honestly.

Cora knows the truth. She is bad, evil, and she knows Regina can become even more evil and powerful than she is. That's not going to happen, she things by herself. "I'm not a bad person, but I'm an adult and I know how to deal with magic." Cora says, "and you don't..."

Regina nodds. "Alright, mommy." she smiles at Cora, like it's the most natural thing she just told her daughter.

Cora sighs, "so now go upstairs and play with your dolls for a while..."

Regina quickly runs upstairs and takes out her toys. She listens at the door if she can hear someone but she doesn't. She closes her door and behind her big bed she starts trying lifting her dolls op with magic so they can fly. Within minutes Regina succeeds. She laughs while she lets the dolls fly across the room.

Cora hears Regina laugh. She never laughs so hard when she is playing alone, so she walks to her room. The closer she walks to the door, the stronger she feels the power of magic. "Regina!" Cora shouts from outside, "what did I told you!" She slams the door open and takes Regina by her arm. She makes her look at her.

"But mommy, I like doing that! Now I don't need you or daddy or Lady Tremaine to play with me, now I can play all by myself!" Regina smiles and looks very proud of herself.

"No more magic, that's what I said!" Cora says loudly. She lifts Regina up with her magic, almost squeezing her body. "Do you like this?" Cora asks.

"Nooo.." Regina looks at her mother, stunned. "No, I don't like that, mommy." she softly answers.

"Well," Cora says, "do you think magic is for good things then?" She still hold her daughter in the air.

"But I like my dolls to fly, mommy." Regina whispers.

"Of course you do!" Cora snaps and she squeezes Regina's body a little more, "but you can't do it anymore, do you understand me!"

"Yes! Yes, mommy, I understand! I promise I won't do it again!" Regina starts to cry because Cora is hurting her.

"Right!" Cora says and she slowly puts Regina down on her bed, she walks to her and sits down beside her, "magic is a bad thing okay... I don't want to hurt you, but I have to make sure you don't use it again..."

Regina nodds. "I won't." she whispers.

"Okay," Cora says, "shall we play with your dolls together?"

"No." Regina whispers. "I don't want to play anymore." She looks at her mother.

Cora feels sad, "okay," she whispers, "I understand, what do you want to do then?"

"I actually want to do magic!" Regina snaps at her mother. "That man was teaching me how to do it and you ruined it!"

"I'm not ruining anything," Cora says with a lot of anger in her voice, "you ruin your life with magic!! You deserve so much better , Regina!"

"But you use magic too and you're my mommy! I want to be just like you!" Regina shouts at Cora while crying.

"No Regina, you can't want that," Cora says, "I'm not a good person Regina... Magic destroyed my life too..." She whispers, "lucky for me I have you," she smiles and thinks back of the moment she held Regina in the air. She loved it... She loved hurting her daughter! She hates herself.

"I don't care. I want to be just like you, mommy." Regina softly says.

Cora sighs, "but I don't want you to be like me, Regina..."

"Why not, mommy?" Regina whispers.

"Because I'm evil, my magic is dark, just like my heart." Cora says, "I don't want that the same happens to you."

"But how can this magic be bad?" Regina asks her mother while flying her dolls across the room again. She really doesn't understand it.

"That magic doesn't seem bad, until you get bored of those dolls and you start to do bigger things," she says and she lifts Regina up and lets her fly, "that kind of things..."

"I like flying!" Regina laughs.

"O do you?" Cora says, "and what if I get bored of you flying so slow and gentle?" Cora makes Regina fly very fast, she slams to some walls and all kind of things fall on the ground, broken.

"Mommy, you're hurting me!" Regina starts to cry again. "Why do you do that?"

"To show you how magic works," she says and she puts Regina down again, "don't you see it?"

Regina nodds. "I understand, mommy. I will get bored of the little things and then I will want to have the bigger things but they are dangerous and evil. Is that right?" Regina looks at her mother to see if she's right.

"It is," she says, "and I know you don't believe that will happen to you, but it will, I know that."

Regina nodds again. "Alright, mommy. I won't use magic ever again, I promise!" Regina runs over to her mother and hugs her. "I love you, mommy." she smiles at her.


	2. The Stable Boy

A few years later. Regina is 17 years old. When her mother and father are gone for business, Lady Tremaine still comes over to watch over her. Her mother doesn't like Regina being alone when she's gone. Regina hates her nanny. She can't talk with her about anything, let alone about boys or how to be noticed by a boy. One boy in particular... Daniel. The stable boy. Regina often looks at him through her window. Today is one of those days. She sits at her window and looks at Daniel, looks at him cleaning the stables. She smiles and draws figures on the misty window. Lady Tremaine enters her room, still without knocking.

"Regina sweetheart, what are you doing?" Lady Tremaine says, she looks through the window and sees a boy. The stable boy. "Were you watching him?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, I am. Don't you think he looks handsome?" She smiles at her nanny.

"He does," lady Tremaine says, "do you like him?" She says with bad intentions.

"Maybe. I don't know. I think so. Why? Is that a bad thing?" Regina looks at her nanny. She really doesn't know what it is she's feeling towards this boy and she doesn't know how to talk about that with anyone.

"Of course not," lady Tremaine lies, thinking of all the games she can play with him, "but you know you'll marry the king right?"

"I'm not. I'm not marrying the king. I want to be happy. I don't want to be Queen." Regina answers Lady Tremaine while looking back outside. "Should I go to him? What should I say?"

"You can't Regina! Go to your room now!" Lady Tremaine shouts, "how dare you to say such things!" She doesn't mean it, she loves Regina falling in love with him...

Regina doesn't listen to her nanny. She runs away, outside, to the stables. Out of breath she arrives there.

Lady Tremaine laughs inside and she also walks outside, wanting to know what Regina will do.

"Oh... Hello there..." Regina smiles at the stable boy. "I'm Regina."

"Hi, Regina," Daniel says, "I'm Daniel," he makes a bow, "do you need my help, Regina?"

Regina softly smiles at him again. "You don't have to do that. I'm just a girl. You don't have to bow for me."

"But you'll marry the king," Daniel says, know he has to show her his respect.

Regina shakes her head. "I'm not. I don't love the King. I don't want to be Queen. I'd rather be happy and free." She smiles at the boy.

"That's exactly what I want," Daniel smiles, "but is the life of a queen not the best thing in the world? So much power?" He knows people love power, but he doesn't.

"No. I don't want power. I want to be free. I want to... see something. Something beyond that castle. I don't want power. It means nothing to me." Regina looks in the eyes of the stable boy. "You don't like power either, do you?" she softly smiles at him.

"I never had power, and I also don't want it," he smiles, "before I came here, I lived beyond those hills," he points at a place far away. "It's beautiful..." He sighs as he thinks of it. He wished he could show her that place.

"You did? What was it like there? I wish I could see it one day." Regina smiles at him. Without them really noticing it they stand close together while looking at those hills.

"It looks like freedom," he says with a laugh, "there is forest everywhere, separated by meadows, and you have water, so you can swim..." He hopes he doesn't make her angry by saying all those things she wants but doesn't have. But he thinks she is not like her mother.

Regina's smile only gets brighter and brighter. "I want to see it!" she laughs of joy. She startles when she hears a branch break underneath someone's feet behind them. "Who's there?" she quickly asks.

"Do you really have to ask that, Regina?" Lady Tremaine says, "Come inside now!" As Regina doesn't move she shouts harder, "now!"

Daniel grabs Regina's hand, he doesn't know why it was just a reflex. He quickly lets go again.

"I'm not coming inside. I'm staying right here. You can't make me." Regina keeps standing next to Daniel and just looks at Lady Tremaine. She felt Daniel taking her hand and she liked that feeling. She now takes his hand into hers and keeps holding it.

"Of course I can," lady Tremaine says, she walks to Daniel and slams him in his face, "how dare you to do something like this to her! She will be queen and you are nothing, no one cares about you!" She shouts and she smiles when she sees his eye is growing blue. "Come inside Regina!"

"No! Leave us alone!" Regina shouts at her nanny. "I don't want to be Queen! Go away!" Regina looks at Lady Tremaine with pure anger in her eyes. She now stands in front of Daniel. "Leave him alone! He has done nothing wrong!"

"He has done something wrong, he touched you!" She says, "you want him to have another one?" She makes a fist. "I won't ask you again, come inside!"

"He didn't touch me! He just took my hand and I don't mind it! If I did mind it I would have said something but I didn't. Can you please leave us alone now? We were talking." Regina turns her back to her nanny, still standing between her and Daniel. She softly smiles at him and takes his hand again.

Lady Tremaine hits Daniel again, this time he almost falls. "O maybe you don't mind, but I do," she snaps, "and you have to listen to me!" She grabs Regina's arm and pulls her away from Daniel.

"Don't touch me!" Regina pushes Lady Tremaine off of her. "Why can't you just leave us alone? We're just talking!" Regina looks at her nanny with growing hatred in her eyes.

"Because you can't be together!" She says, "you are going to marry the king and nothing will change that!" 

"Regina it's okay," Daniel whispers, "go before she hurts you." He can't see anything with his bruised eye, but he can see enough to take in Regina's beauty.

"For the last time, I'm not marrying the King! Now go away, I want to be alone with Daniel!" Regina wants to push Lady Tremaine out of the stables but her anger has grown so much... She pushes her out with magic and the doors closes behind her nanny. Regina looks at Daniel. "I didn't want to do that." she softly says.

"It's okay," Daniel whispers, "but she is right, you can't have a future with me, I'm not worth a queen, but you are worth a king," Daniel looks into Regina's eyes.

"I don't want to be Queen. Why isn't anyone listening to me? I want to be free, see your world behind the hills. I don't want to be Queen!" Regina shouts at Daniel. She runs to her favorite horse, climbs onto it and gallops away.

Daniel sighs and walks away. Regina can't be with him, not even just as friends. She is high and he is low, it's just not possible. He goes on with his work and tries to forget Regina, he tries to forget every moment he saw her through the window and that see looked back at him. 

Lady Tremaine laughs in herself and walks to the house again. Waiting for Regina to come home.

After a few hours Regina turns back home. She doubts Daniel will want to be with her. After all, she doesn't understand his way of living, does she? No... She's sure he doesn't want anything to do with her. When Regina arrives back into the castle, she goes straight to her room and slams with the doors. She sits beside the window and looks at Daniel with tears in her eyes.

Daniel looks at the window again. He sees Regina and turns his head away. Her look is so sad, and so is his. He walks into the stables, just to make sure he will not look at her again.

"Having a bad day?" Lady Tremaine says, while she stands behind Regina.

"Why do you care?" Regina answers very rude. She keeps looking through the window to see if Daniel comes out of the stables again.

"I don't care, just curious," lady Tremaine grins. She sees the stable boy coming out again. "Sad that he doesn't want you, I can imagine you feel so sad now," she now starts to laugh.

"Go away!" Regina shouts at her nanny. "I hate you! Go away!" But Regina forgets Lady Tremaine doesn't like rudeness and she doesn't like to be yelled at. Regina forgot that comes with consequences.

Lady Tremaine sighs, "look what that boy does to you!!" She says, "it seems like all your lessons mean nothing to you!" She walks to Regina and grabs her chin, "if I ever see you looking at that boy again, there will be consequences, do you understand me!"

"I don't care!" Regina pulls away from Lady Tremaine and looks out of the window again. Sometimes she sees glances of Daniel through the windows of the stables.

Daniel secretly looks at the window again, he sees Regina talking with her nanny. He gets worried and keeps looking of Regina is alright. When she turns back he can see she is angry.

"O don't you care?" Lady Tremaine says, "well then I can kill him now if I want, because that's going to happen when you will ever look at him again!" Lady Tremaine shouts now.

"You're not going to hurt him!" Regina's eyes show the fire she's feeling deep inside. A fireball glares up in her hand. She looks angry at Lady Tremaine. "Now unless you want me to release this towards you, you leave me alone! I want to be alone!" Regina shouts at her.

"Fine fine," lady Tremaine says, "but you can't stop me from hurting him and besides that, your mother won't be happy to hear you used dark magic because of him...'

"I don't care!" Regina shouts again. She lets the fireball go and misses Lady Tremaine in matters of inches. A calculated miss and Lady Tremaine knows that. "Next time I will hurt you. Now go. And leave me and Daniel alone."

Regina runs out of her room back to the stables. She walks up to Daniel. "Daniel." she smiles at him. "Are you alright?"

Lady Tremaine walks away. She decides to wait, so she can hurt Regina at the perfect moment. 

"Regina!" Daniel says surprised, "what are you doing here? What if she finds you?" He walks towards her, dropping everything he's holding, "I'm fine," he says, but his head hurts a lot. Lady Tremaine had hit him twice very hard.

"No, you're not. Don't lie to me. Everyone lies to me." Regina softly whispers. She slightly goes over Daniel's eye, where Lady Tremaine had hit him. Without realizing it, Regina heals his wounds. She looks at her hand. "That's not possible..." she whispers. "I'm not wired to have white magic..."

"I was not lying," Daniel says. He feels the pain disappear as Regina touches his cheek. He smiles, "well it seems your dark magic can do good things," he says "thank you, but you shouldn't care about me," and he walks away to pick up his stuff again. "You want to ride Milady? Why else did you come here,"

"I don't want to ride. Unless it's with you." Regina softly smiles at him. "We can ride my horse together and go away?"

"We.. We can't," Daniel says, "you have a family..." He starts to saddle the horse, "but we can make a ride, just for a while, if you like that milady," he bows his head a little. He wants nothing more than to show Regina the world, but he knows she can't, she deserves someone better than him.

"I already told you I don't want you to bow to me." Regina takes a step closer towards Daniel. "I don't care about my family. Only about my father, but he will understand. He just wants me to be happy. I'll only be happy when I'm with you." she whispers. She looks up at him, in his beautiful green eyes.

This was the first time they talked to each other, longer than a hi and a goodbye, but this wasn't the first time he looked into her beautiful green eyes and saw the sparkle that made him smile every day. He just wants to be with her, but he was a stable boy... "I feel exactly the same Regina, but you'll find someone else someday, someone you love just as much and who can give you a better life, because Regina I've nothing... No family, no house..." He wants Regina to be happy, to have everything she deserves, to buy the dresses she wants and to have a proper place to sleep.

"I don't care about all of that. I just want to be with you. Don't you want to be with me?" Regina asks him softly, while looking down to the ground. She doesn't want to look him in the eyes if he tells her he doesn't want her the way she wants him.

"I do," Daniel whispers and he lays his hands on Regina's arms, "I just want to make sure you that you really want to go on with this, for me it's simple, you're the only one I care about, but you have a family and a chance of a good future, but if you want this, I'll be with you, I always will."

Regina looks back up again. "You do?" She softly smiles at him.

"Yes," Daniel says, "it's crazy I know..." He looks at her, "we only spoke once..." He looks to the ground.

"That was enough for me." Regina softly smiles. She takes a couple of steps closer towards him. Her lips softly touch his. "I don't really know how this works." Regina whispers.

"Does that matter?" He says with a smile and he carefully kisses her back.

"I don't know." Regina smiles at him. Suddenly a voice behind her, telling them she will teach them.

"I heard you two need some help," lady Tremaine says, "love is the easiest thing on earth, but only if you know how things work, so what do you say?"

Regina shakes her head. "I thought I told you to go away!" she shouts at her nanny.

"Always so rude," lady Tremaine says and she walks towards them, she grabs Regina's arm and pulls her away from Daniel. "So Regina, you don't want my offer? Fine, then your choice is simple..." She picks up a knife out of her pocked and places it on Daniels throat, Regina stands a few steps away from them, "stay there or I will kill him," she says, "now choose, you want him to live and you come with me and never talk to him again or do you want him dead. You'll lose him anyway." She looks at Regina, "don't even try to use magic, I'll kill him before it reaches me!"

"I want him to live." Regina softly whispers. "Please, Lady Tremaine. Don't hurt him. Please." She looks at her nanny and takes a step back.

"Then go away now! Go inside and I'll let him go," she says.

"I don't trust you. I'll go inside together with you." Regina states clearly to her nanny. "Please?" she adds softly.

Lady Tremaine lets the knife touch Daniels skin, "it's this or he will die!" 

"Go Regina," Daniel whispers, "I ..." But his words can't come out anymore, he feels something sharp on his throat.

Regina quickly goes away. She looks through one of the windows of the stables to see if Lady Tremaine doesn't hurt him again.

Lady Tremaine lets the knife go. "Lucky boy," she says to him while she looks in his eyes, "now make sure she will never talk to you ever again, because I can still kill you... Or her..." She grabs his arm.

Daniel nodds. "I'll try, my Lady. But true love will always win." He turns around and continues his work in the stables. Regina keeps waiting outside for Lady Tremaine to come out.

Lady Tremaine sighs, "true love you say... True love doesn't exist!" She walks away and sees Regina. She picks up her knife again. "I said go inside! Not wait for me a few meters from the stables!"

Regina quickly listens. In anxiety she waits for Lady Tremaine to come to her. She doesn't hear any sounds coming from the stables so at least he's not dying. Otherwise he would scream.

"Fine, stable boy," lady Tremaine says, "have fun with your lonely life," she nods to him and walks away.

Regina sees Lady Tremaine walking out of the stables towards her. "Why did you do that? I love him!" Regina starts to cry. "I love him, Lady Tremaine. Please, can't you just understand that?"

"Of course I can!" Lady Tremaine says, "I loved someone once too!" Looks away when that comes out, she wants to take her words back... "But your mother had plans for you, big plans, you will have a great life. You will have everything you want to have!" Lady Tremaine really doesn't like to keep Regina away from Daniel. She knows Regina hates her and that makes everything easier, like she can't hate her more, but it still hurts.

"But I don't want any of that, Lady Tremaine. I just want to be happy! Didn't you want to be happy with the person you loved? Please, Lady Tremaine... Please... Let me be happy with Daniel."

"No I didn't want to be happy with him, I wanted to hate him, only to make things easier for myself, because I was supposed to marry someone else." Lady Tremaine says, "now you need to do the same, because I can't help you. Hate him, it's not that hard..."

"If you know how this feels like then why are you doing the same thing to me as someone once did to you? I just... I just don't understand that." Regina's anger has cooled down. This is one of the first heart to heart talks she ever had with her nanny.

"Because now I'm on the other side..." Lady Tremaine says, "I don't expect you to get it... I can tell you it hurts, but you can't go away with that stable boy...because... Because Cora will blame me, she will kill the one I love most of something ever happens to you, she told me that a long time ago..." She looks to the ground, "I'm sorry Regina." She steps closer to her, "you maybe never thought I could love, but do, that man I tried to hate, I still love him, although he doesn't know where I am..." It feels good to just let the words flow.

"Then why don't you just go? Go find him? I'm sure he is missing you too. Why can't you do that, Lady Tremaine?" Regina softly smiles at her nanny. "What if I promise to stay here? To only see Daniel if my mother isn't here? Would you agree to that? Please?"

"I can't go to him Regina!" Lady Tremaine shouts, "I made myself hate him and with he started to hate me!!" She can still see that look in his eyes when she broke him down with her terrible words.

"There is nothing you can't come back from, nanny. I mean that." Regina gives her nanny a small hug. She cares about this woman even though she treats her like crap. "Is it alright if I just see Daniel when my mother is not here, Lady Tremaine?" Regina asks again.

Lady Tremaine looks away, "yes that's okay," she walks away and for the first time in years tears start to roll down her cheeks. She hopes Regina goes directly to Daniel, because she doesn't want that she sees her cry.

Regina doesn't immediately go to Daniel. She follows her nanny and places her hand on her shoulder, that way turning her towards herself. Regina gives her a hug. A warm hug. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you and the man you loved." she whispers in Lady Tremaine's ear.

"Don't be," she says, "it's over now..." She wipes away the tears from her face, she starts to walk away again but before she reaches the door she turns around again. "Regina?" she says while she looks up at Regina.

"Yes, Lady Tremaine?" Regina answers her, very polite and respectful like she has been taught.

"Go away with Daniel please," she says, "you two deserve to be happy, I'll figure something out." She walks towards Regina again, "I'll help you get away, but I don't know what your mother is capable of, I don't know if she will find you, but you can give it a chance..." She whispers.

"No. We are not going away. Not when my mother could possibly kill the man you love. I'm not doing that to you. You can't ask me that, Lady Tremaine." Regina softly smiles at her nanny. "We can always go away when I'm 18, but not now."

Lady Tremaine sighs, "do it before I change my mind, because I know that will happen!" She says, I'll make a deal with your mother, just go." She can't look at Regina, her tears don't stop coming.

"I said no." Regina clearly states.

"You don't trust me? Fine! Because I won't give you another chance " lady Tremaine says with anger in her voice. "have fun together." She walks always and slams the door behind her.

Regina quickly runs outside to Daniel. She meets him in the stables again.

"Regina you can’t be here!" Daniel says shocked and he walks away from her, not looking back.

"No, it's alright, Daniel. I can be with you whenever my mother isn't around." Regina explains the situation of Lady Tremaine to Daniel, truly hoping he will understand it. "When my mother is home, we can meet somewhere private? Just not here, in the stables, but somewhere in the meadows?" Regina softly smiles at him.

Daniel smiles and hugs her, too happy to ask her if they could trust lady Tremaine. "It's wonderful, I can't believe it..." he says while holding her tightly.

Regina gives him a big, bright smile. "Me neither. But I'll take it." she softly says. She brings her face closer to his.

Daniel brings his lips to hers, his body stats to glow when their lips touch. He wraps his arms around her again.

Regina softly and carefully kisses him back. She doesn't know what to do exactly or how this works. She never talked about this kind of stuff to anyone. Not ever. She looks up at Daniel to see if she's doing it right.

When Daniel feels Regina is pulling back a bit he sees she looks at him, "there is nothing to be afraid of, just let your heart do the work," he says.

Regina nodds. "I'll try." She smiles. Suddenly she feels Daniel and herself getting poofed away. They both re-appear at her bedroom. "What the hell is going on?" Regina asks out loud. Lady Tremaine's laugh sounds throughout the room.

"Rejecting my offers is not a smart thing to do, Regina," lady Tremaine says, "you destroyed every spark of good inside me again, it just reappeared..."

"But.. But you just said... And how... How do you have magic? You can't have magic..." Regina mumbles.

"Cora has a great collection of magic, I only had to steal the keys from a guard." She says, she doesn't say that the magic was only enough to give her magic for one day. "You two are sweet together!"

"Just leave us alone. We've got nothing to give to you." Regina softly says.

"Yes you have..." Lady Tremaine says, "you only don't know it." 

Daniel holds Regina close, trying to protect her.

"What is it? What do you need? What do we have to give you for you to go away?" Regina looks at Lady Tremaine while she sits down on the chair next to Regina's bed.

"Show me how much you love each other..." Lady Tremaine only says.

"W.What... What do you mean?" Regina looks at her nanny.

"O you know exactly what I mean," she says.

"Just leave us alone, lady Tremaine," Daniel says kindly and he makes a bow, "we just want to talk a little."

"Please, Lady Tremaine. Don't ask us that. We just want to talk, that's all." Regina whispers. But she knows it has no point in trying to talk over Lady Tremaine.

"You had the chance to do that, but you decided to stay, so now you have to live with the consequences." She moves her chair closer to the bed. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"We're not doing this." Regina whispers.

"Having magic is so much fun," lady Tremaine says. She puts a protection wall around the bed, "Shall I learn you how it works?" She says with an evil grin.

"Learn us what?" Regina asks her again.

"Learn you how to enjoy every bit of your love," lady Tremaine says.

"You can't really mean... " Regina whispers. But she knows Lady Tremaine means it when that woman, with just a wave of her hand, puts Regina and Daniel into bed and making them unable to get out because of the protection spell. "Please." Regina begs. "We're not doing that, not here, not now, not with you."

"Yes you are," lady Tremaine says. "Like I said, we can do it the easy way, or the hard way." Daniel still holds Regina's hand. He closes his eyes for a moment. How did he get into this...

"And like I said, we're not doing this!" Regina shouts.

"Fine the hard way..." She says, "which heart shall I take, yours or the one of your special friend!" She snaps, and she stands up," Daniel lays his body before Regina's so lady Tremaine can't reach her heart.

"No! Don't do this, Lady Tremaine, please. Please, don't hurt him." Regina begs.

"Then I'll take yours" she say and she pushes Daniel away with his magic. He moans. She rips out Regina's heart and sits down again." 

"Take mine please," Daniel says, "she deserves her heart."

Regina looks at her nanny with empty eyes. This is the first time someone ever ripped her heart out. She saw her mother do it many, many times now, but she never had her own heart ripped out. Until now. She knows she has to do everything Lady Tremaine will say now. She has no other choice. "Please." she whispers.

"Well first..." Lady Tremaine says, "take him and kiss him." She says and she laughs.

Without hesitation Regina starts to kiss Daniel. After a few minutes she feels she can stop. She looks up at Lady Tremaine. "Please, stop." she whispers.

"No!" Lady Tremaine says, "you have to learn from your mistakes. "Now let him unzip your dress for me," she says. 

"I won't do that," Daniel says, but lady Tremaine starts to choke him.

"Daniel, please listen to her!" Regina shouts. "She will kill you if you don't do what she's asking you! Just... Just do it. It's alright." Regina whispers those last words. She feels Daniel unzipping her dress now. She looks up at Lady Tremaine. "Please." she begs again. "Please..."

"Take it off Daniel," lady Tremaine says. When she sees he hesitates she squeezes the heart a little. Daniel doesn't want to do it, not with her not now. But when he hears Regina moan of pain he softly puts her dress from her shoulders.

Regina looks at Lady Tremaine. "Please." she whispers again. "Please... What do you want?"

"This," she says, "just see you suffer a little..." she smiles again, "go on!"

"Go on? What do you mean, go on?" Regina looks at her nanny.

"You know what I mean!" Lady Tremaine says, "I want to see that dress on the floor. It still covers your body! It's no fun like that!"

Regina pushes out her entire dress and lets it fall on the floor. She then looks again at Lady Tremaine.

"Don't look so angry Regina," lady Tremaine says, "I thought you loved him..."

"What do you want?" Regina whispers. She knows what her nanny wants. She hopes she will not drive it all the way. "Just tell us what you want." Regina whispers.

"I'm not going to spell it all out for you! You're not a child anymore and you know EXACTLY what I mean so go on!" 

Daniel looks Regina in her eyes, "just focus on me, we will be all right," he says as he lets her pull out his shirt.

Regina softly nodds. "I'm so sorry for this." she whispers at him. She now pushes down his pants. She looks up at Lady Tremaine who now stands beside Regina next to the bed.

"It's okay," Daniel says, "just don't let her hurt you." He holds his hands on her back. Her skin feels warm.

Lady Tremaine just stands there and smiles.

"What now?" Regina softly asks. She was asking this at Daniel but her nanny replies.

"Undress yourself completely!" Lady Tremaine says, "it's not that hard..."

"Don't do it Regina," Daniel whispers, but he knows it's useless.

Regina undresses herself completely. Lady Tremaine is still holding her heart in her hands. She looks at Daniel, ashamed. "Please..." Regina whispers. But she knows it's useless. She looks up at her nanny.

"Now take a deep breath," lady Tremaine says.

"Why?" Regina asks her.

"Because you need to have a clear mind," she answers.

"For what?!" Regina snaps at her nanny.

"For discovering each other's body, Regina" lady Tremaine says, "don't be afraid to try..." She winks.

Daniel just holds Regina and tries to stay calm.

"Please." Regina begs again. "Please stop." But again this is useless. She looks at Lady Tremaine. "What do you want me to do?" she whispers.

"Touch him, and let him touch you," lady Tremaine says clearly...

"No..." Regina whispers. "Please." But Regina can't stop her own hands from touching Daniels body. She feels his hands too, but she also feels the hands of her nanny. "What... What are you doing?" Regina whispers.

"I'm helping you," she says, "it looks like you two are frightened of each other!" She says with a laugh, "now don't stop!" Daniel lets Regina touch him. He feels her warm hands, but he doesn't like it, not this way.

Regina just strokes Daniel over his chest and his arms. She doesn't go further than that. But Lady Tremaine notices that. Regina's hands tremble. Again she feels her nanny's hands on her body.

"Don't be so careful Regina!" She says, "it doesn't work that way!" She takes a few steps back, "take him with everything you have!"

"Please." Regina begs again. "Please, I... I don't know... how..." Regina mumbles. She starts kissing Daniel again, wild and rough. Her hands and nails go over his body. "Please, Lady Tremaine." Regina whispers again. She stops touching Daniel and looks up at her nanny again.

"Fine stop it!" She says and she squeezes the heart very hard before she puts it back. "But don't think this is the end, I'll make you wish you left when I gave you the chance." She poofs away. 

Daniel closes his eyes and his body relaxes.

Regina's body freezes when her nanny disappeared. She only now realizes she's lying next to the man she loves, with no clothes on. She turns around with her back towards Daniel. "I'm so sorry." she whispers. "I understand if you want to go."

"It's okay," he says and he sits up straight. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a moment. He still feels Regina's warm body on his lap.

"Just go if you want to." Regina whispers again. She protects her body with the blanket on her bed.

"No Regina, that's not what I want," Daniel whispers, "this doesn't change anything for me, but if you want me to go, I will." He stands up and picks up Regina's dress from the floor, he hands it over to Regina, "don't worry I won't look," he says and he starts to dress himself.

Regina softly smiles at him. She quickly dresses herself again. "I don't want you to go." she whispers at Daniel. "Can you stay? Please?"

"Yeah..." Is the only thing he says and he gets back in the bed. Regina leans against him and he lays his arm around her.

"This... I like this." Regina softly smiles at him. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I hate her. I really, really hate her." Regina whispers.

"It's not your fault," Daniel says, "it seems like she hates you too... How did that happen?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I did to make her hate me that much." Regina softly whispers. She looks up at Daniel and draws figures over his chest. "Do you like that?" she asks him.

Daniel grins, "I do," he whispers and he kisses her on her forehead. It's dark in the room but he can see Regina's eyes sparkle in the moonlight, that slips through the window. He smiles as she looks up to him.

Regina smiles back at him. "I do hope she's not coming back tonight." Regina softly opens up to Daniel. "I like this. Lying here with you and listening to your heart beat."

"Don't think about that... And if she will come back, we can handle it." He says and he kisses her again. "I love to just be here with you..." He whispers, "it's one of the best things that ever happened to me..."

Regina strokes Daniel over his chest now. She can hear his heart beat inside of her mind. She recognizes this from years ago, when she was just a little girl who ripped out the heart of a young man in the village nearby. She liked it. No. She loved it. She looks Daniel deep into his eyes. A bit of darkness glares up in her own eyes but is gone just as quickly. "I'm sorry." she whispers. "It's not easy to keep the darkness away. I'm sorry."

The sparkle in Regina's eyes disappears for a moment, but it comes back immediately. "I understand, I had it too for a long time, it will fade one time..." He says, "don't worry."

"What do you mean, you had it too?" Regina asks him.

"Do you think I came to work here willingly?" Daniel says, "I made a deal with your mother... I've hated her for a long time, until I saw you... And you looked happy with her, you hugged her, kissed her and I realized you changed her. That's when I forgave her." He smiles.

"What deal did you make with my mother?" Regina quickly sits straight up in bed. "What deal, Daniel? And why? Why would you do that?"

"It doesn't matter, Regina," he says, "it was worth it and that's it..." He feels Regina moving away from him and he wishes he didn't told her this.

Regina looks back up to Daniel. "It was worth it? Because of me? Why? I don't understand that." Regina looks at him, waiting for an answer.

"Just leave it, I don't want to talk about it..." Daniel says. He knows he has to tell her, but he really doesn't feel like it, not to Regina...

Regina nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She lies herself back against him. "It doesn't really matter, does it? I just want to enjoy this moment, with you." She smiles at him.

Daniel holds her close, happy she didn't go on asking. "You're right," he whispers, but he knows it's not fair.

After a few minutes of silence they both fall asleep into one another's arms. But in the middle of the night they get awakened with loud noise. Lady Tremaine is back and wants to play a game.

"I see you two dressed yourself again," lady Tremaine states, "your love is still only starting, I love it!!" She walks towards them, still having magic and still enjoying the pain in Regina's eyes, "but you didn't go away... Interesting!"

Regina quickly wakes up. "What do you want?!" she shouts at her nanny.

"O nothing," lady Tremaine says, "I just love to see how I can ruin your peaceful night together." She sits down on the chair again. "Go on, I won't bother you."

"We were actually just sleeping. Nothing really exciting to watch, Lady Tremaine." Regina whispers.

"I know," lady Tremaine says, "but it will get interesting..." She puts an protection spell around them again. "You two are going to repeat what we did before, plus a little bit more."

"No." Regina clearly answers. "You will need to rip out..." But before she can finish this sentence, Lady Tremaine has ripped out her heart. Regina looks at her with empty eyes and starts repeating what happened a few hours before. When she's completely undressed Regina starts undressing Daniel. When they are both completely naked, Regina looks at Lady Tremaine. "Now stop. Please." she whispers.

Daniel closes his eyes, knowing this won't be the end.

"I'm not finished," lady Tremaine says, "now the fun part can begin..." She brings Regina's heart close, "now touch him Regina, discover his body with all the power inside you," she whispers.

"No..." Regina whispers. "Please. Please, Lady Tremaine." Regina whispers. But again she can't prevent her hands from stroking Daniel's body. His whole body. Regina starts breathing fast and her heart pounds very fast in Lady Tremaine's hand. After touching his whole body, Regina looks at her nanny.

"Well done," lady Tremaine says, "but this is not how it works, it has to come from two sides..." She walks to them and leads Daniels hands to Regina's body and lets him touch her. 

Daniel holds his breath, he hates this women. He closes his eyes as his heart starts to beat fast. His hands go over Regina's body, but he doesn't want to...

Regina notices Lady Tremaine keeps her hands on Daniel's hands while she leads those over her body. Regina softly moans. Lady Tremaine lets Daniel touch Regina on those parts of her body that make her aroused. Turned on.

"You see," lady Tremaine whispers, "it's not that hard... Now go on yourself, I can see you like it." 

Daniel pulls his hands back as soon as lady Tremaine lets them go. "I'm not going to do this," he says. He can keep in control, he has to.

"Please." Regina whispers to her nanny. But Lady Tremaine doesn't like it when Daniel stops doing what she told them to do. She squeezes into Regina's heart quite hard. Regina moans of pain. "It hurts..." she whispers.

Daniel wraps his arms around Regina, "stay strong, close your eyes," he whispers and he relaxes, hoping she will do it too. 

Lady Tremaine squeezes a little harder, "I would go on if I were you, I guess you don't want to see your sweet girl suffer, because you don't want her." She squeezes the heart harder again.

Daniel takes a deep breath and lets his hand go over her body again.

Regina notices her body likes this. It wants more. She wants more. Suddenly she feels two more hands on her body. Lady Tremaine's hands. Regina's head falls in her neck. She moans of... Pleasure? How is it possible she likes this?

Daniel doesn't want to see Regina like this... When lady Tremaine starts to touch her, he slams her in her face. Lady Tremaine looks up at him and squeezes Regina's heart. Blood drips down her eye. "How dare you!" She says and with her magic she starts to choke him.

Regina moans of pain. "Please. Please, don't hurt him. He didn't mean it. Please, Lady Tremaine, please!" Regina begs. "Please, we'll do anything you want, I promise!" When Lady Tremaine stops choking Daniel, Regina kisses him. She lets her hand go over his body again. Again she feels four hands on her own body. She moans of pleasure. But her mind is confused. How can she like this?

Daniel wants to go away, but he is trapped. Lady Tremaine leads his hands over Regina's body, he doesn't want her to. He sees pleasure in Regina's eyes and he almost starts to scream. He can't breath anymore.

Regina softly moans again. Her body likes this, very much it seems, but her mind doesn't. She hates herself for liking this. "Please." she whispers. But with another squeeze in her heart by Lady Tremaine, Regina quickly stops begging. It's useless. Regina lies down on her back and pulls Daniel above her. She looks at Lady Tremaine.

Lady Tremaine sees Regina's look and she grins. She sits back on her chair and watches them. Satisfied.

"Regina stop," Daniel whispers in her ear. He rolls of her again.

"Go on. Please." Regina softly smiles at Daniel. "It's alright. It really is. She will go away after this, I promise." Regina pulls him back above her. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Go on." Lady Tremaine only says. She squeezes into Regina's heart a bit. Regina moans of pain. "Please, Daniel. It hurts so much."

"But seeing you like this hurts me, Regina," he whispers, but he knows she can't help it. He goes on touching her, everywhere, hoping lady Tremaine will stop.

Regina opens her legs and let him come inside of her. She moans harder this time, really liking this. She looks over at Lady Tremaine. Her nanny just smiles at her and looks very, very proud and pleased with herself. She stands up and strokes Regina's hair. "Good girl." She smiles. She keeps stroking Regina's hair while Regina and Daniel continue.

Daniel closes his eyes. He can't deny that he also likes it. He breaths heavily, enjoying Regina's body, but then he pushes her away. "I can't do this, I'm sorry," he says. He sits up straight and thinks of Regina, he still feels her. He feels her body inside and outside. He can't go on, although he wants it deep inside. He lays the blanket over Regina's body as he pushes her away gently and looks emotionless in lady Tremaine's eyes.

Lady Tremaine smiles. "That was all for tonight. Tomorrow we will continue my lessons in the afternoon. You two meet me at the stables after lunch." She smiles while giving Regina her heart back. "You did good tonight, dear." She gently strokes Regina over her hair again. "That's my girl. Good girl. You see? There's nothing to be afraid of. This is fun! You will thank me later for these lessons. And this... This was just the beginning." Lady Tremaine laughs loudly while poofing away. Regina's body freezes in bed. She feels cold now. "I want to be alone." she whispers. "No... No, I don't. I want you to stay very close to me." she then changes her mind quickly. "Please? Will you stay with me for the rest of the night?" She looks up at Daniel. "I'm scared alone. I'm so scared." Regina cries softly now.

"It's better that I go now, Regina... It also was your first idea..." He whispers while he looks at the door. Afraid someone comes in again. He steps out of the bed, after kissing Regina on her forehead. He dresses himself again, but his clothes feel heavier than before. He looks at Regina who silently sits on the bed, tears roll over her cheeks. Daniel feels tears coming up too. "Okay..." He says very softly, "I'll stay," he says and he comes into the bed again. He lays the blanket over them and holds Regina on his arm. The past flies back in his mind. He knows he has to tell her... But he doesn't dare.

"Just go if that's what you really want." Regina whispers softly. She's used to that. Everyone leaves. Everyone lies. Nobody really cares about her.

"No..." Daniel whispers, "I can't leave you now," he lets his hand go through her hear.

"Why not? Everyone does. Why would you be any different?" Regina softly smiles when she feels his hand going through her hair. But then she feels her nanny's again. Regina softly moans.

"Maybe because I'm not everyone, I'm just me and I care about you," he says, he lets his hand go again and now holds her hand, so she can see it's his.

Regina softly smiles. "You do?" She turns around and looks at him. "I care about you too." She takes his hand and feels it's his. She relaxes again. "What are we going to do tomorrow? If we don't go, she will do something terrible."

"Then we will go," Daniel says, "but only if you want it... Like I said I've nothing to lose." He smiles as he feels Regina relax again. "When will your mother be home?" He asks her.

"I don't want to. But I know we have to." Regina whispers. "At least if we don't want anything worse to happen." Regina looks up at him. "My mother will be home the day after tomorrow."

"We can go tomorrow if you want to," Daniel says, "but before we go I want to tell you something, it's not fair if I don't..." He sighs.

"I'm listening." Regina softly whispers while looking at him. She draws figures on his chest while she listens to him.

"Well my family thinks I'm dead... And so does my..." He shakes his head, not wanting to say it, "do you really want me, Regina? Are you sure about this?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. Of course." she whispers. "You can tell me. You can tell me anything, Daniel." She softly smiles at him.

"Well... So does my fiancée," he looks down, "a long time ago I made a deal with Cora, but before that I had a family who loved me, and I fell in love with a girl..." He looks at Regina, afraid what to expect, "and we were planning to get married... But before we could, Cora ripped me away from her, you look like her... Although her hair was red."

"What kind of deal did you make with my mother?" Regina asks him again. She doesn't like this. She doesn't like this at all. Daniel has a fiancée? A woman who is still alive? She doesn't like the sound of that. It means she can lose him if those two ever meet again...

"One day she just came to me and told me that I could choose, I had to leave my fiancée and come with her, or she would die and I could stay with my family. The only thing she said was that Zelena, my fiancée, didn't deserve a happy life..." Daniel says, "but I've never known why...".

"Zelena?" Regina doesn't remember her mother ever saying that name. "I don't know who that is. I'm sorry." Regina looks up at Daniel again and softly smiles. "Do you still love her?" she asks him.

Daniel hesitates, "I don't love her like I love you, but we've been together for a long time..." He sighs, "I'm sorry. I wanted you to know about her, but I also want you to know that I want you."

"I'm glad I know now." Regina softly whispers. "And I'm so sorry for what my mother did to you and your family and... and your fiancée. I wish I could turn back time to stop her from doing that... But I can't." Regina softly smiles at Daniel again. "Look... It's almost light outside."

"I don't want to turn back time," Daniel says and he kisses Regina on her lips, "we have to act normal, I think," Daniel says, "can you poof me to the stables? I'll saddle two horses... Are you still sure you want to leave?" He looks at her.

"No. We can't leave. Lady Tremaine wouldn't let us. We should just stay here and go to her after lunch. If... If you want? I just... I just don't want her to hurt us more than she's already doing." Regina whispers and looks up at Daniel, waiting for his response.

"I don't understand..." Daniel says, "but we do what you think is right, you decide." He leans against the wall.

Regina nodds. "I think that's best. My mother will be home tomorrow. We can manage until then, can we?" She softly smiles at Daniel. "I just want to wake up peacefully now."

"All right," Daniel says, a bit disappointed but still happy. He kisses her again and stands up, "I'm afraid I have to go to work, Cora will notice if the stables are not clean and stuff..." He smiles at her.

Regina nodds again. "I know. I'm going to rest for a while longer. Do we meet at the stables after lunch?"

"Yes," Daniel whispers as he opens the door. He walks back to give her a kiss and then leaves the room.

Regina softly smiles and leans back into bed. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep a bit more.

"Regina!!" Lady Tremaine says, "wake up, sweetheart, you will be late for breakfast!" She almost sings.

"I'm not eating breakfast this morning. I'm tired." Regina turns back around in bed.

"Regina, you're a big girl!" Lady Tremaine says, "and where are your manners!" She pulls Regina out if the bed with her magic. She still has almost 12 hours of magic left.

Regina quickly gets dressed. "I'm sorry, Lady Tremaine." Regina knows she has to keep her nanny satisfied so she wouldn't hurt them very much this afternoon. During breakfast Regina doesn't eat much.

"Eat something Regina," lady Tremaine says, "you won't survive if you don't...." Lady Tremaine drinks her tea and just looks at Regina.

"I'm not hungry." Regina answers Lady Tremaine, not really getting the clue of what her nanny just said.

"Do what I say, sweetheart," lady Tremaine says, and she lets more food disappear on Regina's plate...

"I just told you I'm not hungry!" Regina snaps at Lady Tremaine.

"And I told you to eat!!" Lady Tremaine shouts back, "I'm sure you don't want me to lock you up until you did, do you?" She looks at Regina, "I do it for you, your mother will notice something is wrong if you don't eat!"

Regina doesn't start to eat. She looks at Lady Tremaine with anger in her eyes. "You can't force me to eat if I don't want to!"

Lady Tremaine poofs Regina away to one of the prisons and locks the door. She also puts a protection spell around it. "Have a nice breakfast Regina, I'll pick you up this evening, I hope you didn't tell Daniel you would come to him today..."

"No! Please, Lady Tremaine! I'll eat! I'll eat anything you want me to! Please!" Regina shouts at Lady Tremaine. "I promise I'll be a good girl!"

"Too late, sweetheart," lady Tremaine says and she walks away. "I'll tell him you won't come!"

"No!" Regina now feels really angry and she manages to break the protection spell and poofs herself in front of her nanny. "I said NO!" she shouts at her. "I will eat, I will be a good girl. I promise. I really promise." Those last words Regina whispers. She looks up at Lady Tremaine.

"I said... Too late," lady Tremaine says and she poofs Regina back, "you stay here or I'll get something to make you stay!" She shouts now. "You destroy my happy day, so I guess you will keep quiet now!"

Once more Regina breaks out of the protection spell and poofs herself back to the dining room where she sits down and starts to eat breakfast.

"Good," lady Tremaine says, "you want the hard way, you'll get the hard way. Stay here! Or you'll make it worse for yourself and your lovely stable boy." She poofs away and appears in front of Rumplestiltskin. 

"I need a bracelet, a bracelet to make magic stop!" She says, "tell me your price!"

Rumplestiltskin just smiles. "That will be a very high price to pay." He looks up at Lady Tremaine. "I need you to break Regina Mills."

"Deal," lady Tremaine says with a grin. "Can you give me some more information about that stable boy, I thought Daniel was his name, does he have other loved one's? I can certainly use him against her."

"Zelena. Zelena is his biggest weakness. That's all I can tell you." Rumplestiltskin smiles. "Before I give you this bracelet I want to know exactly how you plan to break that girl."

"That will ruin the fun, Rumple, but I'll break her," she says, "I'll break her with all I have!"

"Alright!" Rumplestiltskin laughs. "Make sure you push her into the darkness for me, will you?" He hands over the magical bracelet. A bracelet that prevents the carrier from using magic.

"Of course I will, thank you" she says and she kisses him on his hand. She poofs away and appears at the dining room.

Regina startles when Lady Tremaine poofs back into the dining room. "What's that?" Regina asks her while pointing at the bracelet in her nanny's hand.

"Something bad for you," lady Tremaine says and before Regina can answer she puts the bracelet around Regina's wrist. She poofs her to the prison again and locks her up. "You can't use magic anymore," she says with a laugh, "o yes... Here is you food," she lets the plate with food appear. "Have a great day!"

Regina tries to get the bracelet off her wrist but it doesn't work. She sits down on the bench in the prison cell. She lies down on it and falls asleep. She wakes up in her own bed, with Daniel next to her, and Lady Tremaine sitting on the chair next to them. She looks up at her nanny. "What do you want?"

"Same as before but now I'll leave you two alone," she says, "do what you want, but stay here. I won't come in you can trust me... This evening is all yours!" She smiles and proofs away. This is part of the plan, she needs Regina to love Daniel really much, because the more she loves him, the more she can break her.

Regina looks at Daniel. "That's a nice sounding twist." She smiles at him. "Do you want to stay here? With me?"

"I always want to stay with you," Daniel says and he kisses Regina. He doesn't trust lady Tremaine, but for now he just wants to be with Regina.

Regina makes herself comfortable in Daniel's arms. They just talk. Nothing more. But with every passing minute Regina grows to love him more and more.

Daniel loves to listen to Regina's soft voice. He lets his hand go through her hair while her head lies on his shoulder. She tells him a lot of things and he loves it. He had not a lot to tell, but there are so many subjects that there's never seems to be a pause. He knows he loves her now. He really loves her more than he ever loved someone.

Regina's heart beats a bit faster when she looks into Daniel's beautiful green eyes. She smiles at him. "I like this. I like this very much."

"Me too," Daniel whispers. He kisses her slowly, he sees the sparkle in Regina's eyes again as he moves towards her. His lips touches hers and his body seems to be on fire. 

Then someone knocks on the door.

"Who could that be?" Regina asks Daniel. They both quickly get up and get dressed. "Yes? Come in?" Regina answers the knocking on the door.

"Sorry to bother you," lady Tremaine says, she walks in, "I just wanted to warn you, Cora may be home earlier than she had planned, so I'm afraid Daniel has to go now..." Lady Tremaine says, she lied every word.

Regina nodds. "Thank you for letting us know, Lady Tremaine." She looks up at Daniel. "I guess she's right. Can I see you tomorrow at the stables? Maybe you can give me a riding lesson?" Regina softly smiles at him.

"Yes of course," he says and he kisses her goodbye. He walks out of the door and lady Tremaine closes it behind him. She walks him down to the outside door, but before he can leave lady Tremaine rips out his heart and quickly commands, "don't make a sound"

Daniel doesn't make a sound and just looks at Lady Tremaine with empty eyes.

"Good boy," lady Tremaine says, now go back to where you belong and go to sleep, we will talk again tomorrow." Lady Tremaine grins and she puts the heart in her back. She poofs away to take the next step in her plan. She only has an hour of her magic left, but she knows that's enough.

Daniel goes to his room next to the stables and goes to sleep. In the meantime Regina has gone to bed herself.

The morning comes and lady Tremaine wakes Regina for breakfast, just like every other morning.

This morning Regina wakes up without complaining and meets Lady Tremaine at the breakfast table. "Good morning, Lady Tremaine." Regina softly smiles at her nanny, while taking place at the table.

"Good morning Regina, did you sleep well?" She says, "it seems your mother didn't come, she sent me she still had some stuff to do..."

"I did sleep well, thank you. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Regina looks at her nanny. "That's alright. We didn't want to take the risk she would be home early. Thank you again for warning us."

"You're welcome," lady Tremaine says, "so I guess you want to spend the day with Daniel until your mother comes back. I have to go so you can go too if you want." She stands up and starts to walk away.

"Thank you, nanny!" Regina smiles and laughs. She quickly stands up and runs to the stables. "Daniel!" she laughs when seeing him at work.

"Regina..." Daniel says softly and emotionless on commands of lady Tremaine. "Regina, I have to tell you something..." He says feeling nothing.

"Daniel? Are you alright? What do you have to tell me?" Regina looks at him, confused. What's happened to him? He's not the same as the evening before.

"Look behind you, Regina..." He says and he waits for Regina to turn around, "she found me, Zelena found me and I love her," he says and she walks towards her. Zelena runs towards him and they kiss. Zelena out of love and Daniel because he was said to do so. "I'm sorry Regina, it's over between us." He says with a laugh. Zelena giggles and they kiss again, like Regina doesn't exist.

"No..." Regina very softly whispers. No one hears it though. Robin and Zelena only have eyes for each other. Regina quickly runs back to the castle and locks herself up in her room. She hides under the blankets in her bed and cries, cries, cries.

Lady Tremaine pretends to just walk by. "Regina?" She asks with a kind voice, "is something wrong? I can hear you're in there... Please open the door."

"Go away!" Regina shouts at her nanny. "I want to be alone!"

"Don't be so rude!" Lady Tremaine says and she opens the door with her last bit of magic. "You should be happy for him! Your true love found true love again, it seems that after all you weren't meant to be together." She says, "don't cry Regina!" She wants to break her more...

Daniel pulls back from Zelena, "what's wrong? She asks him?" And she kisses him again.

"I told you to go away!" Regina screams again. She uses her magic to push Lady Tremaine out of her room and locks the door again with a protection spell around it.

"Zelena? How are you here? Where is Regina?" Daniel asks the girl in front of him.

"Regina!" Lady Tremaine says, "what do I tell your mother about using magic! You're old enough to cope with loss now Regina, get over it, it's not really a big deal!" She shouts, "look outside they're so happy together"

"Someone told me you were alive," Zelena says touching his face, "I thought you were dead. Tears show up in her eyes. "I missed you," she wraps her arms around him.

"GO AWAY!" Regina screams now really loud at Lady Tremaine. She hides again under the blankets and cries.

"I... I missed you too, Zelena, but... But I've moved on. I hoped you did the same thing." Daniel looks into Zelena's green eyes. "I'm in love with someone else, Zelena."

"Get over it Regina!!" Lady Tremaine screams, "you act like a child!" She walks away and hears Daniel and Zelena talking...

Zelena looks at him, "but... But the ring? You don't want to marry me?" 

"Say you do love her, that you weren't thinking straight, say you want to marry her!" Lady Tremaine whispers to the heart.

Daniel looks back into Zelena's eyes. "No. I'm sorry, Zelena. I have loved you will all my heart and you were once the only girl for me, but... But like I said... I've moved on. You should do the same."

"You don't love me anymore?" Zelena asks Daniel. She starts to run away, tears Rolling down her cheeks. "You love someone else?" 

"Say you want to marry Zelena," lady Tremaine now shouts to the heart "say you love Zelena that you that Regina was a mistake! Go back to her!"

"I do love you, Zelena, I still do. I will always love you. But you are my past. Regina is my future." Daniel softly smiles at her. "I do hope one day you'll understand and you'll find your own true love, Zelena."

Zelena sinks to the ground, "why didn't you come to me?" Zelena cries, "every day I dreamt about you, hoping you would come back, that a miracle would happen. I always waited for you, Daniel." She looks away her arms are wet from wiping away her tears.

"Because I made a deal, Zelena. It was either me going away, leaving you all thinking I was dead, or your death. I came here so you could live, Zelena. I've let you go then and now you have to let me go."

"But I don't want to let you go, Daniel..." Zelena says, "don't ask me that!" She leans against the wall with her back and looks at him, "you made a choice, you let me go, you lost hope, but I never did that! So don't ask me to let go!"

"I'm sorry, Zelena. I'm in love with Regina. I choose her."

Out of Lady Tremaine's hands Daniel's heart disappears and goes back into his chest. When the magic wears off, so does ripping out his heart.

"You're horrible, you truly are!" Zelena says, "why? Please tell me, can't I be good enough for you?"

"You once were, Zelena. But now I'm in love with Regina. You have to let me go. You have to find your own happiness."

"I can't" she says, "not now," she stands up, "since you were gone, I tried that, but everyone in this world abandons me, my family, you and even your family... How can I move on without anyone..."

"You can. I know you can. Look, if it's alright with Regina, maybe you can stay here for a while and get to know her?" Daniel suggests.

"O yes and see how you two love each other! Because that's so great!" She snaps at him.

"That's not what I mean and you know that, Zelena. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go find Regina. I'm sure she's devastated by what just happened."

Regina still lies under her blankets in bed, crying and wishing to be somewhere else.

"Fine! It's all FINE!" Zelena yells at him. she stands up and takes him with his shirt, "you can't do this to me! You can't just leave me here! You don't deserve love! I HATE YOU!" She screams. She slams him in his face and walks away.

Lady Tremaine still has Daniels heart, but it's useless. So she waits until Daniel will come out of the stables.

Daniel lets Zelena walk away. He leaves the stables and walks up to the castle to search for Regina.

Zelena sinks down to the ground when Daniel walks out of sight. How could he do this to her. She says nothing and she doesn't move. Not caring of anyone would come to safe her.

Lady Tremaine sees Daniel walk to the house. She walks to him and holds his arm. "Go back to Zelena!" She snaps, "Regina is mine now, you can't get her! I'll kill her if you ever say a word to Regina again."

"No, Lady Tremaine. You can't ask me that. I love Regina, with all my heart. I need to see her now." Daniel answers her.

"Not going to happen," she says and she takes out a knife of her pocked. "I still have this, it can do a lot!" She says. "So you get back to Zelena now and never come back, or Regina will be dead!"

"Don't hurt Regina, I beg you, Lady Tremaine." Daniel softly says. He backs away from her and turns around to go to Zelena. He waits in the stables until Lady Tremaine has gone away. He then sneaks into the castle and makes his way to Regina's room. He softly knocks on the door. "Who's there?" Regina asks.

Lady Tremaine walks to Zelena, as she sees Daniel isn't there starts to talk to Zelena, "you look horrible, sweetheart, I can imagine you want to hurt that girl, Regina where he is talking about." She reaches out Daniels heart. "This is her heart," she lies, "squeeze it until I say stop and you will hurt her so much!" Zelena isn't in control and she does what lady Tremaine says. Daniel falls unconscious on the ground.

Regina doesn't hear anything. She thinks she heard wrong and hides herself back under the blankets in bed. After a while she falls asleep, exhausted from all the crying.

"Please come inside," lady Tremaine says to Zelena, "I'll make you some tea,". "No thank you, milady, I think I should go, I hurt Regina, but Daniel will be happy here." She runs away without saying something else and with a sparkle of revenge inside her. 

Lady Tremaine takes Daniels body to the prison and locks him up. Regina can't get him.

The next morning Regina wakes up with a major headache. She decides to stay in bed all day.

Lady Tremaine walks to Regina's room in the morning and like every morning she calls her to get up for breakfast.

"No!" Regina shouts. She keeps the door to her room locked with magic.

"Are you still crying about that boy?" Lady Tremaine says, "seriously Regina, get over it and come for breakfast!"

"I said NO!"

"Regina open the door now!" Lady Tremaine shouts, "your mother comes home today and you can't face her like this!"

"Sure I can! GO AWAY!" Regina keeps screaming at her nanny and keeps the door locked with magic.

"And what will you say to her?" Lady Tremaine says, "hi mother, I just lost the live of my life, who I first talked to a day ago?" Lady Tremaine leans to the wall.

Regina starts to cry again. "I hate you!" she shouts. But she doesn't know how to keep up the protection spell on her door while she's crying like that. The door flies open.

"Of course you hate me!" Lady Tremaine shouts as she gets in the room, "why? I haven't done anything wrong, Regina,"

"You scared him off with your 'lessons'! Of course he doesn't want me! It's much easier with Zelena, she doesn't has a twisted nanny like you!"

"This Regina, is not my fault," lady Tremaine says, "you can't blame others for your own mistakes." She walks closer to the bed.

Regina looks up at her. "What do you want?" Regina now softly asks her.

"I want to stand up, walk out of this room and get over that stupid boy of yours," she snaps and she turns around.

"I'm not doing that! He made it clear he wants Zelena and not me." Regina snaps back.

"Fine," lady Tremaine says, but before she can continue Rumplestiltskin appears on the other side of the room. "Well it seems you have a visitor..." She walks away and closes the door.

"What do you want?" Regina asks him. Why doesn't anybody just leave her alone?

"I want to congratulate you for this wonderful moment," Rumple says, "it seems you finally realize your faith." He grins, "no one will ever stop leaving you, dearie,"

Angrily Regina looks at Rumple. Darkness shows up in her eyes, now more clear than ever.

Rumple laughs satisfied as Regina looks at him with such anger. "Is that bracelet bothering you dearie?" He grins and he poofs to the bed, "you don't look very well,"

"Get it off of me!" Regina snaps at him.

"O no dearie," Rumple says, "didn't your mother teach you, all magic comes with a price?" He now moves his head close to hers. "So here is my deal, you come to my house... Just for a few days, and I'll take of that bracelet." 

Regina doesn't react and a voice comes from downstairs, "Regina, I'm home!" It's a quite happy voice. Rumple smiles. "It seems like your mother has come home, dearie, so what do you say? Are you going to face her like this, like this giant mess you are now? Or do we have a deal?" He grins.

"We have a deal." Regina whispers very softly. "Just take me with you. I don't want to be here."

"Excellent!" Rumple says with a high grin. He poofs them away to his house.

Cora walks upstairs. She didn't see lady Tremaine, but she doesn't care, "Regina," she says, "are you upstairs, I have to tell you something incredible!" She walks to Regina's room, "I just went to the -" she walks into Regina's room, but it was empty. She sighs, but her smile doesn't fade. She would go and find lady Tremaine first.

Lady Tremaine hears Cora shouting out her name. "Yes, my Lady?" Lady Tremaine smiles when she meets Cora in the living room downstairs.

"Hi there," she says with a happy voice. "I've such good news she says, all thanks to you," she almost wants to jump, "your brother's son, I mean the prince wants to marry Regina," she gives lady Tremaine a short hug.

Lady Tremaine smiles. "That's great news! Did you tell Regina already?"

"No, I can't find her, do you know where she is?" She asks.

"I don't. I actually haven't seen or heard from her the entire day already. Do you think... That something happened?" Lady Tremaine looks up at Cora.

"No I don't think so, she doesn't let anything happen to herself unless it her own choice," Cora says, "are you sure you don't know where she is?" She looks lady Tremaine deep in her eyes, "friends don't lie to each other...".

"I saw one of the guards bringing a visitor to her room, that's all I know." Lady Tremaine answers with an honest smile.

"A visitor..." Cora says, "I can guess who that was..." She sighs and sits down on the couch, putting her heals out. Her feet hurt and she doesn't feel like going now.

"Do you? Who do you think it was?" Lady Tremaine sits down next to Cora and waits for an answer.

"Rumplestilsk-" she whispers without finishing, "you know who I mean." She shakes her head, and lays her head down, too tired to move.

"Who is that man?" Lady Tremaine asks Cora.

"He is the dark one, he is a... Good friend of mine," Cora says, tot revealing their whole relationship.

Suddenly Rumple appears. He grins. "I guess Regina just came home," he says, "what's the darkest place in this house? Because she must be there." If this situation wouldn't destroy his plans, he certainly would have laughed.

Lady Tremaine looks up when this man appears. "The darkest place? That would be... The prisons?" She looks at Cora while asking herself that question.

Cora is already on her ways before she can answer lady Tremaine's question. She walks down the stairs and calls Regina's name.


	3. The Stable Boy - Part 2

Regina gets poofed away with Rumple to his castle. "What do you need from me?" Regina asks him.

"I don't need anything... Not now," Rumple says, "but I know you need something!" He walks to her and lays his hand on her wrist. "Watch out!" He says when he pulls of the bracelet.

"Thank you." Regina smiles at Rumplestiltskin. "Now what do you need?"

"I need you," Rumple says, "I need your magic, that boyfriend of yours kept it away from you, but now that he is gone the real work can begin." He walks to a shelf full of potions. He picks one.

"What's that?" Regina asks him. She gets very angry when everyone keeps talking about Daniel. She doesn't want to hear his name no more. He's with Zelena now. "What's that in that bottle?" Regina points at the potion Rumple is holding.

"Your revenge," Rumplestiltskin says, "you only have to activate it with your magic." He grins.

"What does it do?" Regina wants to know.

"It can change someone's memory," Rumple says, "but only if you finish it the right way....".

Regina looks at him. "I don't want to change Daniel's memory."

"As you wish," Rumple says, "you can use it on someone else too." He says slowly, "but then I'll put it away and let you do something else."

Regina nodds. "Just don't put it away too far. Alright?"

"Does that mean you want it?" Rumple says, "you have to make choices Regina, just like Daniel made his!" He poofs them away to a village.

"Where are we?" Regina asks him.

"The village through which Daniel and Zelena just walked home," Rumplestiltskin lies, and waits for Regina's reaction.

"You're lieing!" Regina shouts at Rumplestiltskin. "Take me back to your castle!"

Rumple grins, "you're a smart girl Regina, but we are not far away from Daniels old home, shall we take a look?"

"No!" Regina shouts again. She looks very angry at Rumple. "Take me back to your castle. NOW!"

"O definitely not," Rumple says, he poofs a young man, one of the villagers in front of them, "he will take us there, unless of course, you stop him from doing that!"

Without hesitation Regina rips out the heart of the young man. Afterwards she looks up at Rumple. "Why do you want me to do this so badly?" she asks him.

"I want you to find you're true self, Regina," Rumple says, "and some day you will do me a favor, don't worry I'll make sure you'll pay my price, so let's just say, I need you for something."

"I'm not doing this." Regina clearly states. She puts the heart back into the chest of the young man. "I'm sorry. Get out of here." she says to him. He quickly runs away.

Rumple isn't surprised, "on a scale from 1 to 10 how hard was it to put that heart back, instead of crushing it?" Rumple asks with a smile.

"Why do you care?!" Regina snaps at him. "Take me back to your castle and I'm not asking this again!" Anger and hatred glare up in Regina's eyes.

"I already said no," Rumple says and he just starts to walk around the village, "and you didn't answer my question, maybe if you do we will go back there."

"Ten! It was a ten! Can we now please go?" Regina snaps at him.

"As you wish," Rumple says and he poofs them back, "why didn't you do it?" he asks her.

"Because I'm not like my mother and I never want to be like her." Regina explains, now more calmly. "Can I go home now?"

"We have a deal, dearie, a few days you said," he grins, he walks though the big doors into the hallway. "Follow me," he says. The walls are full of mirrors showing Zelena and Daniel together when they were young... Every mirror, and there were hundreds of them...

"Why do you torture me like this?!" Regina shouts at Rumple, now getting very, very, very angry with him.

"I'm not torturing you, I'm helping you," he says, "to find out who you really are!" He walks on, more and more mirrors appear. "I believe in you, you're very powerful, Regina!" He poofs them back to the village and lets the same young man appear in front of them, "bring us to them," he says.

As quickly as never before Regina rips out the heart of the young man again and crushes it without hesitation. She looks up at Rumple.

Rumple laughs, "good," he says, almost screaming from happiness. "Fortunately we have plenty of guards, "this time an old lady appears in front of them.

Regina takes a step back. "No. I won't do that to her." She looks up at Rumple. "One was enough. I want to go now."

"Okay," he says and they appear in the hallway again, now the mirrors show Daniel and Regina at the night before he left her. Kissing, laughing and talking and everything else that makes love complete.

Regina's body freezes. She starts to cry and sinks down to the ground. "I want to go home." she softly whispers. "Please. I want to go home."

"No one ever breaks a deal with me!" Rumple says, "not even you, Regina, do you want to go back to the village or do you rather stay here and watch yourself."

"I want to go HOME!" Regina shouts at him. She poofs herself away. But because she is so upset she doesn't re-appear in her bedroom, but downstairs in the prisons.

Daniel hears a loud noise, like someone just fell on the ground. He wants to shout for help, but he can't get it out.

"Is someone their?" Regina thought she heard a noise coming out from one of the prisons, but she isn't entirely sure.

When Daniel hears Regina's voice he gets frightened and happy at the same time. He wants to see her, but every movement he makes is not big enough to make a sound.

"Hello?" Regina doesn't want to take a chance and checks every prison cell. In the last one she thinks she hears someone breathing. "Hello? Who is there?" With a wave of her hand she opens the prison door. "Daniel? Why... Why are you here?" Regina asks, stunned to see him.

"I'm so sorry, Regina," he whispers, "she took my heart..." he says, his voice sound rough. He stands up and looks at Regina. 

Cora hears voices and she starts following the sound. She knows she is almost there, she can now hear what they say. She stays at a place where Regina and whoever is in there can't see her.

"Do you have your heart back now?" Regina only asks at Daniel.

"I do," Daniel says, his voice is coming back. He takes a deep breath and looks to the ground, "you should go, Regina,".

"You have chosen Zelena, haven't you?" Regina simply asks him.

"I didn't, Regina," Daniel says, "I love you, she made me kiss her, she was talking to my heart, I'm so sorry I couldn't stop her..." 

Cora still listens. It's getting interesting.

"She? You mean... You mean Lady Tremaine? She ripped out your heart and talked to it to make you do those things? You... You didn't want to do them?" Regina softly whispers those last words. "You love... Me?"

"I do Regina," he says and tears start to appear in his eyes, "with all my heart, what I did with Zelena, it wasn't real, my love for you is real, I wanted to go back to you but she captured me." She carefully walks closer to Regina, not knowing if she will he angry.

Regina also walks over to Daniel. She looks him deep in his eyes before she kisses him. After a long kiss, she takes a small step back. "I... I need you to know... I... He made me... I..." She looks to the ground when she says the last words very softly. "I've killed someone."

"You did?" Daniel says, "why?" He now whispers while his hands lie on Regina's cheeks. "It doesn't change a thing," he sighs, "do you forgive me?" Whispers and he kisses her again.

Cora walks to the door and sees her daughter kiss her stable boy. The boy he ripped away from Zelena a long time ago. "Well... Well," she says out loud, while she stands in the doorway looking at them.

Regina startles and quickly turns around while standing in front of Daniel to protect him. "M. Mother..." she whispers. "You're home."

"Of course I am," Cora says, "I arrive this day ever week remember..." She walks closer to them, "but I see you were blind because if love, I can't blame you for forgetting about me..." She now reaches Regina and Daniel. She walks around them, preparing to do something terrible. She grabs Regina's hand, and creates a protection spell around the prison so no one can leave.

"Mother, please. Please, don't hurt him. I love him. Please." Regina begs her mother.

"You can't love him," Cora says, "he is just a Stable boy, MY stable boy." She pins Regina to the wall. And walks close to her, "I just visited the king, he wants you to marry his son. Regina you will be queen!"

"No... Mother, please. I don't want to be Queen. I just want to be happy. I want to be happy with Daniel. Please, mommy... Please..." Regina begs again. Her magic isn't powerful enough to defeat Cora. Well... It is powerful enough, but Regina doesn't practice it enough to defeat her mother.

"You will be queen, you are going to marry the prince!" Cora says clearly, she turns around and rips out Daniels heart.

"Mother, NO!" Regina tries to get herself out of Cora's grip, away from the wall, but she isn't powerful enough. "Please, PLEASE! Mommy, no!" Regina now cries.

"Why, Regina! Why!" Cora says, "you can't love him, he is nothing!" she walks to Regina again, squeezing the heart a little. Daniel moans.

"He is not nothing! I love him! Please, don't hurt him!" Regina shouts at her mother. "Please, mommy... Please... I'll do anything... Just... Just let me be happy with him. Please..." Regina begs.

"Sorry dear, he is nothing and there is only one deal I want to make," Cora snaps at Regina, "you marry the prince and I'll let this boy live. If you don't I will crush his heart in front of your eyes. The choice is yours."

Regina looks at Daniel. She very slowly nodds. "Just let him live." she whispers to her mother.

"Perfect choice," she says and she lets Regina go. She still hold the heart and squeezes it until Daniel falls unconscious on the floor. "How dare you to choose such person above the prince, you know you can never talk about this, never even think about this again!" Cora says emotionless.

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, mother." she whispers. She looks at Daniel, glad he's still alive. "Can he have his heart back? Please?"

Cora sighs an pushes the heart back. Daniel opens his eyes again and whispers Regina's name.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers back. "I didn't want you to die. You don't deserve to die." She doesn't walk over to him because she knows her mother wouldn't let her. Regina looks up at Cora.

"You can go, Regina," Cora says and she opens the door, "take him with you and make sure he will never come back..." She turns away and walks outside, feeling a bit sad, but also satisfied.

Daniel sits up and looks at Regina. He doesn't say a thing, he just takes her in, not wanting to lose her again.

When her mother leaves, Regina quickly runs over to Daniel. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers. "We will find a way, I promise." she very softly whispers in his ear so he's the only one who can hear her. "I'm not marrying the Prince. I want to be with you. I love you. We just... We just need to wait for the perfect time to get away. If you want that?" Regina waits until Daniel nodds. "In the meantime we'll meet each other away from here. Somewhere in the meadows. Today after lunch. I'll go for a ride with my horse. I'll meet you at the river." Regina looks at Daniel and awaits his response.

"Regina...." He whispers, "what if she finds out? She will let you marry the prince, she doesn't care about the price, just remember that," he stands up and holds Regina's hands, "after lunch at the river," he says and he waits for Regina go poof him away.

Regina nodds and gives him a small kiss on his lips. "She won't find out. I won't let her. I love you and I want to be with you. Please, always remember that. After lunch at the river." Regina poofs him away to the stables. She then poofs herself to her bedroom and startles when she notices Lady Tremaine sitting in the chair next to her bed. "Why are you here?" Regina asks her.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Lady Tremaine says, without answering Regina's question. Cora went off with Rumple to do 'business," and she asked her to keep an eye on Regina.

"Go away." Regina only answers her nanny.

"No..."

"GO AWAY!" Regina now screams at her nanny.

"NO Regina!" Lady Tremaine shouts back. She grabs Regina's arm and pulls her towards her, "I'm not going..."

"You're hurting me." Regina whispers. "What do you want?"

"I want you to stay," lady Tremaine says, "Cora told me everything, and I can see in your eyes you are going to meet him... Otherwise you would have lain here crying and all that kind of stuff people like you do when they think someone just broke their heart..."

"I'm not meeting him. I'm getting myself ready for lunch. Since when can I not do that anymore?" Regina rudely answers her nanny. She tries to pull back her arm, but Lady Tremaine still doesn't let her.

"You never do that Regina so why would that be different today." Lady Tremaine snaps, "and you shouldn't talk like that, you're marrying a prince!"

"I'll talk the way I want to talk to you. You're my nanny. My servant. You have to listen to me!" Regina shouts those last words.

"Do what you want, but I don't agree with it. I'm sorry for you, but although you have magic, I'm still more powerful than you are." Lady Tremaine says, "Cora is on my side, she believes me not you. So maybe you should start to talk to me like a princes, like a queen."

"I'm not a princess and I will never be one!" Regina shouts. "Now get out, I want to get ready for lunch!"

"You're going to Daniel," lady Tremaine snaps, as she moves her head very close to Regina's, "that's not going to happen!"

"You can't stop me!"

"O yes I can," lady Tremaine says and she walks out of the room. 

"Rumplestiltskin," she whispers and the man appears in from of her. "That bracelet is still mine..." She says, "you took it, but we made a deal and I want to have if back now."

Regina quickly dresses herself for the occasion and poofs away to the stables. "Daniel." she smiles when she sees him.

"Regina," Daniel says, "you're early," he smiles and he walks to her, giving her a kiss and holding her close, just for a short moment. "We can't stay here," he whispers.

"You can have it," Rumple says, "but I need her more broken!" He just poofs away and lady Tremaine walks outside and sees Regina and Daniel at the stables. "Regina!" She shouts, "come here now, you know you can flee, not without your mother hunting you down!"

"We have to go. Now." Regina quickly poofs the both of them to the river. "We have not much time, Daniel. We have to go. Now. Otherwise we will never be together."

Before they poof away lady Tremaine shouts, "you now ruin my life!" And she walks back inside, knowing she can't find them. She thinks of the love of her life... He'll be death soon. She almost starts to cry.

"Where can we go Regina?" Daniel says. He grabs her arms trying to calm her down, "where do you want to go?"

"Just away. Away from here. I want to be with you, Daniel." Regina smiles at him.

"I want to be with you too Regina," he whispers and he hugs her. "We can better start moving, if we want to make it to a safe place before dark."

Regina nodds. "Yes. Let's go." The two of them start walking, away from the castle, in the direction of freedom.

After two hours of walking, they see a small house. It's already dark and they need a place to sleep. "What do you say?" Daniel says pointing at the little house, "we can't walk on forever...".

Regina nodds. "Alright. I think it looks safe, don't you?"

"I don't know, but we have to try I think," he says and they walk to the house and knock on the door.

An old lady opens the door. "Yes?" She asks. Regina softly smiles. "Hello. I'm Regina Mills and this is Daniel. We need a place to sleep tonight. I... I can pay, if you want to?"

"Mills?" The lady says, "I know someone with that name," she says and when the old lady looks into Regina's eyes she is almost sure that person and she are connected. The lady smiles, "come in," she says, pretending to be kind. She wants to find out more about this Regina.

"Thank you, my Lady." Regina respectfully answers. She smiles when she and Daniel enter the little house.

"So tell me," the lady says, "where are you from and why are you here?"

"I'm just... a miller's daughter. Daniel is the man I love and we are traveling through this village to get back home." Regina lies.

"A miller's daughter," she says as if she thought about that words for a very long time, "I'm was the wife of a miller and you don't look like a miller's daughter, dear, you're to clean... So now say who you really are," she looks at Regina and Daniel. She smiles.

"Does it matter who I am? We're just a boy and a girl in love, trying to find our happy ending. Is that such a bad thing?" Regina kindly asks to the woman.

"No and if you wouldn't have said your name, I would have treated you like that, but you did..." The lady says, "and you lied to me, not that that's a big problem, I would probably have done the same... I'm so scary... But I think you are connected to Cora, aren't you?"

"Why? Does it matter?" Regina simply asks.

"It does," the lady says.

"That's my mother. Why? Is... Is that a bad thing?" Regina softly asks the woman. "If it is, I'm nothing like her, I promise."

The lady only grins, "you're the daughter of a miller's daughter," she walks away to get some food and tea. 

"Who is she?" Daniel whispers to Regina.

"I don't know. I've never met her before today." Regina whispers back to Daniel. "Just don't... Don't anything or don't drink anything. I'm not sure it's safe." Regina whispers. The old lady comes back.

She sees Daniel and Regina are whispering, "you can talk out loud here, don't worry I've friendly neighbors," she laughs and sets down some tea and cake. She picks one of the mugs and tells Regina and Daniel that they can do the same.

"We're not very thirsty, thank you." Regina softly says. Daniel and she stand up. "Maybe we should fine someplace else to stay. Thank you for your generosity."

"So first you ask me if you can stay with me and now you go away? That's not how things work..." she says, not sounding angry, "you won't find another house near mine, only forest..."

Regina softly sighs. "We'll just stay for one night. We won't bother you and we won't harm you in any way. Just... What did my mother do to you?" Regina wants to know.

"O I know that, you can stay as long as you wish, I'm not going to hurt you either," the lady says, "and about Cora... She didn't do anything wrong, except for that she left me and didn't came back once to see me, she's my daughter you know...".

Regina looks at the woman. "My mother is your daughter?" she only asks, stunned.

"She is," the lady says, "are you surprised? They always say we look like each other," she smiles and takes some tea. "You should really take someone, it isn't poisoned or something..."

"My mother never mentioned you." Regina mumbles. She ignores the invitation to drink the tea.

"Of course she didn't, I'm too low for her!" The lady says, not angry at all, "she did a good thing, being a miller's daughter gives you noting but dirty clothes..."

"You are proud of her?" Regina can only ask.

"I am," the lady says, "she got what she always wanted, isn't that the most important thing for a mother." She smiles, "I hope she is happy..."

Regina nodds. "She is. So you are... You are my ... My grandmother?"

The lady laughs, "Yes I am," she says, when Regina says those words, she realizes it's true. Tears appear in her eyes. "I'm so happy for her."

"Do you want me to be happy too?" Regina simply asks her.

"What do you think?" The lady says with a smile, "of course I want you to be happy, you're my granddaughter,". The tears now roll down her cheek, "I never thought I would ever have this moment... I just can't believe it".

"Then let us go tomorrow. And never mention this to my mother. Can you do that for me? Because if she finds out I'm here with Daniel... She's going to kill him and make me marry the prince and I don't want that."

The lady is stunned, "do you really think she would do such a thing? Don't you think your overreacting?" She asks honestly, "why would she do that?"

"Because she doesn't want me to be with Daniel. He's... He works at the stables of the castle, but I don't care about that. I love him."

"I can't believe she would kill the love of your life?" She says, "is she a good mother to you?" She asks and she now feels tears of worry coming up.

"She can be if she wants to." Regina just answers. "She wants me to marry the Prince, to give me my best chance in life. But I don't want that. I want to be happy and I can only be that with Daniel."

"I don't think that's true, love is everywhere, Regina," the lady says, "but she should let you be together if that's what you want... Have you talked about it with her, did you explain it? She should understand!"

"She doesn't! We already tried to talk to her but it's useless. That's why we are running away!" Regina snaps at the woman.

The lady is shocked by Regina's sudden anger and looks at Regina. Daniel grabs Regina's arm, "calm down," he whispers.

"I'm sorry I just can't imagine that a mother would do such thing... Please, I just want to know about Cora, I've never heard anything from her, you know... You'll understand if you will be a mother too one time," she smiles.

"I will never know because I will never be a mother!" Regina now shouts. She can't contain her darkness any longer. Her eyes grow dark.

"I'm so sorry," the lady says, "I didn't want to upset you," she looks away, not knowing what she said wrong. 

Daniel lets Regina look at him, he holds his hand under her chin. "Calm down, Regina, there is nothing to be mad about," he whispers.

"Yes, there is! I hate my mother!" Regina now screams at Daniel.

"Regina stop it!" Daniel says strict, "you’re in a room together with her mother and she loves her daughter! You can't blame her and you can't tell her you hate her in front of her," he now whispers, "think again Regina..."

"Yes, I can tell her. I can also tell her Cora has given into dark magic and rips out people's heart to kill them!"

"Regina you need to stop!" Daniel says. "It's okay, boy, it's okay," the lady says with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry but it's not," Daniel says, "thank you so much for everything, but I think we should go, I don't want Regina to hurt you... I'll come back one time to really thank you..." He grabs Regina's arm and pulls her outside. “Regina what are you thinking!" He says and he pushes her to the wall.

"I'm telling her the truth about her daughter!" Regina snaps at him. "Why is that so wrong? Didn't you hear her? She's proud of my mother. There is nothing to be proud of!"

"She is her mother Regina," Daniel says, "good mothers are always proud of their children! She doesn't know the person Cora became you can't blame her!" Daniel gets angry now.

"Yes, I can! It's her job as mother to know what her child is doing or has done!"

"Yes she does!" Daniel says, "but not like this, think of it Regina... Don't be selfish..,"

Regina looks at Daniel, stunned. "Selfish? You're calling ME selfish?" Darkness appears once more in her eyes.

"Yes," Daniel says softly, "I know you're angry at your mother, but now you are hurting someone very much, because you can't control yourself. You can also tell her things in a more kind way instead of throwing all your hate at her!"

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps at him. Daniel pushed her rather hard to the wall of the house.

Daniel lets her go a bit, but still holds her, "you need to calm down now, Regina..." Daniel wants to kiss her, but he knows it's not the right time for that now.

"I am calm!" Regina shouts again. "Believe me, you don't want to see me getting really angry!"

"No I don't want that indeed," Daniel says, "but this isn't calm, I know the calm you and that's a big difference!" he looks her in her eyes.

"There is a way to get her calm." A smiling voice behind them.

Cora steps into the light, she rips her daughters heart out and sighs. "She will stop screaming now..." Cora says, "what are you doing here!" She knows this house...

"Your mother lives here. Apparently." Regina answers honestly, without screaming.

"I know that, Regina," Cora says and she puts her heart back, but together with the bracelet she got from lady Tremaine. "Did you really think you could run from me Regina?". Daniel now steps in front of Regina, "can you please leave us alone..."

"Mother! Take that thing off of me!" Regina shouts out.

"No my dear?" Cora says, "I can't let you poof away again..." She walks closer, "especially not to this kind of places. Behind her she hears the door open, her mother calls her name.

When her mother is distracted, Regina takes Daniel's hand and together they start running away, as fast as they can.

Cora gets them back with her magic, without her mother seeing it. she doesn't say a think, not wanting her mother to know she was here.

"Mother!" Regina shouts out, very loudly.

Cora looks at Regina with anger in her eyes, "I'm not done with you!" She snaps and she poofs away. "Cora are you here?" The lady asks carefully.

Because her mother had poofed away, Regina is free from her magic. "No, she wasn't here." Regina lies, while looking at Daniel.

Daniel nods, "can we stay here for the night? I'm so sorry about what happened." He knows this is the only place were Cora won't come. 

The lady looks disappointed, "I thought I heard her voice, must have been an illusion..." She wished she saw her daughter again. "You can stay," she says and slowly walks inside.

Regina looks at Daniel. "You really want to stay here?" she whispers to him.

"It's the only place where your mother won't come," he says and he walks inside.

Regina thinks to herself Daniel's got a point there. She follows him inside, in the house of her grandmother. "What's your name?" Regina asks the old lady. She tries to stay calm and behave herself.

"It's Emilie," the lady says, as she sits down on her chair again.

'Emilie'.." Regina lets that name go through her mind. She doesn't recall ever hearing that name from her mother or father. "Why didn't my mother ever told me about you?" Regina asks the lady. She sits down on the chair next to her.

"She doesn't want anyone to know I'm her mother. I'm the wife of a miller, not really something to be proud of... " she says, "that's the only reason I can think of."

"You've worked very hard in your life, didn't you?" Regina asks the lady, while taking her hands into her own. She looks at Emilie's hands. "I can see that on your hands." Regina softly smiles at her grandmother.

"I did," Emilie says. She is surprised Regina takes her hands. It makes her smile, "I wanted to give Cora a good life, I wanted her to have the things she wanted, I needed to make money, especially after my husband died..."

"What do you mean, you needed to make money?" Regina asks her.

"The life of a miller isn't easy Regina, you have to work hard to get enough money to buy food and clothes... And besides that I needed to get money for Cora's trip,"

"Cora's trip?" Regina asks another question. "What do you mean?"

Emilie smiles, "a trip to the life she always wanted." she says, "a place where she could learn to use her magic and where she could have a palace to live in. We lived far away from the enchanted forest at that time."

"You really gave up everything for her, didn't you?" Regina softly smiles.

"I did everything to make her happy," she says, "I wish I could see her now, see her being happy..." She smiles.

"She isn't really happy with me wanting to be with Daniel." Regina softly opens up. She somehow feels she can trust this woman.

"She should be," Emilie says, and she looks at Regina and Daniel, "love is happiness."

"That's not how my mother sees it, Emilie." Regina opens up a little bit more. "She has always said to me that love is weakness."

Emilie feels good while talking to her granddaughter. "I tried so hard to teach her love is the best thing in the world, but she always was more a girl who wanted adventure, not love,"

"I guess your lessons didn't stick." Regina softly smiles. "She wants me to marry the Prince so I can become Queen. But I don't want any of that. I want to be happy with Daniel. Now do you understand why I'm running away with him?"

"I already did understand you, Regina," Emilie says, "and I know you were lying when you said Cora wasn't there, you and Cora have the same way of lying, I know she won't come here, because she doesn't want to see me. You can stay as long as you want..."

"We... We can?" Regina asks, stunned. She never had someone in her life who was this kind to her.

"Of course," Emilie says, "I want you two to be safe, even if that's not what my daughter wants..." She stands up, "do you feel like tea now?" She asks softly.

Regina nodds. "Yes, thank you." She looks up at Daniel and softly smiles. "I'm sorry for... earlier."

"That's no problem dear, don't worry about it." She stands up, her legs always hurt so she walks slowly. She comes back with the tea and again some cake and sets it down on the table.

Regina eats a piece of cake and drinks up her tea. Daniel does the same.

Daniel wraps his arm around Regina and kisses her. "I love you," he whispers. "There is a free room upstairs," Emilie says, "I sleep down here." She smiles as she sees their love.

"We will pay you for this inconvenience, Emilie." Regina softly whispers.

"O no, I don't want money, you already gave me enough good things, Regina, and you too Daniel."

Regina softly smiles. She and Daniel say goodnight to Emilie and find their way upstairs to the free room. "I could actually live here, with you and her." Regina softly smiles at Daniel.

"Who says we can't," Daniel says with a smile, "it looks like your company makes her happy..." He moves closer to her.

"You would really want that too?" Regina asks him with a smile on her face. "I actually don't mind this bracelet. I don't need magic. I hate it anyway." She softly giggles. She lets Daniel get close to her. She looks him deep in the eye.

"I love every place if you are with me," Daniel smiles, he looks back at her and winks. Her giggle makes him feel happy.

"The same goes for me." Regina smiles at him. She gives him a loving kiss.

He kisses her back, feeling happy for this moment. Holding Regina he looks around and pulls back a little.

"What is it?" Regina asks him.

"Look," he says and he points at the walls.

Regina turns around.

Daniel walks towards the corner, to take a closer look. "These are paintings...' He says, but it's too dark to see what's on them.

"What's on them?" Regina asks Daniel.

"It's a girl..." Daniel says, "all of them..." He shows a painting to Regina, do you know her?" In the corner some dolls are spread out before a little wooden house, "do you think this can be your mother's room... When she was young?"

Regina looks around. "Yes. I think it is. She's the girl in the painting." Regina softly answers Daniel.

"Do you think she made it herself?" Daniel asks and he sets the painting back.

"I don't know. I don't know my mother very well." Regina whispers.

Daniel smiles and walks back to Regina. He lays his arm around Regina. "Maybe she once was good... She can't be all evil," he whispers. He kisses her on her cheek.

"I've always believed that evil isn't born... It's made... I just don't know what made my mom so evil." Regina whispers. She looks up at Daniel.

Daniel smiles, "I think you’re right," he says and he lets her words go through his mind, "I don't know it either, but it must have been more than just an urge for adventure..."

Regina nodds. "I think so too. Let's not talk about my mother now. Regina stands closely before Daniel. She looks up at him, deep in his eyes.

He looks back and smiles. He moves to her and kisses her, first slowly, bit soon more violently. He takes a deep breath when they stop and he looks in Regina's eyes again.

Regina keeps her eyes closed when she starts to stroke his chest. She softly smiles.

Daniel lets her stroke him and he draws figures on her back, just feeling her heartbeat.

Regina giggles when his hand touches the zipper of her dress. "Go on." she softly whispers.

"Are you sure," he whispers and he brings down her zipper. His cold hand touch her warm back and he just takes the warmth in for a moment.

"I am." Regina very softly whispers. She does hesitate but she loves him so much.

She lets her dress slip form her shoulders, while he kisses her. He carefully undresses her, feeling some kind of fear in her body.

Regina pushes away his shirt and pulls out his pants. She undresses him too. She softly smiles again. She feels Lady Tremaine stroking her hair. Regina breaths a bit faster now.

Daniel feels Regina's hands go over his chest as she pulls out his shirt. He smiles and looks at her as her breath gets heavier and faster. "Look at me," he says and he now let's his hand go over her body.

Regina looks at him. She kisses him on his lips. She holds her eyes closed. She keeps breathing fast and her heart beats fast.

Daniel doesn't say a thing, he only kisses her and he feels her heartbeat against his chest.

"I want this." Regina softly whispers in his ear. "I want this with you and without her around."

"You're lucky, because that's exactly what's going to happen," Daniel says, he doesn't think about the rings they have to face after this, he only lets the moment come in. "And I want this too," he whispers in her ear.

Regina softly smiles. They fall on the bed together.

Daniel smiles. His body is freezing, but Regina warms him up. They don't stop kissing and Daniel moves his hand down Regina's hips.

Regina's hands also move down Daniel's body. She softly uses her nails.

Daniel closes his eyes as Regina touches his skin with her nails. He grins and follows her hands with his now.

Regina lets her tongue slips into his mouth.

He follows her, closing his eyes and feeling Regina through his whole body.

They startle when they hear a sound outside of the room. Regina and Daniel quickly put on their clothes. Regina looks at Daniel.

Daniel freezes when he hears the sound again, "what's that?" He whispers.

"I don't know." Regina whispers back. The sound again, louder this time. Regina opens the door.

Daniel follows her closely, holding his hands on her arms.

"Who is there?" Regina asks. A familiar voice sounds out of the shadows.

"Just me," Cora says from outside of the room, "I see you two found my place," she steps into the light and now stands in front of them. Daniel holds Regina's tighter, trying to protect her.

"Why are you here?" Regina asks her mother.

"You know why I'm here," Cora says, "to take you back, and besides I love to see my old room again."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Regina clearly states. "I want to stay here."

"I know," Cora says, "and you can stay here, but it won't turn out like you want it to be," she quickly rips out Daniel's heart.

"Mother, no!" Regina shouts out in fear. "Please, don't hurt him!"

"I won't hurt him," Cora says, "but he doesn't feel a thing, he doesn't feel a thing for YOU anymore." Cora poofs away, but she controls Daniels voice from a distance. 

Daniel sighs, "you should go with her...".

"Daniel... No... This isn't you speaking..." Regina whispers with tears in her eyes.

"I know..." Daniel says, but Cora takes over his voice again, "just go with her, I don't want you anymore. I hate your mother too much to love you."

"You don't. I'm not listening to you. It's not you who is talking to me."

"Go to her, I'll don't want to be with you anymore," Daniel opens the window and I'd ready to jump out.

"Daniel, NO!" Regina screams. "I'll go, just... Don't hurt yourself!" Regina leaves the room towards her mother who, apparently, is standing outside. "I'll go with you. Just give him back his heart and leave him alone." Regina whispers.

"Promise you will never go back to him again," Cora says, "you know I can kill him right in front of you now, but is care about you so I don't." Cora smiles and lets Daniel come to her.

"I promise, mother." Regina whispers very softly. She watches how Cora puts Daniel's heart back. "I'm so sorry." Regina whispers to Daniel.

"It's okay..." Daniel whispers, "I'll get over it... Now go" He looks at the ground. "Very well," Cora says and she grabs her daughters arm and walks away.

Regina looks over her shoulder to Daniel. The tears run down her face. "I'm so sorry..." Regina whispers again towards Daniel.

Daniel fakes a smile and turns around, "goodbye Regina," he softly says and he walks to the door of the small house. When he walks around the corner, Emilie stands in front of it. "It's so good to hear my daughters voice again..." She sighs. "You should go to her," says Daniel with a sad voice, "take my arm, I'll lead you." They slowly walk around the house, seeing Cora's back. Regina stands in front of her. "Cora?" Emilie says with tears in her eyes.

Cora turns around, startled by the voice of her mother behind her. In her hand she's holding Regina's heart. Regina looks at Cora with empty eyes.

"What are you doing, Cora," Emilie asks kindly. With Daniel holding her up Emilie walks towards her daughter and granddaughter. Tears now run down her cheeks.

"She needs to marry the Prince, mother. She needs to be Queen. I want her to have her best chance in life and that's as Queen. Not with a stable boy." Cora answers. She squeezes into Regina's heart. Regina moans of pain.

"But why?" Emilie asks Cora, "love is more important that power, Cora, stop hurting your daughter, she has done nothing wrong." Her voice is calm and soft.

"She has done everything wrong!" Cora squeezes again in her daughter's heart. Regina sinks to the ground an gasps for air.

"Go to her boy," Emilie says to Daniel. Daniel hesitates but then he runs to Regina and lets her lean against him. "Love is not wrong," Emilie says, she now gets very close to Cora. "Using the love as weakness, that's wrong. You are her mother..."

"That's right and because I am her mother I want what's best for her. And that's not this stable boy." Regina snaps at her mother now: "Daniel. His name is Daniel!" Cora squeezes again in her daughter's heart. "I'm sorry, mother, I'll be a good girl." Regina softly moans of pain.

"You shouldn't do this, Cora," Emilie says, "you're hurting her! That's not what's best for her, it really isn't, she is old enough to know what she wants. She chooses him and as a mother you have to give her the freedom to let her go, that's what's best for her, now please put her heart back... Just stop...". Daniel holds Regina in his arms, whispering sweet words in her ear.

"It hurts so much, mommy." Regina softly cries. Cora looks around her. Without a word she gives Regina's heart to her mother. "We are not done. You know this will have consequences, Regina. I suggest you choose wisely." Cora poofs away, taking the bracelet Regina was wearing with her.

Emilie walks to Regina and puts her heart back, "are you okay?" She asks Regina. Daniel helps Regina back on her feet.

"I am alright." Regina stands up straight. "We have to go, Daniel." she then whispers softly.

Emilie looks at Daniel and Regina, "you are right..." She says and she walks to them, "what you two have is special, don't let Cora touch it, okay, keep choosing love..." She smiles, "it was very nice to meet you, and you can always, always, come back here if you need a place to sleep, or something else..." She spreads her arms and hugs them both.

Regina feels the warmth and love of her grandmother warming up her own heart. "Maybe... Maybe we can stay for another night?" Regina suggests.

Emilie smiles, "of course," she leads them inside. Daniel kisses Regina as they walk inside. He laughs as he looks at her.

Regina smiles softly back. Her heart and her chest still hurts from the squeezing by her mother. She strokes over her chest, over her heart.

He lays his hand on hers and sighs when he feels her beating heart, "we made it, again..." He whispers.

"It still hurts a bit." Regina looks at Daniel with a worried look on her face. "It isn't supposed to feel this way."

"I have to say, it would have been surprising if Cora just left us..." Daniel says and he starts to get worried. "I think she gave you your magic back with a reason, but maybe we shouldn't worry about that right now...".

Regina strokes over her chest, again. "The hurt doesn't go away." She looks at Daniel, again with a worried look.

"We need help..." Daniel whispers, "doesn't Emilie have magic too? She is Cora's mother, maybe she can help..." He wraps his arms around her.

"I don't think she has magic. Rumplestiltskin taught magic to my mother. I don't think Emilie has magic, otherwise my mother didn't need to be taught."

"You’re right," Daniel says, "but it's sure she has it in her, but that doesn't matter." He thinks of letting Regina rip out her own heart to see if something changed, but he doesn't dare to say it.

Suddenly Regina gasps for air. "It hurts so much!"

"What did she do?" Daniel whispers. "Maybe... Maybe you should take it out, to let the pain fade..." He doesn't look at her.

Regina rips out her own heart. When she looks at it she sees a purple glance in it. "What's that?"

"I don't know," Daniel says, when he looks at the purple glowing heart. "I don't know anything about magic, only that it can destroy things."

Regina puts her heart back into her chest. "Maybe it will fade. Let's go to sleep."

Daniel is not convinced, but he nods. Together they walk to the bedroom.

Regina lies closely to Daniel in bed when they fall asleep. In the middle of the night Regina wakes up in her own bedroom with her mother sitting next to her. "Mother?"

"Hi dear, look at your perfect boy sleeping next to you," Cora says, "how is your heart?" She asks with a grin.

"What did you do with it?" Regina asks her mother.

"Did you kiss Daniel before you went to sleep?" Cora says. She starts to laughs, "he'll be under a sleeping curse forever, because that's what will happen everyone you touch," Cora moves her head closer to Regina's, "and no one will ever be there to wake him up!"

"Lucky for him I didn't kiss him goodnight, mother." Regina softly smiles at Cora. "You think I'm stupid, don't you? I knew exactly what that purple glance on my heart is. So no, I didn't kiss him. And that curse only works if I kiss him on the mouth."

"Smart, girl," Cora says, "so sad, that I'm always one step ahead..." She lets Daniels heart appear in her hand and squeezes it a little. Daniel wakes up and looks at Regina, "you know what to do now dear."

"No." Regina whispers. "Mother, please. Don't do this. Please. Mommy, I beg you."

"I won't let you escape again," Cora snaps, "he has a beautiful place here in my old bedroom. Now do it or it will be the end of him. O wait, it will be the end of him anyway!" She starts to laugh.

"No." Regina answers. "Please, mommy. Please, don't." Regina looks at Daniel. "Please..." she whispers again.

"No, Regina, please won't work this time."

Regina just looks at her mother. "I'm not doing this."

"Fine," Cora says and she starts to crush Daniels heart. He collapses and she goes on, and on, and on.

"Mother, stop!" With a wave of her hand Regina conjures Daniel's heart into her own hands. She holds it softly. "Why do you have to be so cruel?" Regina asks her mother.

"Because you are not doing what I say, you are destroying your own happy ending and together with that my happy ending." Cora says, she poofs the heart back in her hand, her magic is still stronger than Regina's, she doesn't know how long that will last, but she can use it now. "Kiss him!" She says and she almost crushes the heart to ashes.

Full of hatred Regina poofs Daniel's heart back into her own hands and pins her mother to the wall. "I don't want to hurt you, mother, but you leave me no choice if you continue to do this!" Regina shouts at her mother.

"O of course you don't want to hurt me!" Cora says, "but you're still doing it! It's wonderful." She smiles, "do you see how easy it is to do something you don't want and even like it. Marrying the king will be a lot of fun for you, just like this!"

"When will you understand, mother? I am not marrying the future King!" Regina shouts at Cora. "I love Daniel!"

"When will YOU understand that you are not the one who decides that!" Cora says.

"But it is MY life!" Regina now screams. But by doing so, her magic weakens very much, under the influence of her emotions.

Cora breaks free and manages to get Daniels heart again. She now puts a protection spell around her, so Regina can't get the heart back. "Kiss him," Cora snaps, "your life belongs to me!"

"Mommy, please." Regina whispers.

"It's a kiss or a crush, very simple," Cora says, "I thought of you when I made this plan. I know you like hope, so a sleeping curse is exactly what you need, now kiss or he will be gone forever!"

Regina shakes her head. "No." she whispers. She looks at Daniel again.

"Fine," Cora says, "you've had your chance." She starts to squeeze the heart very hard until only ash remains. Daniel doesn't move anymore.

"Daniel!" Regina screams loudly. She start to cry very hard. "Why did you do this?!" Regina cries to her mother. "I loved him!"

"You deserve so much better, Regina," she says with a sigh and she just let Regina stay with him for a while, just to make the pain worse.

With a wave of her hand Regina poofs Daniel and herself away to the vault of her mother. She opens one of the many hidden doors and conjures Daniel into a coffin. She puts a preserving spell on his body so time won't affect him. She cries and cries and cries until she falls asleep next to him.

Cora also poofs home, satisfied and with a big smile. She just used one boy to destroy the love of both her daughters. But the king is the only thing that matter right now.


	4. The King

Cora is completely dressed up to travel to the king. She waits downstairs for Regina to come in the new dress she got for her. She hears the door behind her and turns around.

"Milady." One of the guards addresses Cora. "The King has arrived to pick up your daughter, your husband and you to travel with him and his daughter to the Royal Castle."

"Thank you," Cora says. She now can't wait any longer and walks upstairs to get Regina, "Regina, they are here already!"

"I'm not coming!" Regina shouts back to her mother. She lies in bed and hasn't dressed herself.

"You have to" Cora says calm, "she opens the door without asking. "Regina what do you think you're doing!"

"I'm staying here. You and father can go but I'm not coming with you. I already told you, a thousand times by now, I'm not marrying this King and I'm not going to be Snow White's stepmother!"

"You never even met Snow White, she is so sweet, I’m sure you two will like each other. And the king will love you," Cora says, "now get dressed, I don't feel like ripping your heart out today to make you do it..." She sighs.

"The King may be in love with me but my love is dead because YOU killed him!" Regina shouts at her mother. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Regina why do you always have to be so egoistic..." Cora says and she rips Regina's heart out, "get dressed now!"

With a wave of her hand Regina dresses herself in her new dress she got from her mother. With empty eyes she looks up at her mother.

Cora pushes her heart back. "Come one, we can’t be late today," Cora says and she walks out of the room, taking Regina with her.

Regina follows her mother and walks down the stairs towards the man, the King, who is waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Regina looks at him.

"Regina, I'm honored to meet you," he says very calm. He reaches out his arm, bowing his head a little bit, "how do you feel milady?"

Regina doesn't take his arm and walks past him without answering his question. "Do we leave now?"

Cora gets Regina back with her magic. She just needs a sparkle. The king doesn't see it. Cora softly starts to choke Regina, when she stands beside her again. "I'm sorry, my king," she says and she makes a little bow, "I'm sure she didn't recognize you." The king smiles, "I'm so sorry Milady, let me introduce myself," the king says, "king Leopold," he says and now he reaches out his hand.

Regina just looks at him. She very softly makes a very little bow with her head. She doesn't really care if her mother kills her or not. She's only afraid of having pain and her mother knows that.

"My servant will take your bags," he says and he takes Regina's arm and walks her through the palace. He introduces her to all the important people, she has to know. He shows her paintings of past kings, he doesn't let her talk, that's not how things work.

Regina wants to ask him thousands of questions because she's a curious woman who wants to know and see the world. But he doesn't let her. He only tells her what he thinks she should know. Regina decides just to follow him, this man who must be at least 15 years older than she is, and doesn't listen to him. She's lost in her own thoughts.

They reach the ballroom. When they stand in the middle an assistant in a black suit comes walking towards them. "He will prepare you for the wedding," the king says clearly, "the wedding is in two weeks, you need to be ready by then." The king leaves the room and the man in the black suit bows for Regina.

Regina just looks at the man. "What if I don't want to marry this King?" she just asks the man in the black suit.

The man turns around and he looks at her. "The king is the one who decides, not you." He says and walks away, "follow me,".

Regina follows the man. "Where do I sleep tonight?" Regina asks this guy now.

"We will go there soon, Milady," the man says, and he starts telling things about the ballroom. "This is the place for the wedding night, milady, here will everyone come together, to celebrate and to dance. Tomorrow you'll start with your dance lessons."

Regina nodds. It was almost evening and she's getting tired.

They walk down the hallway to a room full of art. "this is the Royal-Art-Collection milady," the man says, "my assistant will tell you everything about it tomorrow!" His voice gets louder but it's still as emotionless as before.

Regina nodds again. "I would like that, thank you." she softly says.

"It's no problem, milady," the assistant says with a bow, "we love to have you here." He walks on very fast, he almost runs now. He walks to the end, showing Regina the royal gardens from the balcony.

"I like these gardens." Regina smiles at the man, with a soft voice. Since Daniel's death she hasn't spoken any louder than with a very soft voice. "I don't want to interrupt you, but I'm getting really tired."

The assistant starts to like Regina but he knows he has to do what the king told him. "I'm sorry, milady," he says, "I've orders..." He says and he looks away, walking inside again, not mentioning Regina's love for the garden. From the other side of the hallway the king walks with one of his advisers.

"Can I go to my bedroom now?" Regina asks the man. She likes him. He's friendly and calm to her. She doesn't look at the King. She hates him.

"I told you milady, I have my orders..." He says, "I would love to bring you there, but I need to show you some other rooms first." He wants to let her sleep. He sees Regina's face is pale and her eyes are red, but he knows the king will fire him if he does so, he and his family can't afford that.

Regina now does look up at the King. "I'm tired." she clearly states to him. "I want to go to my room to sleep."

"Bring her to her room, John" the king says clearly and he smiles to Regina. He touches her cheek with his hand, "she needs to sleep well before the big day."

Regina turns away her head. She doesn't like being touched by this man. She only hopes she has a room of her own. But when she walks into the master bedroom she knows that's not meant to be.

John sees her worried face. "Are you okay, milady?" He asks, "I know it's huge and beautiful, but that's not it, is it?" He walks to the back of the room and closes the curtains.

"Everything is fine." Regina softly whispers. "I would like to be alone now."

"O yes of course, milady," he says and he quickly walks out of the room, "if you need something just call, I'm here all the time and we have plenty of servants" he smiles and hurries out of the room.

Regina undresses herself and puts on her sleeping clothes. She lies down in bed and reads a little in her book. She startles when the door opens.

"Regina," a low voice says. The king walks in and calls a servant to take of his jacket. "You know this is only for today, I can't let you go to bed earlier every day..." The servant takes of his shoes and walks away. He walks to the bed and starts to undress himself.

"I'll go to bed whenever I want to." Regina softly states. She doesn't look up to the King. "And I prefer to sleep alone."

The king pretends he doesn't hear her and he gets into the bed with his clothes off. He lays his hand on Regina's cheek and smiles. "You're even more beautiful than your mother told me,".

Regina turns away from him. She notices he's laying closely behind her. Her hands shake a bit.

He turns Regina back towards him again. His big hands on her hip. He doesn't say a thing and his face stands seriously. He brings his body close to hers.

Regina's body freezes. She doesn't want to do this. Not with him. She doesn't love him. She just looks him into his eyes.

The king smiles at her. He lays his hand around her stroking her back. Then he moves his face to her.

Regina thinks to herself she's glad she's wearing her sleeping clothes. She doesn't want to feel his naked body against hers.

The king lets his lips touch hers and he soon the kiss becomes more violently from his side. His fingers make marks in Regina's skin.

Regina softly moans out of fear. She doesn't want to do this! She wants to pull back, her face and her body, but he doesn't let her. She doesn't kiss him back.

The king feels Regina isn't kissing her back so he doesn't stop. He now moves his hands to Regina's face and holds her head so she can't pull away. He still kisses her.

Regina doesn't move. Again she's glad she's wearing her sleeping clothes.

The king lets his hands go of Regina's face and now moves them under their sleeping shirt. He feels her cold skin and lets his fingers go over it.

"I don't want this." Regina softly whispers. But he doesn't seem to hear her. "Can you please stop?" she tries again.

The king doesn't react, he only touches her more violently, pushing his fingers into her skin, pressing her body against his.

"You're hurting me." Regina softly says. "I don't want this. Please."

"Don't argue with me," the king says clearly and starts to undress Regina.

With fear and panic in her eyes Regina looks at the King. Is this how her life is going to be like from now on? She softly moans out of fear. Her heart beats fast. Her hands shake. She tries to keep on her panties.

The king undresses her completely. He feels she refuses to do it, but he is stronger, so she can't hold him of. He kisses her and slowly he gets closer and closer to her.

"Please." Regina can only beg now.

"Goodnight," the king only says and he lets his hands go off her body. He kisses her and lays down on one side of the bed.

Regina takes a deep breath. She feels relieved. "Thank you." she softly whispers to the King. She slips out of bed and puts on her sleeping clothes and wardrobe. "I'm going to talk a walk." she states clearly.

"You can't," the king says. He looks at her. His eyes stand emotionless, "come back to bed."

"Why? I just want to go for a little walk. I'll be back soon, I promise." Regina walks towards the door.

"You need to listen to me," Leopold says.

"I don't. I will be your wife. We are equals in this relationship." Regina answers the King. She walks closer to the door but she sees he's getting angry with her.

"You have to do what I say," the king says, "I'm the king, I make you powerful, I make you queen, so you don't get to speak!"

"I don't want to be powerful. I don't want to be Queen." Regina softly whispers but he doesn't hear her or he doesn't want to hear her. She now stands at the door. She notices the King is getting out of bed and coming towards her with anger in his eyes.

He pushes her to the wall and kisses her with all his power, he hears her body bump to the wall, but he only pushes her more against it.

Regina gasps for air. "You're hurting me!" she shouts at the King.

"That's not my concern," he says and his hands go on touching her everywhere, "now get back to bed!"

Regina nodds. She hurries back into bed. She lies down and feels him laying down to, turning on his side towards her. Regina looks at him.

The king looks back at her with a bit of anger in his eyes, but still stunned by her beauty. He turns his head to the ceiling and closes his eyes.

With a sigh of relief Regina closes her eyes too. She falls asleep. The next morning she wakes up next to the King who is stroking her stomach. She sees the lust in his eyes. That only seem to have grown overnight.

The king smiles as Regina opens her eyes. "Well good morning," he says, moving his hands under her shirt, "how was your night?"

"Good." Regina softly answers. She feels his hands over her body and instinctively knows she's not getting out of bed without giving him something in return.

"You're rude," he says to her and he takes of her sleeping clothes without warning.

Regina's body freezes. She just looks at the King. She can't speak; she's immobilized by fear.

"Move," the king whispers in her ear. Both his hands undress Regina and go over her body.

"What do you want?" Regina can only whisper.

"I want you to want me," he says and he brings his hands down. His chest touches hers and then he lays very close to her, kissing her neck.

Regina moans. She's very, very afraid. His weight pushes her down to the bed. She can barely breath. She feels his hands down there on her body. She gasps for air.

"Kiss me," he whispers feeling her heavy breath in his neck. Her heart beats fast and he touches her again, and again, and again... At every place even though she doesn't want it. He just goes on.

Regina kisses him. This man she doesn't love but rather hates. She knows this is the only way to keep him calm and to not get hurt. She moans very softly out of fear again.

Then the king pushes her away. Regina almost falls off the bed, but he just walks away, gets himself dressed and walks away without saying anything. He slams the door behind him.

Regina keeps laying in bed. Immobilized by fear and anxiety. She hears someone opening the door but she's too afraid to look up. She doesn't even protect her body any longer, knowing she doesn't lie under the bed sheets and the person who just walked in can see her completely.

"Regina..." John says when he sees Regina on the bed, he bows his head so he doesn't see her, "the king commanded me to pick you up for lessons." He doesn't know what happened, but he feels sorry for her. She shows fear in her eyes.

"I'm not feeling good." Regina softly whispers. She now quickly hides her body under the bed sheets. She looks at John. "What lessons?" she asks him.

"I'm sorry for you, milady," he says, he knows he has to stay polite, but he really wants to hug her now and say it will be okay. It would be a lie... "Your dancing lessons, milady."

Regina nodds. "Just... Just give me a couple of minutes to get ready." She notices John turns around to give her some privacy but he doesn't leave the room. Another command from the King, Regina knows. She quickly dresses herself and walks beside John to the ball room for her first dancing lesson. On the way over there she walks slowly, not able to walk any faster. Her body hurts. He really did hurt her. She walks beside John but she keeps her distance. She doesn't like men any longer. She hates them.

John sees Regina keeps her distance, more than the day before and he knows the king went too far. He isn't allowed to say a thing, but he can't look at her like this, he can't hand her over to the dancing teacher like this. "You should take some rest," he whispers very soft, "take a shower, I'll pick you up after that, I'll say I woke you too late...".

"That's very kind of you, sir, but we both know he will fire you. And I don't want that. It's alright. I can do this one lesson." Regina softly smiles at John. "I do hope it is a kind teacher?" But from afar Regina already hears that is not really the case.

"Okay, I hope you'll be all right then," he says, but he knows the lesson will take four hours and that the teacher is a horrible woman. "You can learn a lot from her," he softly says, not wanting to judge her.

Regina just nodds. She walks into the ball room and sees the teacher. "Hello." Regina politely greets the woman.

The teacher looks at Regina, "hello Regina," she says and she fakes a smile and bows her head a bit. "Come here, milady" she says strictly, but with a kind undertone.

Regina slowly walks over to the woman. Her body still hurts from the night with the King. And Regina knows this night won't be any different and he won't keep taking no for an answer. She looks at the woman.

The woman writes some things down and starts to inspect Regina, "you're too fat..." She states. She walks around Regina. "You need to be more skinny when you dance and besides that you need to lose weight to let your dresses fit..." She walks away to pick up some stuff.

Regina doesn't argue with her. It won't help her in any way. "Alright." she just whispers. She looks at herself in the mirror that's standing there and thinks to herself that maybe, yes, she is too fat. She looks at the stuff the woman is picking up. "What are we going to do?" Regina asks her.

The woman picks up a measure tape and walks to Regina again. She doesn't answer her questions and measures Regina's waist. She sighs and rolls with her eyes, "I'll tell your dresser about this...."

Regina softly nodds. "I'm sorry." she softly whispers. "Can't my dresses be fitted on my size instead of the other way around?" Regina looks at the dance teacher but she doesn't answer her question; like she asked a very stupid one. Regina looks to the ground.

The women doesn't respond. How dares she to judge her colleague... She isn't planning to make it easy for her, she has to feel how it is to be the queen. "First position!" She shouts from behind her notebook.

"Excuse me?" Regina looks at the woman. "I've never done any dances before so I don't know what you mean."

The woman feels anger coming up, "very well..." She says and she pushes Regina's arms in the right position. "Now let your heels touch and your feet need to point in the opposite direction," she says strictly.

"That hurts!" Regina snaps at the woman. "I can't do this. I don't want to do this. My body already hurts. I don't want to dance today."

The woman turns around and slams Regina in her face. "Don't talk to me like that!" She snaps, "you are going to do as I say, and of you don't.... Believe me the consequences are not worth it. And besides that, I hate people who give up so easily." She walks to Regina, putting her in the right position again. "Now move to the second position!"

"No!" Regina now shouts at the woman. She was very startled by the slam in her face and she now backs away from the teacher. "I'm done here. I'm tired." Regina turns around and starts walking to the door of the ball room.

"I guess you'll come back here now," the teacher says, "this lesson is only four hours and we can't miss a minute of it!" She just stands in the corner making notes. Will this girl be queen?   
"Do are not going until I say you can leave, even if it takes five hours. I let someone lock the doors after you came in, so I suggest you come back here now and listen to me."

With hatred in her eyes Regina turns back around to this woman. A fireball instinctively appears in her hands. She looks at the woman. "I guess you know what to do now?" Regina smiles while asking this softly but with a stern voice.

"I know exactly what to do," the woman says. "Stay and wait for you to move to the second position." The teacher makes an example and doesn't mention the fireball.

Regina lets the fireball disappear. "I'm tired. I'm not in the mood for dancing lessons today." She turns around but bumps onto the King.

"Magic is forbidden in my house, Regina, and you have to do the things I spread out for you. Don't refuse, the wedding is already in two weeks!" He says with a loud and heavy voice.

"I'm tired." Regina repeats. "I want to go to my bedroom and rest for a little while."

"Your wishes don't matter here Regina, until you're queen you do what they tell you or I know some great things to torture you with... Of course without leaving any scar, so no one notices." He walks very close to her and kisses her on her mouth.

Regina takes a step back and walks away. Out of the ball room. To her... Their... room. She notices the King follows her but she doesn't care. She enters the bedroom and lies down on the bed.

"You know I can't let you get away with this, do you," the king says and he closes the door behind him. "You want it the hard way? Fine, because I want a son and I need you to get one!" He walks to Regina, who lies in the bed, "you'll enjoy our time together."

"No. I won't. You can't make me enjoy it!" Regina snaps at him. "I don't want this. If you truly love me, you won't ask me this."

"I truly love you, but you have to do what a queen needs to do..." the king say, "serve the king."

"Never." Regina answers.

"O no," the king says in her ear, he takes her chin in his big hand and squeezes it. "Your mother made me a promise and you choose me, so now you have to do what I say or your life will be one of suffering!"

"You're hurting me!" Regina shouts at him. "Let me go! I don't want this!" Regina notices the King now getting in bed next to her. Very close next to her. She turns her back to him.

With a big swing of his hand the kind turns Regina towards him. He kisses Regina and this time his tongue touches Regina's lips.

Very softly Regina kisses him back. This she can handle. She only hopes he won't want more. But when he starts to undress himself Regina knows this will be a long day.

The king laughs while his tongue slips into Regina's month. When he feels her heart beating fast he goes on and starts to undress Regina.

Regina moans of fear. "Please." she whispers. "I'll do anything. Just... Stop... Please..." she begs. But it's useless.

"You should have considered that, when you refused to dance, Regina, now your mine!" Leopold says and he kisses Regina again. He lets his hands go over her entire body while he lets her undress him.

Regina does what he's asking of her. Her hands shake. Her heart beats very fast and she doesn't has her breathing under control. Panic is getting to her. Her eyes scan the room to find a way out but there is none.

"Go on," the king whispers.

Regina undresses him completely. He has also undressed her completely. She just looks him in his eyes.

The king moves his hand down Regina's hips. "Are you afraid?" he asks her with a grin.

Because the King touches her on parts of her body that make her more aroused, turned on, Regina can't help but open her legs and moan very, very softly. "Y.es..." she whispers.

"Don't be," he says, "you'll like it," he moves his body closer and closer. He hears Regina moan when he touches her and he goes on even more heavily.

Regina startles when the door to the bedroom opens. One of the King's servants. She looks at the King but he doesn't seem to notice his servant. He goes on. The servant looks at them while he starts to clean up the room. Regina's cheeks turn red.

The king now mentions the servant, "go!" He shouts and the servant rushes away, "he is dead by tomorrow," he whispers, "now don't stare at me like I hurt you, you like this, I know that."

"But you are hurting me." Regina whispers. Tears appear in her eyes. She gasps for air when his fingers push hard in her skin.

"You deserve it!" He snaps in her ear, "you need to know how it feels to not follow my orders!" He goes on, while he kisses her again.

Regina tries to keep her legs together so he can't come into her but the King notices she's doing that. She looks at him in fear.

The king is stronger than Regina and without using any power he opens her legs again, "what are you thinking?" He asks her while he touches her again.

"Please." Regina begs. "Please... I'll do anything." But seeing the look in the King's eyes makes Regina realize she really has nothing to say in this matter. He is going to hurt her, deep inside of her body, and she knows it. She softly moans out of fear.

"You are going to give me everything of you, if you want it or not," the king says, "now touch me with all you have in you, you won't get away with what you did so easily!"

Regina's hands shake heavily. She places his hand on the King's chest and strokes him softly, very softly. His weight keeps her pinned down on the bed with no way of escaping. She knows using magic will only make things worse. "Mommy..." she very softly whispers, hoping the King didn't hear that.

"Is this all you have," he snaps, "stop crying and go on!"

"You're hurting me." Regina whispers, repeating what she said before. Her eyes grow wide with fear when she feels the King slipping inside of her. Down there. She gasps for air.

"Yes and you are not doing what I command you!" He says and he just goes on. He knows he hurts her, but he enjoys it. He loves to see her suffer in her own pleasure.

Regina puts her hands on his back now and scratches him, softly, with her nails. Her head falls in her neck. She softly moans. Of pleasure? That's not possible. She screams of confusion.

"I already told you..." he whispers, "you'll love it." A grin appears on his face, and evil grin, but he is still not satisfied.

"Please..." Regina whispers. "What more do you want?"

"I want you to move!" he says, "you look at me like you're dead!" He moves his head close to her, "now join me...".

"I... I can't... It hurts so much..." Regina whispers. Tears appear in her eyes again.

"Can't you listen!" The king shouts very loud now.

Regina startles. She quickly starts to move the bottom of her body in the same rhythm as the King. It hurts so much but she doesn't say it any more. She bites her lip. She feels him getting deeper and deeper inside of her. She softly, very softly, moans of pain. Fear. Hurt.

The king smiles, finally satisfied. He sees she is in pain, but her eyes make him want more. He moves together with her and looks her deeply in her eyes. She moans and he loves it.

After a while, which seemed like ages to her, Regina feels the King pulling back, out of her body. The moment he lets go of her she makes herself as small as possible.

The king keeps laying next to her, but after a while he gets up. He dresses himself and turns to Regina, "your dancing lesson starts in an hour," he clearly states, like nothing happened. He sees Regina lying curled up in the bed.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. He broke her.

The king leaves the room without saying anything. He has what he wants.

Regina keeps laying the way she does. Time goes by but she doesn't notice it. After more than an hour someone knocks on the door. Regina doesn't answer and another knock follows. After a few minutes the servant, John, enters the bedroom softly. Regina still lies curled up in bed and hasn't moved. She stares in front of her and breaths superficially.

When John sees Regina, he knows what the king did. He takes a deep breath and gets some water. He sits down at the side of the bed and reaches the glass out to Regina, "do you want to talk about it?" he whispers.

Regina doesn't react. She doesn't even notice him. She's lost in her own thoughts, in her own world. She, unconsciously, has completely shut herself off from the rest of the world, as a way to protect herself.

Milady?" John asks her. Her hair sticks to her face and he wipes it away, "are you there?"

Regina startles when John touches her face. She pulls away from him. "What... What time is it?" she asks him.

"I don't know the exact time milady, but it's about an hour ago since the king left..." he says.

"I'm late. I'm late for my dance lesson." Regina mumbles, clearly terrified of the consequences. She poofs herself next to the bed, wearing a dress. She doesn't feel well and she almost falls on the ground but John keeps her upright.

"Please milady," John says? He stands before her and leads her back to the bed, "you can't go like this... You can stay here and take some rest...".

"No. No!" Regina shouts out. "I need to go. He said I needed to go. I should listen. I need to listen." Regina whispers those last words. "He was very clear about that. I have to listen to my King. I have to listen. I don't want him to hurt me like that again." Regina starts to cry.

John wraps his arms around Regina and Lets her cry on his shoulder. He feels her whole body shake, "I'll tell them it was my fault, you will be okay, milady."

"Don't touch me!" Regina screams out in fear. She flees away. Out of the bedroom and out of the castle. She keeps on running and running and running until her legs can't hold her any longer. She falls down on the ground at someone's feet. She looks up, exhausted. The King. The King who was walking with his assistant in the area of his castle.

John runs after her. He sees she falls on the ground, but he also sees the king and he knows this won't be good. The king gets Regina up again, "Regina are you hurt, my dear," he says kindly. His assistant is looking at her, he has go act as the good king no.

"No. No, I'm alright. I'm sorry, my King." Regina whispers. She bows before him. She doesn't look him in the eyes, afraid to be punished.

"It's no problem, my love," the king says. He kisses her and walks away with his assistant again. John runs to her so he can hold her up.

"He's going to punish me for this, isn't he?" Regina asks John. She looks at him, waiting for an honest reply.

"He is," John says and he looks to the ground. "You should have stayed in bed, you should have trusted me," he knows he shouldn't think about what happened, but he still says it.

"I hate that bed!" Regina screams at him. She startles from her own anger. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." she whispers. She follows John back to the castle and lies back in bed. Exhausted she falls asleep. The King wakes her up after his day of work. It's almost midnight.

John knows he's in big trouble now, but it feels worth it. He takes a deep breath and tries not to think too much about it.

"Didn't my assistant wake you?" The king says, while he puts out his clothes and lays down beside her.

Regina looks at him. It would be the easy way out to put the blame on John, but he's so nice to her... She can't do that. "He did wake me up in time." Regina whispers. She lies with her back to the King.

"You're protecting him," the king says, "why?"

"I'm not protecting him. He did wake me up in time. It was my fault. I'm sorry." Regina only answers. She doesn't turn towards the King. She hopes he will leave her alone tonight.

"I don't believe a thing of what you say," the king says, "but I'll fire him anyway, he is to kind for you!"

"No, don't fire him. Please. Please, my King." Regina quickly turns around to face him. "This is the only thing I will ever ask for. I promise. Please."

"Why do you care about him!" The king snaps moving his hand under her dress.

"I care about his family. They will starve if he loses his job. Please. Please, my King." Regina looks at him. She feels his hands again.

"I don't care about his problems, he doesn't do what he is supposed to do!" The king says. He kisses her violently.

Regina kisses him back, very softly. She then pulls away. "It's the only thing I will ever ask for. Please?" Regina whispers very softly.

"I'll think about it," the king says and he goes on kissing her. "Good night," he says with a bit of anger in his voice.

"Goodnight, my King." Regina whispers. She turns on her other side, away from him. When she hears his breathing slowing down as a sign of him sleeping, she softly poofs herself out of bed into the gardens. She sits under one of the apple trees and cries very, very softly. "Daniel." she whispers. "What did I do wrong to deserve this kind of life?" Regina cries in silence until she falls asleep on the bench beneath the apple tree.

"Regina," a voice in the distance says. It's still dark, but the moon gives enough light to see a little bit. Lady Tremaine steps into the light, "it's good to see you here on this lovely morning." She laughs, it's almost a giggle.

"Nanny..." Regina whispers. She's still exhausted.

"Well it seems you found a new nanny," she smiles, "how are you doing, Regina?" she says with a smile, "enjoying the palace?"

Regina doesn't answer that question. Lady Tremaine can clearly see the exhausted look on Regina's face.

Lady Tremaine smiles, "you don't look well, sweetheart, what's the problem?" She walks towards Regina and leans to the bench on which Regina is sitting now. "You can tell me..."

"He has hurt me." Regina whispers. "In bed. It hurts so much." She looks at her old nanny, not knowing how she will react.

Lady Tremaine looks at Regina and she keeps silent for a moment. Then she sits down beside her and lays her hand on Regina's. "You'll get used to it," she whispers, "he is a cruel man, my brother always said that to me before he died. My brother always said he needed a good wife who could keep him in control," she grins, "maybe you don't care but I think you're the right person for him."

"He's a beast. I don't know how to keep him in control." Regina whispers. She looks up at het nanny. "If he finds out I'm here, he will punish me again. I... I should go, shouldn't I?"

"You need to punch back," lady Tremaine says, "he likes to see you in pain, because you are not doing what he wants, but think about what happens if you make it good for yourself, make yourself the leader instead of... Running away from out of fear. Show him he can't control you... But do it in the small things..."

"How?" Regina asks her nanny. "How do I do that? Please... I know I've been a horrible child growing up, but... I need your help. Please, Lady Tremaine. Please." Regina now whispers.

"Don't run away, do what he tells you to do, but do it your own way," lady Tremaine, "I know this is weird and maybe you don't understand it, but that how I survived him." She laughs a little. "If he forces you to dance... Dance, but do it with some kind of indifference and show him he can't shape you."

Regina nodds. "And what about... When he wants to... At night?" Regina's cheeks turn red as she looks down.

"I tried to prepare you for that..." Lady Tremaine whispers, "that time with Daniel. I know it was horrible, I did it completely the wrong way, but I could see you loved him, because you were the leader right when you were with Daniel. The king is in your position right now, so think back of that moment and act like it, overpower him." She sighs, she feels sorry for Regina and she smiles softly.

Regina nodds again. She understands. She doesn't like it, she even hates it, but she understands. "I should go. He can wake up any second now." Regina looks up at Lady Tremaine. "Thank you." she softly whispers. Regina then poofs herself back to bed. Just in time because the King wakes up just seconds after that. Regina looks at him.

The king says nothing, but lays his hand on Regina's cheek, smiling at her.

Regina very softly smiles back at him. "Did you sleep well?" she asks him.

"I missed you," he says, raising his eyebrows.

Regina doesn't answer. She softly strokes his face, keeping Lady Tremaine's words in the back of her mind. She then softly strokes his naked chest. The King always seems to sleep without any clothes on.

"What changed your mind about me," he whispers as he feels Regina's hands on his chest. He smiles and moves his lips towards her, waiting for her to answer his kiss.

"The fact that you are not firing your assistant John." Regina very softly smiles. She answers his kiss and lets her tongue slide into his mouth. She leads his hand to the back of her night gown which has a zipper.

"You're a smart girl," the kings says between two kisses. He brings her zipper down and lets her put it out. He lays his hand on her back and looks her in her eyes, "I like you," he whispers with a grin.

Regina smiles. She knows she has to gain control over this. She kisses him again and moves closer towards him. Their naked bodies touch. Her hands move down to his body, to his hips. She softly scratches him there with her nails.

The king smiles and he starts to breath more heavily. He lets Regina touch him while his hands hold her body close to his.

Regina's heart beats fast. She pulls the King above her and kisses him again while opening her legs for him. "Go on." she whispers.

The king is stunned by Regina's willingness and he goes on, like she told him. He enjoys it, he feels his body enjoy it, but he also hates it, but he isn't able to stop. He moves his body down.

Regina moans of pleasure. She likes having control. "So... You're not firing John. Right?" she asks the King with a smile on her face. She joins him in his movements and strokes his back and kisses him. She slows down and awaits his answer.

The king smiles, "I'm not fully convinced yet," he says, he mentions she slows down a bit and he takes the time to take a deep breath, "just go on and I'll spare him," he says wanting her to continue.

Regina continues. Harder than before. She lets him reach his climax pretty fast. She smiles at him when he sinks down beside her. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Regina smiles. She gets up and dresses herself.

This time it's the king who stays in the bed for a while, he is surprised and confused. After a while he stands up and dresses himself too. He doesn't answer Regina's question and walks past her out of the room, back to business.

Regina smiles. She knows she needs this control to survive this life. She startles when someone enters her bedroom after knocking on the door but not waiting for an answer. A friend of the King who wanted to... meet Regina.

"The king send me," the man who entered the room says, "firstly to punish you for what you did, secondly to lead you thought the tasks from now on. He replaced John... He now works as a guard in the prisons, very cold place I can say you," he laughs, "so lay down please."

Regina freezes. She doesn't move. She just looks at him.

"Don't look so scared, I'm just a friend of the king, he always hires me to do the bad work," he says with a grin. "He told me to ruin you, but he wanted me to do it, so nothing will be seen on your wedding. Your stomach seems a good place for me. Or your legs, or both," He picks up a knife from his pocket.

"Please..." Regina whispers softly. "Please... I'll be a good girl. I promise." Her body shakes out of fear.

"That's good," the man says, "but you already did the wrong thing... So for that you still have to suffer." He walks close to her.

Regina backs away from him. He scares her. "Please." she whispers one more time.

"Sorry milady, I do what the king commands me." He forces her on the bed, "are you going to do it yourself or do you need help?"

Regina doesn't answer him. She lays down on the bed and closes her eyes. She knows there's no escaping from this.

The man undresses her, but only so her stomach is visible. He brings the knife to her skin and starts to draw a heart, blood drips on the white blanket.

Regina softly moans of pain. She squeezes into the matrass and bites on her bottom lip. She doesn't scream. She refuses to do that. A tear runs down her cheek.

The man goes on. He makes a deeper cut this time. The bleeding from his first cut stopped already, but he made sure this one wasn't going to heal fast.

"P.leease.." Regina very softly begs. "I'll be.. good..."

"What did you say?" The man asks, while he undresses Regina more and lets the wound continue on her leg.

Regina now moans loader of pain. "I promise I'll be a good girl. I promise." she whispers again.

"I still didn't hear you!" He shouts and he makes a very deep wound in her leg.

"I'll be a good girl, I promise!" Regina now screams of pain. Tears run down her face.

"Good," the man says and he helps Regina stand up. He sees he hurt her enough to make her limp, "I'll being you to your dancing lessons." he says.

Regina nodds. She looks down to the ground while walking, limping, to the ballroom next to this man.

The man walks with her into the ballroom. The same woman stands in the corner. Her notebook under her arm again. When she sees Regina, she looks up and walks to her. "Dear! What happened to you?"

Regina doesn't look up. "Hurt my leg. Nothing much." she whispers. "I will try my best for this lesson, milady." Regina very softly whispers.

The woman says nothing until the door closes. She immediately picks Regina's arm and leads her gently to a chair. "I'm so sorry," she says, "show me your leg," she gets some stuff to make it stop bleeding, "I... I want to say sorry for last time, I didn't want to be so cruel, but the king was watching us all the time... I had no choice... I'm so sorry, milady" she looks at Regina while cleaning the wound.

Regina bites on her bottom lip again. Cleaning the wound hurts. She doesn't know how to heal herself and even if she could... The King wouldn't be pleased. It would only make everything worse. "It's alright, milady." Regina very softly whispers. She looks at the woman. Regina doesn't know if she can trust her or not. She decides not to.

"Please call me Tiffany," she says and she steps away from Regina. "Now, do you remember the first position?"

Regina places her body in the first position. It hurts, but she doesn't dare to say a thing. Sweat drips from her face and body. Her face is very pale as never before.

Tiffany looks at Regina and sees she is not well, but she knows she has to go on or the king will be really mad. "Second position,".

Regina takes place in second position. Everything starts to look blurry but she really tries her best.

"Your hands need to be a little bit more up, Regina," she walks to her, "he is watching us..." She whispers and walks to her notebook again. "Good" she says from behind it, "third position please!"

"I... I don't know which one that is, milady." Regina very softly whispers. She looks at Tiffany. Regina's body shakes and she almost loses her balance but she manages to stay upright.

"One arm down, and your heel in the middle of the other foot." She walks to her hand places Regina's hands in the right place. She feels Regina is shaking, "stay strong, he'll be away soon," she whispers as she looks over Regina's shoulder. She walks a few steps away from Regina, "chin up!"

Regina puts her chin up. A tear runs down her cheek. Her leg has started bleeding again.

Tiffany takes a deep breath, "fourth position, place your foot a little distance away from your other foot, keep the toes in the direction you have now," she watches Regina struggle, but she can't do something else than lead her arms in the right place.

"How many positions are there, milady?" Regina asks with a very soft voice. A little bit of blood streams out of her mouth. She's exhausted.

"There are five basic positions, Regina," now show me the fifth..." She says, a little pool of blood starts to appear on the floor. "One heel to your big toe, the other heel to the small toe of your other foot, I'll help you with your arms." She only picks Regina's hands to hold her upright. The king turns around.

"I.. can't..." Regina softly moans of pain. She doesn't see anything clear any longer. She sinks to the ground.

The king just closed the door and Tiffany sighs of relief. She picks up a glass of water and gives it to Regina. "Drink this and lay down for a bit," Tiffany says.

"No. No, we have to continue my dance lesson." Regina protests. "I don't want to get hurt again. Please, we need to continue." Regina looks up at Tiffany with panic and fear clearly visible in her eyes.

Tiffany looks at Regina, clearly seeing dancing isn't a good idea, "are you sure?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. Yes, milady." She stands upright again and takes a bit of water. She limps to the middle of the ballroom and looks at Tiffany. The next two hours Regina tries her best to remember the positions and the dances Tiffany teaches her. Afterwards the man with the knife picks her up to bring her back to the bedroom.

"You have an hour before dinner, half an hour to make yourself ready, half an hour to let a dresser make you look right for the occasion." He clearly stares and he walks away.

"I'm not hungry." Regina tells him while he walks away. "I'm not going to dinner. I want to rest."

"You don't have a choice, milady." he says strictly, "use your time wisely,".

"Didn't you hear me? I'm not going!" Regina shouts at him.

"Didn't you hear ME! You are going!" The man shouts and he slams the door.

Regina lays down on the bed and tries to sleep a bit. After half an hour the dresser wakes her up.

"Regina?" a boy says. He is small and has a strange accent. "Stand up please."

Regina slowly gets out of bed and stands up next to it. She still limps.

"Like Tiffany said..." he says in himself. He takes some measure tape and starts to measure every part of Regina's body. "Follow me please," he says and he walks away.

Slowly Regina follows this boy. She can't walk fast because it still hurts. The wound has started bleeding again. "I'm sorry." Regina whispers when she sees the boy looking at her leg.

"How did that happen?" he asks her when they walk on. They reach his workplace, a room filled with all kind of clothes and fabrics.

"Bumped my leg. Nothing much." Regina softly lies. She knows she can't tell anyone the truth. It would only make things worse. Regina sees a chair in the room. "Can I... Can I sit down?"

"Until I get back," he says. He picks up a large dress from the back of the room. He lays it on the table and makes Regina stand. "Hold your breath," he commands.

Regina does what she has been told to do. She doesn't like this, a man touching her body, but she knows she has no other choice.

The man studies her body and picks up the corset he wants. "Hold your breath," he say another time as he puts the corset around Regina's body. When he is finished, he starts to pull the laces together very tightly.

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps at the man. Immediately she apologizes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." she whispers.

"It's okay," the man says and he goes on pulling them tighter. He uses all his strength to make Regina look as skinny as possible and so she would fit the dress.

"I can't breathe." Regina whispers. Again everything starts to get blurry in front of her eyes. She loses her balance but the boy keeps her upright. "It hurts." A tear slides down her cheek.

"You'll get used to it." he says and he picks up the heavy dress from the table. He brings the zipper down and lets Regina put it on.

Regina puts on the dress. He pulls the zipper up. Regina looks at the boy. "I will not be able to eat in this thing." she whispers.

"I'm sorry, but that's not my problem," the boy says and he shows Regina the high heels she has to wear.

Without complaining Regina puts on the heels. After the heels a bunch of jewels follow. She then can go to dinner. She very slowly walks into the dining room. She tries not to limp but it's hard.

Everyone around the table stands up and makes a little bow when Regina comes in, except for the king. One of the many servants that stand around the table, moves the chair so Regina can sit down.

Regina quickly sits down. She's glad she can finally sit. She looks at the King next to her.

"Good evening, milady," he only says and he starts to eat very slowly from the food. Everyone does and so a long time passes.

Regina eats a tiny little bit. She looks over at her mother and father. Her mother looks very proud of her daughter. After hours of dining Regina looks at the King again. Nobody has talked to her and she hasn't talked to anyone either. She sighs when the King announces it's time to go to bed. She very slowly follows her husband-to-be to the bedroom. The dresser helps her out of her jewelry, clothes and shoes. When she's naked he leaves her alone with the King. Regina looks at him.

"Had a good dinner," he asks while he stands with his back to her. He lays down on the bed and says Regina to join him.

"Yes, my King." Regina answers very softly. She lays down beside him and looks at the ceiling. She knows what follows next. But she's too exhausted to care.

As they lay close to each other, the king moves his hands over Regina's wounds and pushes his nails into them to make them bleed. His hands are red but he doesn't care, he takes Regina's head and kisses her.

Tears stream down Regina's cheeks. She kisses him back. She knows she has no other choice. "When does the torture stop?" she asks him with a very soft and scared voice, in between two kisses.

"It will continue as long as you stay so weak," the king whispers, "a queen needs to be strong, a queen needs to love the king, not fear him!"

"But I do fear you, my King. I don't want to, but you make it very hard not to fear you." Regina very softly dares to tell him. She looks him in his eyes. She notices he has beautiful blue eyes. Her own eyes soften when she notices that. Quickly she looks away. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my King. I won't argue with you." Regina whispers. For a moment his hands touch her more softly on her body.

"The best way to overcome your fear is to face it." The king says, letting his fingers go over her back. "And it's okay, I'm just preparing you." He lays on his back and doesn't go on. "Goodnight, Regina."

"Goodnight, my King." Regina softly whispers. She very silently cries herself to sleep.


	5. The King - Part 2

The next morning Regina gets woken up by the man with the knife. She quickly gets out of bed and stands next to it. She looks at the man. She still limps and her leg still hurts. It's really early in the morning and she feels she hasn't gotten enough sleep. "Yes, sir?" she softly asks him.

"The sister of the former king wants to meet you," the man says, "she told you to get dressed and come to the place where you met yesterday. She said you would know where to go."

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. Regina dresses herself in a nice dress and flat shoes. She walks over to the Royal Gardens, towards the most beautiful apple tree. Lady Tremaine is waiting for her on the bench beneath it. Regina sits down next to her and looks at the ground. "You wanted to see me?" Regina softly whispers.

"Yes," lady Tremaine says, "sit down please," she waits until Regina sits down. "I wanted to speak you before the king comes back. He left this night as you have noticed..." She knows Regina woke up alone. "Before you he was in love with a lady. They say she went of with another man, I know better, but that's not for now. He'll be home after breakfast." She keeps silent for a moment.

"What can I do with that information?" Regina softly whispers. Her leg has started bleeding again. "It hurts so much." Regina starts to cry. "Please, Lady Tremaine... Kill me. Please." Regina rips out her own heart and hands it over to her old nanny. "Kill me." Regina softly begs. "I don't want this life. Please."

Lady Tremaine looks at the heart in her hand and then she looks at Regina. She almost gets Regina out of her misery by crushing her heart, but she doesn't. "I can't Regina," lady Tremaine says, "and the thing you can do with this information is that you will be mother, Regina." She takes a deep breath so Regina can let this information go through her mind. "This former wife just got a child, the king's child. Leopold will take her I'm sure about that, because that child is the rightful heir."

"I don't want to be a mother! Especially if it's not my own child!" Regina screams.

"Regina you'll have to!" Lady Tremaine says and without hesitation she pushes Regina's heart back, "you can't escape the palace, not as long as Leopold is king, so you just need to exept it and gain his trust!"

Regina cries loudly now. "Will you please get my mother for me? She needs to heal my leg." Regina shows her leg and stomach to Lady Tremaine. "It hurts so much." she whispers.

Lady Tremaine is shocked when she sees the wound, "you!" She shouts and a servant who just walks by, looks around. "Get Cora for me will you?" She isn't planning to leave Regina right now, afraid she would do something stupid.

Regina looks up at her old nanny. "The King won't like it if my mother heals this." Regina whispers. "He will let him do it again. He will let him hurt me again. Yesterday... " Regina whispers. "Yesterday at dinner.. My leg really did hurt much." Regina sees her mother walking towards them. Regina shows her wound to her mother.

Lady Tremaine feels really sorry for Regina in a way she never experienced before. "You're right," lady Tremaine whispers, but by the time she tells Cora to stop, the wound was already healed.

Regina sighs with relief. "Thank you, mother." she whispers very softly. "I don't want to marry this King, mommy, please. He hurts me so much." Regina looks at her mother.

"But dear, didn't you hear it?" Cora says, "you will be mother! Aren't you happy?"

"It's not my child!" Regina screams out loud.

"She will be," Cora says calmly.

"No. Mommy, please." Regina cries again. "This King is ruining my life. Please."

"Regina the wedding is in less than a week, you can't quit now," Cora says. Lady Tremaine looks at Cora, she knows Cora is up to something.

"Yes, I can." Regina walks away and hopes to be alone in the bedroom. But that's not meant to be true. The King is waiting for her. For her body.

"Hi there Regina," he says as he turns around, "I already thought I would see you here." He grins.

Regina walks over to the bed and lays down on top of it. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"I'm also tired, almost sleeping" the king says, "but you can wake me up." He smiles and moves closer to Regina.

Regina's body freezes. She knows he will want to see her wounds and she knows he will punish her. Or let the other man come to punish her. She just looks at him when he notices the wounds are gone.

"You think it's that easy to beat me, don't you," he snaps at Regina, he kisses her violently, squeezing her body.

"You're hurting me." Regina whispers. "I'm so sorry, my King. It hurted so bad. I'm so sorry." Regina kisses him back, softly.

"Apologies not accepted," he whispers back and he makes her kiss him more violently, "don't be afraid, no need to be strong, you need to know what pain feels like!"

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, my King." She looks at him.

"So you understand?" He whispers in her ear.

"Yes. I do, my King." Regina whispers.

"Very well," the king says and he stands up. He dresses himself and without an other word he leaves the room. The man, Regina's new assistant, walks into the room after a while. Again with a knife in his hand.

Regina looks up at him. She hasn't moved since the King left the room. Regina notices the King coming into the room too, right after her new assistant. She looks at them and doesn't say a word.

The assistant and the king share a look and they grin. The assistant walks to Regina, holding the knife in his hand. "Prepare for a scream, my king," he says and they both start to laugh. The man puts the knife down and make a deep and sudden cut in Regina's leg.

Regina moans of pain but doesn't scream. She won't give them that pleasure. Tears show up in her eyes.

The assistent grins, "you can scream if you want, dear." He makes a very precise cut next to the other wound. He feels he gets more evil when the king is around. The king looks at them and smiles of satisfaction.

Regina moans a bit harder. "Please." she whispers. But when she sees the look on the face of both men she knows this will be a long, long night.

A third cut appears on Regina's leg. But you can't separate them anymore, because the blood covers the whole leg. As the assistant wants to start with the other leg, the door slams open. Lady Tremaine walks in, "what do you think you're doing!" She shouts, the man is shocked and turns his head, but not without letting the knife go down in Regina's skin first.

"Please!" Regina screams now. "I'll be a good girl, I promise!" Regina cries out loud.

Lady Tremaine walks to the assistant and slams him in his face, picking the knife out of his hand. She turns to the king. "Why are you doing this?" A silence follows.

After a few minutes of silence the King simply answers: "Because she needs to feel what it is like to be Queen." Regina keeps crying of pain. "I'll be good. I'll be a good girl." she keeps whispering.

"Well I quess you hurt her enough, didn't your father teach you that you should never hurt girls! Especially not your wife?" She shouts now.

"On the contrary, dear." the King smiles. "My father taught me these exact same things to do with a wife who doesn't listen."

"Of course he did," lady Tremaine says, "now go please!" she says, I need to discuss things with this... Mother...".

"I am the King. Nobody tells me to go. On the contrary. That's my job. You are excused, Lady Tremaine. Don't let me tell you this a second time. Regina's lesson is just beginning. You can visit her afterwards. Her assistant, this lovely young man, will come and get you when the time is right. Goodbye, Lady Tremaine." The King opens the door for Regina's old nanny. "It's alright." Regina whispers. "It's alright. Go. I don't want him to hurt you too." With pain in her heart Lady Tremaine leaves the room. She realises she doesn't stand a chance against the King. After all... He can just as easily want her out of the castle. She has to be grateful she has still a home since her husband died. She wanders through the hallways of the castle, trying not to think about what's happening to Regina upstairs.

When Lady Tremaine left the bedroom, Regina looks up at the King and 'her' assistant. She notices the King undresses himself and lays next to her on top of the bed, above the bedsheets. 'Her' assistant does the exact same thing, but lays down on the other side of Regina. He still holds his knife in his hand. Regina moans of fear. "Please." she whispers. "I'll be a good girl." The King smiles at her while he strokes her cheek. "That's good. That's really good, Regina. We are here to teach you what a good girl needs to do."

"Well you can start with undressing yourself Regina, there no fun when you have your clothes on!" The king says. "Or do you need some help," the man adds moving the knife between his fingers.

Regina quickly undresses herself and puts her clothes on the ground. She looks at the King. "I will be your wife." she whispers. "I deserve some respect."

"You deserve some respect?" He says and he laughs hard, "what about showing me some respect Regina, running away, crying, being weak, that's so respectful of you, you clearly care about me!" He says sarcastically. He nods to the man and he starts to draw figures on Regina's stomach.

Regina bites on her bottom lip. She won't scream. She won't cry. She won't beg. She just looks at the King.

The king smiles at her and Lets his fingers go over the wounds, spreads the blood with his fingers. "Does it hurt?" the king asks.

"No. You can't hurt me." Regina answers him.

The king laughs, "we'll see about that," he says and he smile to his assistant. Who just brings the knife down with a lot of power and lets it land in Regina's leg.

Regina can't help but scream. It hurts so much. "Please!" she screams. "I'll be a good girl! I promise! I'll be good!"

"You said that before... But you didn't keep your promise..." The king says, "why should I trust you now?" He softly lets his hand go over her leg, letting his fingers go over the big wound.

"Please... Just give me a chance. I'll prove I'm worth it." Regina's eyes darken a bit. She kisses the King, hard. She lets her tongue slip into his mouth. Her hands stroke his hips.

"Good," the king whispers between two kisses, "now the real fun can begin. The assistant is still lying in the bed too. Grinning and letting his hands go over Regina's body while she and the king kiss.

Regina softly moans. Her body likes it but her mind hates it. She keeps kissing the King. This she can handle.

They go on and on, until the king takes a deep breath and tells his assistant to stop. "It's time for my aunt to teach you," he says and he steps out of the bed.

"What... What do you mean?" Regina asks him. "Teach me what?"

"How to be a mother," he snaps, while he dresses himself.

"My King?" Regina softly whispers. She waits until he looks at her. "Can.. Can my mother heal my wounds? Please?"

"Of course not," he says, "unless you my assistant to do everything again!" He walks away and leaves her alone.

Regina looks up at the assistant. She sees in his eyes he's not leaving before he gets something from her. "What do you want?" Regina softly asks him.

"I want your body, milady, but I also love to see pain" the assistant says, "I made a deal with the king, I can have you for this moment! And what do you want?" He laughs.

"I want you to leave me alone." Regina whispers. "I will be Queen. You can't do this."

"What a surprise," he says, but he lays down beside her in the bed, "bed for you I have a deal with the king..."

"I want you to GO!" Regina snaps at him. "GO!"

"Well, I'm really sorry for you," he says and he grabs Regina's leg with a lot of power, just to make sure it will hurt. "But I'm the one with the power here, the king is on my side!"

Regina moans of pain. She turns on her side towards him and starts to kiss him. She doesn't want to have pain any longer.

The assistant kisses her back, holding her head in his hands. Her cheeks are now red of her blood. He moves his body on her so he pushes extra on the wounds.

Regina bites hard on her bottom lip. She opens her legs for him. She looks him into his eyes. She doesn't even beg any longer.

He grins and moves his body down down, but then there is a hard knock on the door. "Get out!" A woman's voice shouts.

Regina sighs with relief when this man steps out of bed, dresses himself and leaves her alone with the woman. He leaves after saying "I will get my moment with you, my Queen. Don't forget that." He smiles when he leaves the bedroom. Regina looks up at the woman.

Lady Tremaine steps into the light, "sorry he couldn't know it was me..." She takes of her hat and looks at Regina, "O Regina!" She says shocked, "what did they do to you. She runs to her.

"It hurts so much." Regina now cries. "I try to be a good girl, I'm really trying, Lady Tremaine, but they keep hurting me. It hurts so much." Regina cries. She feels herself getting weaker with the minute. She's losing a lot of blood.

Lady Tremaine walks away to het bandage. She cleans Regina's around and makes sure she won't lose any more blood. Then she hugs Regina and lets her cry on her shoulder. "It's all right," she whispers.

"I don't want this life. I don't want to be Queen. I just want to be happy." Regina cries. "I will never be happy in this life."

Lady Tremaine closes her eyes, she wants to get away from here together with Regina, but he knows the king will hunt them down, and if he doesn't Cora will. "It will get better," she whispers, "you'll get through this, I'll help you."

"You will?" Regina cries harder now. "Thank you. Thank you, nanny." Regina hugs her old nanny as if she's never letting her go. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I was a horrible child growing up."

"You were not the one who was horrible, I was," she says, "I realise now, you deserved so much better, I'm so sorry." She holds Regina close, "and of course I will."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Regina slowly stops crying. "I can't feel my legs." she whispers then.

"You need to take rest, the wounds need to heal..." Lady Tremaine says. "I'll take you to my room, the king can be back at any moment."

Regina nodds. "Yes. Yes, thank you." Slowly Regina walks to Lady Tremaine's room. Her nanny helps her keep her upright. "I.. can't..." Regina whispers when they're about half way.

"Don't worry," lady Tremaine says. She calls a servant and gives him some money so he keeps this situation secret. He carries Regina upstairs. Lady Tremaine walks behind them.

Regina puts her arms around the neck of the servant. "Thank you." she whispers. She falls asleep before they even reach Lady Tremaine's room.

After a couple of hours Regina wakes up. She feels she's wearing sleeping clothes and lays in a freshly made bed. Her nanny sits next to her on te bed, upright, and looks at Regina when she wakes up. Regina notices her wounds are taking care of. She smells some kind of herbs. "So I don't get scars?" Regina asks her nanny, while pointing on the bandages on her wounds.

Lady Tremaine smiles, "one wound is very big, I don't know if that one will be completely invisible again... But most of the cuts will heal and leave no marks." She says and she gives Regina some water.

Regina drinks a bit of water. "Thank you." she whispers. "The King... Isn't he searching for me? I... I have to go to him. I don't want to get punished again."

"I won't let him hurt you, I promise." She says as she takes some food of the table, "take some rest and please eat something..." Lady Tremaine looks at Regina's body which is far to skinny, "do you ever eat, Regina?" She asks.

"I'm not hungry." Regina thinks back to the words of the dance teacher, telling her she's too fat. "I'm never hungry. And I need to fit in my dresses." Regina looks at Lady Tremaine. "I'm not hungry." she repeats.

"Regina look at yourself...." Lady Tremaine says, she is very worried, "you need to eat Regina or you will collapse one day. They didn't say you were fat, did they?"

"Maybe. I don't know." Regina mumbles. She pushes away the plate of food Lady Tremaine is handing her over. "I'm not hungry. I need to fit in my dresses." Regina repeats again.

"Regina..." Lady Tremaine says, "you it fat, okay? Please don't let them tell you such things." She sets the food on the table, "please, I'm sure those dresses will slip down if you keep starving yourself."

Regina doesn't respond. "It's almost time for dinner, isn't it?" Regina asks her nanny with a very soft voice.

"Yes but you're not going," lady Tremaine clearly states. "You'll stay here with me."

"He won't accept that. He will be very angry. He will send that assistent to hurt me again." Regina voice and eyes shows the panic she's feeling.

"I won't let that happen," lady Tremaine says, "you need to take rest, please just trust me."   
She sees Regina's pale face and she knows she can't let her go there.

Regina softly nodds. "I... I trust you." she whispers to Lady Tremaine. "Thank you. Thank you." Regina sinks down into bed and falls asleep again. She startles when the door to Lady Tremaine's bedroom open loudly without any warning. The King.

"You can't get her," lady Tremaine says calmly. "O don't I?" The king grins and he walks around the room, just grinning and looking at Regina.

"Please. Just this one dinner. I don't feel well." Regina begs. "Just this once. Please. I will make it up to you, I promise." Regina whispers.

"I don't think my aunt is planning to keep you away from me for only one dinner, my love," the king says. "Leave," lady Tremaine says.

"You know you can't keep her away from me for ever. You also know the longer I have to miss my fiancé the more I will hurt her. She needs to break. She needs to feel pain." the King answers.

"The people don't want a broken queen, Leopold," lady Tremaine says, "I'll make sure I'll hurt her enough to be strong." She walks to the king, "please go now, she needs rest."

"This isn't over, Regina." The King leaves Lady Tremaine's bedroom. Regina looks up at her nanny. "Thank you." she whispers very softly. "Maybe I am a little hungry now." Regina softly smiles at her nanny. "Did I say thank you already?"

"You did," lady Tremaine says with a smile, "thank you too, for trusting me..." She picks up the plate of food and hands it over to Regina. She is glad Regina wants to eat something.

Regina tries to eat something but stops after a few bites. "I can't. I'm full." Regina looks up at her nanny. "I'm sorry. It just hurts so bad if the dresser puts my clothes on." Regina now whispers.

"It okay, it will get better," lady Tremaine says, "take your time." She sits down next to her. "You'll get used to that corsets," she whispers, "I wore them for the biggest part of my life..."

"I don't want to wear them. They hurt so much."

"It won't hurt forever, Regina," lady Tremaine says, "I wore them so often, I almost don't feel them anymore when I wear them. Only the eating stays horrible..."

Regina softly nodds. "He is going to hurt me, isn't he? When I'll be back in his bedroom?" Regina doesn't dare to look up to her nanny, because she already knows the answer.

Lady Tremaine looks away and closes her eyes. "He... He is..." She finally says, "but I'll protect you, I promise," she whispers, "you won't go back to him tonight, I want you to stay here."

"No. I need to go back. I know he will hurt me, but the longer I wait the more he is going to hurt me. I need to wait for him in our bedroom until dinner is finished. Regina looks up at Lady Tremaine. "Thank you for everything, nanny. I promise I'll try to eat once in a while." Regina gives her nanny a big hug and then poofs away to the bedroom of the King and her. In there, the man with the knife, her assistant, is laying on the bed, naked, awaiting her return. Regina startles when she sees him.

"You decided to come!" the assistent exclaims, "how surprising... Please join me, it will be a lot of fun!"

Regina softly nodds. She lays next to the man in bed. "Just don't... Don't hurt me." Regina whispers.

"Don't hurt you?" the assistent says, "that's not the plan, Regina," he looks at her and then at her legs. "Will you keep your clothes on forever or what..."

Regina undresses herself. She looks up at the man. "Please. No pain. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt me." she whispers again.

"Pain is what the king wants Regina." He moves his hand to the bandage on her leg. "Lady Tremaine has taken good care of you," he grins, "so sad for her you choose me over her."

"I don't." Regina whispers. "Please. I'll be a good girl. I promise. I won't argue with the King ever again. I promise." Regina whispers again.

"Promise me more," he says while he pulls bandage of her leg and makes the wound bleed again.

Regina moans of pain. "What do I need to do or promise to make you stop hurting me?" A tear runs down her face.

"Something good," he only says, "it's your job to find something I like and until then... I'll just keep doing it." He lets ever part of Regina's cuts and wounds bleed again. He does it very very slowly.

Regina cries of pain. "Please. I beg you. Please, you're hurting me!" She starts to scream.

"I know I'm hurting you!" he snaps, "but I'm not going to stop if you think that." He makes some new cuts by moving the knife slowly and deep into her skin.

Regina remains silent and lets him hurt her. She only cries in silence.

The assistant hears a knock on the door, just as he wants to start with her stomach again. Lady Tremaine walks in and pushes the assistant from the bed. She picks him up and pushes him to the wall. He cuts her with his knife in her face but she holds on. After a few cuts she manages to get the knife out of his hand and she throws it away to Regina. "Never hurt her again." She snaps at him.

The assistant looks very angry at the both of them but leaves them alone. Regina looks up at Lady Tremaine. "You're hurt." she whispers. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It doesn't matter sweetheart," lady Tremaine says as she wipes the blood away from her eyes. She smiles. "It was all worth it."

"Why? Why are you helping me? I've been such a horrible child growing up. I was. I really was. Why are you helping me?"

"Because I now see what kind of horrible person I've been to you," she says, "only to please Cora, because I thought I needed her. But now I know I don't and I realized after all those years that I really care about you..." She doesn't tell Cora killed her true love, she already had felt enough pain.

"You... You care about me?" Regina softly asks her nanny. Suddenly they both startle when the King enters the bedroom. Regina just looks at him. "I'll be a good girl. Please..." she whispers to him.

Lady Tremaine doesn't get the time to answer. The king walks go them with an angry look on his face. "You won't get her," lady Tremaine says, like she did before.

"I have decided something, my love." The King smiles now at Regina. "It's time to see if you payed enough attention in my... lessons. I want to see if you can be a good wife. You can try to prove that. Tonight and tomorrow. What do you think?" Regina softly nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers.

Lady Tremaine looks at the king, she hates him for making Regina so scared, "and what is that supposed to mean?" she says to him.

"It means my wife-to-be gets the chance to prove she can be a loving and loyal wife. Obedient. Strong. Regina can prove to me she can be the perfect Queen. If she succeeds... And believe me I will be very, very strict about it... But if she succeeds, the torture will stop. I don't promise the pain will stop. Pain is part of life and especially of a Queen's life. But the torture will stop."

Lady Tremaine looks at Regina and sighs. The king's words go through her mind and she knows Regina has to agree with him, she has no choice. Lady Tremaine wants to slam the king in his face, ask him what he want, but she knows she will only make things worse.

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "I will be alright. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Lady Tremaine." Regina softly smiles at her old nanny. Lady Tremaine leaves the room. Regina looks at the King and waits.

The kings sees Regina sitting on the bed and walks to her. "You will be mother soon, but it's your job to give me a son. I don't want a daughter, I want a man, who will be king someday." he says and he lays his hand in Regina's cheek.

Regina nodds. "I understand." she whispers. She lays down on the bed, on her back. She looks at the King.

He slowly undresses her and lays her body on his. Their lips touch softer than before and he kisses her more gently.

Regina softly kisses him back. She feels him slipping inside of her. She doesn't want to have a child and certainly not with this man. But she knows this will be her only chance to prove herself. She knows she needs to succeed to make the torture stop. Regina moves together with the King until he is satisfied. Regina looks up at him again. "Are you happy, my King?" she softly whispers to him.

"I am," he whispers back. He smiles and kisses her. His gentleness disappeared. "I'll let you sleep," he says after a while, "I'll be gone early tomorrow to pick up my daughter, Snow White, from my former love, do you remember what I said? Act like it okay!"

Regina nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers again. She turns around in bed and falls asleep. So does the King.

The next morning Regina wakes up when the dresser comes into her room without knocking. "Do I have to wear a corset today?" she asks him. "I'm just going to take a walk through the gardens. I don't think I'll need a corset for that, do I?"

"O yes you do," the dresser says, "a lot of important people will come today to see the baby, your baby. You need to be ready to face them."

Regina nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She gets up and follows the dresser to his work chambers. "Can I at least choose my own dress?" she asks him softly.

"Milady what are you asking!" The dresser says, "the king has chosen your dress three days ago, I can't change that anymore" he just walks on to his room and takes the dress the king asked for.

Regina softly smiles. It is actually a beautiful dress. She looks at the man. She then undresses herself so he can put the corset and dress on her. Thanks to the herbs Lady Tremaine used on her wounds, the wounds are a bit better. Again Regina needs to wear high heels but this time they are less high than during that dinner.

The dresser moves Regina to the hairdresser he tells her to sit down and he leaves. The hairdresser is a young lady she lets Regina sit before a mirror and starts to make braids in her hair. She puts flowers in her hair too and smiles while she is working. It's silent for a very long time, the lady doesn't dare to say anything, afraid to say something wrong to the queen.

Regina softly smiles at the young lady. "You do that very nice, did you know that?" she says after a long time of silence. Regina notices the girl is afraid of her. "You don't have to be afraid of me. You really don't. I'm nothing like the King." Regina reassures the young girl.

The girl carefully smiles, "thank you my queen," she says with a soft voice and she looks to the ground. She can't help but feel honored and happy to get a compliment from the beautiful queen.

When the young girl is done with Regina's hair, Regina smiles at her. "Do you want to do my hair tomorrow too?" she asks the girl with a soft voice.

"I would love that, my queen," the girl says and she means it. Her hands shake a bit and she smiles to Regina, finally daring to look her in her eyes, "you are beautiful, my queen," she says.

Regina takes the hands of the girl and holds them into her own. "It's alright. You don't have to be scared of me." she whispers to the girl. She then smiles. "On the contrary, dear. You are the one who is beautiful." With a soft stroke over the girl's cheek Regina turns around and leaves the room. She walks over to the main room where she is supposed to be now. The King is just arriving.

The girl shakes even more heavily when Regina touches her cheek, but then she starts to relax. She can't get a word out of her mouth, did the queen just say she was beautiful? 

"Regina!" The king says and he walks to her.

"My King." Regina softly speaks. She makes a little bow before him. She then looks him in the eyes and kisses him.

He kisses her back, gently and he lays his arm around her, "you look beautiful today, Regina," he now takes her arm and leads her into the room where they have breakfast.

"Thank you, my King." Regina whispers. Regina takes a seat and eats a little, little bit. "Did you bring your daughter? Snow White?" she asks him.

"She will arrive after breakfast with her mother," the king says, "she needs to sign the contract and then she will be gone, the baby stays here."

Regina softly nodds. "Do I need to see her? The mother, I mean. Isn't she going to be very angry with me?" Regina asks the King now. She doesn't know if she can ask these sort of questions, but as long as the King doesn't tell her to stop... She can ask them. Right?

"She won't be angry with you," the king says, "I'll go to her with you by my side, to show her her daughter is safe with us," the king smiles, he doesn't tell Regina he is still in love with her, that he loves Eva more than he loves Regina.

Regina nodds again. "I understand." she whispers. Regina doesn't eat much. She waits for the King to be ready. She then follows him to the hallway where Snow White and her mother Eva are waiting for the Royal Couple.

Eva sees Regina and feels a little shock in her heart. She holds the baby in her arms. Her eyes are red because of her tears and she looks very tired, she hadn't slept in days. "Leopold," she says with a bow, "Regina," she adds and she smiles a little. Tears already come up again.

"Eva." Regina greets this woman with respect. She looks at her. Why does Leopold want this baby girl if he only wants a son to be the next King? She just looks at Leopold. "My King..." she whispers. She feels so sorry for Eva.

"What is it Regina?" the king says. He walks to Eva with Regina. Eva starts to cry, but she doesn't make a sound. She holds the baby close, but she knows she has to let her go.

"Do we have to? I mean... You want a son, don't you? To be the next King? Why can't Snow White stay with her mother? I just... I don't understand." Regina whispers to Leopold, without anyone being able to hear it.

Eva sees Regina and Leopold speaking. And she can't help but still love him. She thinks of running away.

"She is my daughter," the king snaps, "she is mine, I love my child, don't you understand..."

Regina flinches. She takes a step back and looks to the ground, afraid of screwing up. She then quickly nodds. "I do. I understand. I'm sorry, my King." Together she walks with him towards Eva and the little girl she's holding in her arms.

"Good," he says and he lets Eva hand over the little girl to Regina. Then one of his assistants calls him, "I'll be right back," he says. 

Eva sees her own daughter lay in Regina's arms. She can't stop crying, but she walks to Regina and looks her deeply in her eyes.

Regina looks at this woman. Eva. The mother of Snow White, the girl laying in her arms who she's supposed to raise as her own daughter. "I'm so sorry, Eva." Regina whispers. "I tried. I tried to let her be with you. I'm so sorry." Regina gets tears in her eyes.

"You did?" Eva says with a smile, "why didn't he want it? Does he think I'm a bad mother?" She lays her hands on Regina's arm. "Please take good care of her..." she says, "please..." Tears still roll down her cheeks.

"Yes. I did. But he loves her. He said that to me, just a few minutes ago. He loves her and he wants her to be with him. I'm so sorry." Regina looks the woman deep into her eyes. "I promise I will take excellent care of her. I promise."

Eva shakes her head and turns her head away, looking out of the window. Once she was in Regina's position, she was meant to be queen once... She can't stop crying, her sleeves are completely wet. "Are you sure?" She says, while she doesn't look at Regina. She want to have her baby in her arms...

"Yes." Regina whispers. "I'm sure." Regina knows she has to step away with the baby now. From the corner of her eye she sees the King looking at her and Eva... "I'm sorry, Eva." Regina whispers. She turns around and walks away with Snow White in her arms. This girl she feels nothing for.

When Regina walks away with her daughter Eva starts to cry very hard. Her body is so weak and she can't stand anymore. She sinks to the ground and she screams, while her tears make a little river on the floor. Two guards take her away. "I love you," is the last thing she screams...

Regina walks with the baby over to Leopold. "Here you are." she whispers to the King. "Your daughter. Snow White." Regina hands the girl over to Leopold.

He takes the girl in his arms and kisses his daughter on her cheek. His smile is brighter than before.

Regina takes a step back and looks at the King and his daughter. For the first time she sees love in his eyes. He looks at Snow White with a kind of love... He will never look at her that way. Regina knows that. She doesn't really mind. She doesn't love him either. She also doesn't love this girl. She feels more love for her hairdresser than for this baby.

"Regina can you take care of my daughter for the rest of the day? I've some stuff to do..." He doesn't have eye for Regina, only for his Snow White. He hands her over to Regina with pain in his heart.

Regina nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She takes over this baby. She slowly walks to the room where Snow White will sleep. Regina calls a servant to her. "You look after her today. Alright? If something is wrong, anything, you come and get me. I want nothing to happen to this child. Can you promise me that?" When the servant nodds, Regina hands her extra money into her pocket. "For your help. Thank you." Regina softly smiles at the woman. "If you need anything, just come and get me. Thank you." She nodds and leaves the room. She walks over to her bedroom and changes into something more comfortable. She then walks to the Royal Gardens and takes a walk.

Lady Tremaine sits on a bench in the gardens. She is almost always outside, because she doesn't like the palace, too dark, to cold. She sees Regina coming. She stays where she is and picks up her book.

From a distance Regina notices Lady Tremaine in the gardens. She walks over to her. "I hate that baby." Regina states while sitting down next to her nanny.

Lady Tremaine looks up at Regina, "I know you would say that," she states. She wants to say that was exactly how she felt when she had to take care of Regina, that she understands her and that maybe Regina can understand now why she always was so cruel to Regina...

Regina looks up at Lady Tremaine. "You know that feeling, don't you?" she asks her, with a very soft voice.

Lady Tremaine sighs, "I do," she says, "that's why I don't say it will fade... Or be all right, because for me it didn't," she smiles, "until now."

"Until now? What changed?" Regina simply asks her old nanny.

"I now realize I care about you, after all those years of... Hate" she says, almost not daring to say that awful word. "I realize that all this time you just tried to make the best of it and I ruined it all..."

"You didn't ruin it all." Regina softly smiles at Lady Tremaine. "You really didn't. If anything you prepared me for this life. Or at least you tried. I'm not as strong as I'm supposed to be, am I?"

Lady Tremaine knows it's not true, maybe she prepared Regina, but in an awful way...  
"You are stronger than you're supposed to be, Regina. It's life that's too heavy, not you being too weak. You're one of the strongest persons I've ever met."

"Really?" Regina softly smiles at her. "Thank you, Lady Tremaine." She gives her nanny a hug. "For what it's worth... I still consider you my nanny." Regina smiles again.

"Thank you," lady Tremaine says, although the words sound emotionless, she feels grateful inside. "I'll try to be the best nanny I can be," she laughs.

Regina laughs too. "You already are." she smiles at her. Suddenly she sees the King storming towards them. "Oh no..." Regina whispers.

The king walks to her with with an angry face, "You left my daughter alone!!" He shouts and he grabs Regina's chin in his hand and puls her towards him.

"No. No, my King. I didn't. I really didn't. One of the maids is looking after her. I promise. I would never leave her alone, my King." Regina looks at him with fear in her eyes.

"You promised to stay with her! A maid is not fit for MY daughter!!" he slams Regina in her face.

Regina turns away in pain. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my King." she whispers. "I didn't know... I'm so sorry..." She looks at him again.

"Don't say you didn't know, I was clear enough!" He shouts in her face. Lady Tremaine pushes him away, but he hits her too.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers again. "Don't hurt her. I will go to your daughter. I'm so sorry." Regina wants to step away but the King won't let her. He holds her tight on her arm. "You're hurting me." Regina whispers while looking him in the eyes.

"You're to late now, you should have stayed with her!" He snaps and he squeezes Regina's ark even more, "you always say I'm hurting you... You're weak,"

"Let go of me! I will go to your daughter, I promise." Regina softly whispers those last words. "I just... I just didn't think about it. I'm sorry."

"I. Told. You!" He says, "don't tell me you didn't think of it, you just don't want her and you are going to pay for that." Just as he wants to hit Regina, lady Tremaine pushes him and he falls down. "Run," lady Tremaine says, "don't be stupid, do it!"

Without hesitation Regina starts to run and doesn't look back. She keeps on running, running, running. Out of the gardens into the castle. She bumps onto her hairdresser, the young lady, but gets up quickly and runs. Without stopping. Out of the castle. She keeps on running until her legs can't hold her any longer. She stumbles and falls down on the ground, deep in the forest.

"Having a hard time, dearie?"

Regina startles. "Go away!" she screams at this man, this Rumplestiltskin. Every time he came into her life nothing good ever happened. "Leave me alone! Go away!"

Rumple doesn't pay attention to Regina's screaming, "where will you stay? A queen sleeping in the forest?" He grins.

"I don't care! I'm not a Queen and I will never be one! We aren't married yet!"

"O that poor little child," rumple says, "you're good at breaking promises, dearie, Eva left an hour ago, and you already leave Snow White..."

"Shut up!" Regina shouts at Rumplestiltskin. Without being aware of it she throws a fireball towards him.

He moves a little bit and the fireball hits a tree, "I'm just telling the truth..." He says, "I can't even count how often you said to Daniel that you two would be okay, or that you said to the king you would be a good wife..."

"SHUT UP!" Regina throws another fireball, a bigger one this time. "What do you want?!" she screams at him.

"I don't want anything," he says with a satisfying grin. "I just saw you here and wanted to chat."

"I don't want you here! Go away! Leave me alone!" Regina waves with her hand and poofs him away. She looks at her hand. She then gets up and runs further, deeper and deeper into the forest. She stumbles over a log and falls on the ground, at the feet of a handsome man.

The man immediatly reaches out his hand. He sees the woman's leg is bleeding. "Milady your injured,"

Regina looks up at the man who wants to help her get up. "It's nothing." she whispers. She takes his hand and lets him help her get up. She then softly pulls her hand back. She doesn't like being touched by a strange man. She looks up at him again. "Thank you." she whispers.

"You seem lost," the man says, "are you looking for something?". He sees her leg is not all right, it looks like some old wounds started bleeding again, "come to my house and let me look at it, I think we need to clean it a bit."

"I'm not lost. I know where I am." Regina lies. She looks around her but all she sees is forest. She looks back at this stranger. He's far too nice to her. She doesn't trust it. Not completely. Her leg does hurt now. She softly nodds. "Thank you." she whispers again.

"You're welcome," he says, "where are you going?"

"Nowhere. I'm going nowhere." Regina mumbles. She keeps her distance from this man while walking beside him towards his house; a small but charming little house in the middle of the forest. She glances over at him. When she notices he looks at her, she quickly looks away. She follows him into his house and, after being invited to do so, takes a seat at the table in the middle of the room.

Robin puts our his hunting clothes. "So you're going nowhere," he says, while making a fire. He walks to the bedroom take the things he needs. A woman comes down the stairs, she looks surprised, "who are you?" she asks.

"I'm... I'm Regina." Regina answers with a very soft voice. "I'm so sorry to intrude... I..." Then Regina softly moans of pain. Her legs keep hurting more and more.

"No worries," she says with a smile. Her white thin dress dances around her body as she reaches the ground, "are you hurt?" She says as she walks closer to Regina.

Regina nodds. "I am. I'm sorry." she whispers again. "I don't want to intrude." Regina quickly stands up. "I should go." she whispers.

"No no," Marian says as she sees Regina's leg, "you can't go into the forest with that wound," she says. Robin comes back with the stuff he needs, Marian takes them over and cleans Regina's wounds, "how did you get these?" Marian asks, seeing the cuts were too perfectly straight to be scratches from a tree branch or something.

"Scratched my leg." Regina lies. "Nothing much." she whispers. She watches how this woman cleans her wounds and puts a fresh bandage around them. "Thank you." Regina whispers when she's done. She stands up again. "I should go now. Thank you, both of you." Regina whispers again. Her face looks pale from not eating much in days now and from being exhausted.

Robin just walks in tea, "you can stay for dinner," he says. Marian looks at him, "yes," she adds, "you look exhausted and you can clearly use some food."

"I'm not hungry." Regina mumbles. "He won't like it if I'll get fat." She walks towards the door but she doesn't walk real steady. After a few steps she needs to hold herself upright on the wall. "I'm so sorry." she whispers again.

"Please stay here with us," Marian says and she reaches out her arm so Regina can walk to the table with her. She looks at Regina's body and gets frightened by the words she just said. She was far too skinny...

Regina lets this woman guide her back to the table. She sits down again. The man sets food on the table and it smells delicious but Regina doesn't start to eat. She's too tired to eat. Too exhausted. She almost falls asleep at the table.

"Robin," Marian whispers, so Regina cant hear it "she needs to sleep,". Robin looks at her, "you're right," he says and he walks to Regina. "Can you stand he asks her hand he touches her arm.

Regina startles when this man touches her on her arm and pulls away from him. She looks up at him in fear. "I'm sorry to intrude." she whispers again. "I.. I should go. I won't bother you. I'm sorry." But Regina doesn't stand up. She's too tired to get up and walk away.

Robin looks at Marian. She gives him her I-don't-know look and tries to get Regina's focus. "My husband will carry you upstairs okay?" She says to Regina, not knowing how to help her.

Regina nodds very softly. "I'll be good. Don't hurt me." she whispers softly. She feels she gets lift up by this man. She feels him carrying her upstairs to the bedroom. She feels he lays her gently down into bed. "I'll be good." Regina whispers again. She starts to undress herself. "I'll do whatever you want, my King. Just don't... Don't hurt me... I'll be good." Regina's face looks really pale but it also feels very hot.

"You're safe here, I promise," Robin says and he lays a pillow under her head and a blanket over her body, "you don't need to be good, I won't hurt you because you're not," He wonders what happened to this beautiful lady, what made her like this...

"Don't let the King get me." Regina softly begs. "Promise. You need to promise." With big eyes full of hope Regina looks at this man. "Please." she whispers now.

"Is he looking for you? Who are you?" He whispers, he knows he can't promise this to the woman. If the king was looking for her, he would definitely fail to protect her...

"Regina. I'm Regina. I don't want to marry him. Please. Promise me. Don't let him get to me." she whispers again.

"You are going to marry the king!" He says stunned. That means she will be queen. Robin makes a bow with his head. "I can't promise I'm sorry, he is stronger than I am..." He doesn't want to give her false hope.

"Don't bow to me! I hate it when people do that! I'm not a Queen and I will never be one!" Regina suddenly shouts out. "Stop bowing to me!"

Robin looks at her, "I'm sorry, I just..." He doesn't know what to say. "We will try to protect you, I promise," he whispers. He sits down on the bed.

Regina's body freezes immediately when he sits down next to her. Too close next to her. She squeezer her eyes shut.

Robin looks into her eyes when he sees the woman's body freezes, "you don't have to be afraid of me," he says, he takes a deep breath, "do you want me to leave you alone? Or get Marian for you? I understand if you need a woman right now."

Regina doesn't react. She has, unconsciencly, protected herself from what she thinks is going to happen. Little does she know there is no real treat. It's all in her head. She breathes very fast and her heart beats very fast too. She gets even more pale, if that's even possible.

Robin leaves her for a moment to get Marian for her. He knows a man is not what she needs right now. Marian hurries go Regina and takes her hand. "What happened?" she whispers, "just tell me something..."

"I.. I can't.. I can't breath..." Regina softly says. She speaks very, very silently but you can clearly hear the panic. "I'm so tired. I'm so tired." Regina now starts to cry.

"It's okay," Marian says, she lays her hand gently on Regina's cheeks. Regina's cheeks glow and Marian sees how exhausted she is. She takes Regina's hand in hers and holds it close. "You can go to sleep," she whispers, "you'll be safe..."

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you." she whispers before falling asleep.

After a while Robin comes upstairs. Marian still sits on the side of the bed. "Come on," Robin whispers and he leads Marian to the couch that stands a few meters from the bed. The woman lays in their bed so Marian falls asleep on Robins shoulder, while he watches over Regina.

After a while Regina wakes up. She looks around her and notices the man and woman are asleep on the couch next to her. It's already dark outside. Very softly Regina goes downstairs and makes diner for the three of them. As a thank you. When she's almost done, the woman and man walk down the stairs towards the kitchen. Regina looks up. "I made diner." she whispers. "As a thank you for your kindness."

"That's lovely," Marian says and she smiles to Robin who stands next to her with his arm around her. She is glad the woman arrived today. There was enough food for at least two days, Robin had a good hunting day yesterday.

After standing up for a long period of time, Regina is exhausted already. Her leg had started bleeding again.

"Let's sit down," Marian says. They sit down at the table and eat the food the woman made for them. "How are you feeling?" Robin asks.

"I'm alright, thank you." Regina lies. Again she doesn't eat much. "I need to travel further, I fear. If it is not an intrusion, can I stay here for tonight? I promise you will be rewarded for your kindness." Regina asks softly.

Marian looks at Robin, "of course you can," she says, "we don't want a reward, we are glad we can help." She hopes the woman doesn't mind that they don't have much to eat. She realizes she doesn't even know the woman's name. "What's your name?" she asks then.

"Regina. I am Regina." Regina softly whispers. "I'm sorry, I don't know your names either."

"We don't expect you to," Robin says with a laugh, "I'm Robin," he says. "I'm Marian," Marian adds. She smiles and sees Regina's bandage is starting to grow red.

Regina notices Marian looking at her leg. "It is nothing." Regina whispers. "You have already been kind enough to clean my wounds. You don't have to do it again." she whispers.

"It's not a problem really," Marian says, "we don't have to go anywhere, we have time enough..." She finishes her dinner and walks to Regina with some new bandage. Robin cleans the table while Marian takes of the stuff on Regina's leg, it's now completely red.

Regina watches how Marian takes care of her wounds again. She softly moans of pain when Marian takes of the soaked bandage. "I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

"Don't be, it's not your fault," Marian says. She knows she hurts Regina, but she goes on with cleaning the wound. She takes the clean bandage and starts covering Regina's leg again.

"He did that." Regina softly whispers. "The King's assistant." She looks up at Marian. "I don't want to go back." Regina whispers now.

"The kings assistant? Why would he do that? Did the king make him do it?" she asks while she looks at Regina, her voice is soft. "You don't have to go back, you can stay here for I while if you want,"

"I can't stay. It's too dangerous for you and your husband. After tonight I'm gone. I don't want to bring you in danger." Regina whispers. But her words are barely spoken out loud... The three of them startle when someone knocks hard on the front door. Regina looks at Marian in fear. "They have found me." she whispers.

"They haven't," Marian whispers, "I'll open it!" she shouts, trying to sound like there is nothing going on inside the house. Robin walks to Regina and lifts her up in his arms. He carries Regina upstairs and locks them up in the bathroom. He puts on the shower. He know it they can't afford the loss of so many water, but he doesn't care at the moment.   
Downstairs Marian opens the door, "hello," she says and she bows her head, "can I help you with something?"

The assistant of the King, the man with the knife, looks at this woman who opened the door. "Where is she? The King's fiancée? I know she's here!" He walks into the house, pushing the woman aside.

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir," she says and she turns around to him. She bows again as he looks at her, "she isn't here, I swear,"

"No? What's this then?" The man points at the blooded bandage on the table. "That's hers. I know it is." He then hears the shower running. "Let me take a look in the bathroom." he smiles.

"No, sir, that's from my husband, he hurt his leg today when he was outside, he is taking a shower now," Marian says, "can I offer you something to drink?"

"If it is just your husband in the shower then I'm sure you won't mind me checking the badroom. Do you?" When this woman remains silence the man heads to the bathroom and without knocking enters it.

Robin just stopped the shower and now stands in the bathroom with a towel around his body, his hands are full of blood, because her wound started to bleed again when he helped her out of the window, he hopes she is somewhere safe, "I'm sorry, can I help you sir?" He says while making a bow.

"Where is she?!" the assistant of the King shouts out at Robin. He looks at the open window and he sees her running away through the forest. "I will be back and you will suffer for this!" he screams out loud. He then runs out of the house and follows Regina's trail. She can't outrun him.

After Robin has helped her out of the window, Regina has made her way down to the ground. She starts running again. Her leg has started bleeding again but she doesn't feel that right now. She knows she has to get away as fast as possible.

"Regina, Regina, Regina," the assistant says calmly, when he has almost reached her, "you're trying to fool me, don't you." He laughs, "not going to work, milady." He now stands in front of her and pushes her to a tree. He holds his knife to her throat.

"Please. Please. I beg you. Don't let me go back there." Regina whispers. She doesn't care if he kills her. She just doesn't want to go back to the King.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," the assistant says, "lady Tremaine is in prison now, so you don't have to worry about her again!" He grins, "those people you stayed with.... I'll think of a good punishment for them."

"No! You leave them alone!" Regina shouts at him. "They didn't do anything wrong! Leave them alone!" Regina slams the assistant in his face, very hard.

The assistant is filled with anger now and he stabs Regina in her shoulder with a lot of power. The knife goes deep inside her shoulder and it forms a big wound.

Regina sinks to the ground. She screams of pain. She doesn't stand up any more. She cries and is now really broken and defeated.

The assistant sets his knees on Regina's body and sits down. She now has to hold his whole weight. He brings his head very close to Regina's, "how does it feel to be defeated?" He says with a grin, "to feel you can't protect the people who seem to care about you?"

Regina can't carry his weight with her tiny and skinny body. She falls flat down in the mud. She moans of pain. "Pl.ease..." she begs. She almost falls unconscience but he keeps her awake.

"You can't go, Regina, I won't kill you, get you out of your misery," he says and he places his hand on the wound on her shoulder to make sure she will stay with him, "you didn't answer my question..."

Regina screams again, even louder than the first time. "PLEASE!" she begs. She doesn't even remember his question. She feels his weight staying down on her tiny body. She almost can't breath. She startles when she hears someone approaching. She knows that walk. She hates that walk.

"You found her," the king says calmly, "good work," he walks to Regina, "get her up please," he says to his assistant and the assistant pulls Regina up.

Regina moans hard of pain in her shoulder and her leg. "Pl.ease." she whispers to the King. "Please..."

"What please?" The king snaps.

"Please. Don't hurt me again. I'll be a good girl from now on. I promise. I really do." Regina softly whispers. She moans of pain again.

"You promised that before so many times, Regina," the king snaps, "I don't believe you anymore!" Then an arrow comes from behind a tree and hits the assistant in his leg. The assistant loses his grip on Regina and falls down. The other arrow flies towards the king.

Regina feels the assistant has let her go but she can't move. Her leg bleeds too much and her shoulder also really hurts and bleeds. She's losing a lot of blood very fast. She leans against a tree. Sweat drips from her face and her body shakes.

The arrow hits the king in his arm. He screams and walks to Robin, but he already fired a new arrow, which hits him in the side of his stomach. "Let her go," Robin says and he aims his next arrow on the kings heart, "or I'll kill the both of you."

"You... You can't kill... the King..." Regina whispers. Blood streams out of her mouth. She's almost going to collapse. The King smiles with triumph on his face. "That's right, my Queen." He smiles with an evil grin on his face. "I have the best doctors in my castle. Come on." The King nodds towards his assistant. "If you want to kill someone, dear boy, kill him. I don't need him any longer. I think my Queen is broken enough. For now." He laughs. Regina stumbles towards him.

"Of course I can kill a king," Robin says, "you won't survive my arrow in your heart, not even with the best doctors, and I don't want to kill someone, I want you to leave Regina alone,"

"Don't worry, brave man. I love my Queen. I won't let her die." The King smiles at the man with the bow and arrow. He takes Regina's arm gently in his own and leads her to his carriage. "I will take her with me now. Thank you for your kind concerns. I will make sure you and your lovely wife will be rewarded." The King pushes Regina into the carriage but then Robin interferes.

"One more step and I'll shoot you," Robin says with his arrow pointed at the king, "you can't treat her like your toy!" He walks a bit closer.

The King puts his hands in the air and takes a few steps back. "It's your choice, boy. Or I'll take her with me to the finest doctors in the whole Enchanted Forest or... she stays with you and your wife and your... herbal medicins which won't work on that wound in her shoulder." Regina now coughs up blood. She moans of pain.

"You promise you'll heal her?" Robin asks and he looks at Regina, trying to figure out what she wants. He knows he has to let her go, the king is right...

"Of course I promise. I won't let my future wife die, will I?" The King's smile doesn't leave his face. "You even get to see her if you want to!" The King now laughs. "So what do you say, my boy?"

Robin sighs and lowers his bow. "Okay," he says, "please take good care of her then," he isn't sure of the king won't let her die, but her best chance to heal soon is with the king, not with them... He smiles and walks away.

Regina doesn't get the chance to say something to Robin. The King gets into the carriage, closes the door and lets his servant drive them to the castle. It's a long drive, because Regina has run far, far away the day before. Regina lies curled up on the bank in the carriage. She keeps coughing up blood and her body shakes.

"Just pull yourself together Regina," the king says, "you're not dying or something. Sit up straight!"

"I.. I can't..." Regina softly whispers. "It hurts so much, my King." She looks up at him. She really does feel broken. Completely broken.

"You always say you're hurt," the king says, "please stop that, it annoys me." He pulls Regina up so she sits straight.

Regina moans hard of pain. "Yes, my King." she softly whispers. "I will behave."

"Good," the king says and they drive on to the castle. The king brings her to Cora to heal her, because he knows she won't be fun if she can't move.

Regina sighs with relief when her mother heals all of her wounds. "Thank you." she whispers. She then looks up at the King. "You said I've been broken enough. You said that. Does that mean the torture stops?" she asks him.

"Not really," he says as he leads her away from her mother, "because I healed you again," he grins. He walks to his bedroom, "and I'm going to heal you more, before I'll send my new assistant."

Regina looks up at the King. "What do you mean? You will heal me more?"

He kisses her, "I'll heal your heart," he says, "I made a deal with lady Tremaine. Unbelievable how much she cares about you, I would almost kill her for that,.. So much weakness..."

"How are you going to heal my heart?" Regina sarcastically laughs.

"O you'll see about that tomorrow, Regina," he grins and he kisses Regina again.

Regina softly kisses him back. She leads his hand to the back of her dress, to the zipper. She looks him deep in his eyes.

The king undresses Regina and leads her to the bed. He lets her undress him too and he pulls Regina towards him.

Regina remains silent. She touches his body where she knows he likes to be touched. She lays down beneath him and looks him in his eyes again.

"So you finally love me," the king says, he knows she doesn't but he likes to hurt her with his words.

"Yes, my King. I love you." Regina softly answers him. She feels him gliding inside of her. She softly moans. Her body likes that touch.

"Good," he says and he smiles. He loves to see the pleasure and pain in Regina's eyes.

Regina notices the King wants her to reach her climax. She doesn't want that! She looks at him with pain in her eyes. "Please." she whispers. Her body, on the contrary, wants more.

"You like this," he whispers in her ear. He feels her heart going fast. "Go on, outdo yourself, Regina,"

"N.oo.." Regina moans of pleasure. "I.. I don't.. like..." But she can't finish her sentence. He lets her reach her climax. She softly screams of pleasure. She looks him in the eyes again.

He looks back at her, his grin grows more evil. "You do like it, Regina," he says satisfied.

Regina bites on her bottom lip. She remains silent. She hates it when he says her name. She moves now with him so he can reach his climax too. Afterwards he sinks down on top of her. Regina moans when he slips outside of her. Her body already misses him.

The king inhales deeply, he loves Regina's body and he knows she loves his too. He kisses her, showing her he is not ready yet. Her soft moan makes him feel satisfied. His body wants wants more and he knows Regina feels the same, but he pulls back.

Regina kisses him back. Her body wants more and her mind has no saying in this matter. She pushes the King on his back and moves over him. She looks at him. She moves his hands towards his hips so he can help her move over him. She lets him slip back into her. Her head falls in her neck of pleasure.

The king closes his eyes, one time following her movements instead of Regina following his. They move slowly, but he breathes heavily.

Regina notices he breathes heavily and his heart beats fast. She keeps her hands on his chest and pushes herself up and down. When they both reach their climax Regina sinks down in his arms. She's exhausted now. She looks at him.

The king can't get enough of her. He kisses her but then lets her go. He looks back at her and smiles, laying his hand on her cheek, "go to sleep," he whispers. He still feels he wants her, but he knows it's enough. He holds her in his arms.

Regina falls asleep in his arms. She doesn't want to but she's too exhausted to care. She gets woken up in the morning by her new assistant.

"Good morning, Regina!" he says, "did you sleep well milady?"

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, I did. Thank you." she whispers. She notices the King is gone already. "He leaves very early every day, doesn't he, mister... ?" Regina asks her assistant.

"Business," the assistant says, "he has a lot to do everyday, milady, do you want me to leave a message for him?" he walks to her.

Regina pulls back. She's scared of him. "No. No, I don't want you to leave him a message for me." she whispers.

"Fine," the assistant says, "he told me to make you ready for your dancing lesson! So I guess you get dressed..."

Regina nodds. "I will. Thank you." she softly answers him. She waits until he gets out of the bedroom so she can dress herself in private.

When Regina is dressed, the new assistant first brings Regina to the dresser. "You need to wear a dress today, so you get used to dance with it," the dresser says.

Regina nodds. She enters the work room of the dresser. She sighs when she sees she also needs to wear a corset. "Do I really have to?" she asks softly to the assistant.

"Of course," he says, "you also have to wear a corset at the wedding, so today you'll wear one too!"

Regina quickly nodds again. "Yes, sir." she whispers. She lets the dresser put on the corset on her body. She softly moans of pain when he pulls the laces firmly at the back. She breathes superficially. When she's dressed her assistant brings her to the dance teacher. A few hours of dance lessons follow. She doesn't like any of it.

"So now you know how to dance alone, you know need to dance woth a partner," Tiffany says, "the king chose your partner, I can arrive at any moment. Then they hear a knock on the door and Daniel steps inside.

Regina looks up in the eyes of Daniel. "No..." she whispers. "You... You were dead. You are dead. My mother killed you." Regina stumbles. She backs away from him. "This can't be."

Daniel looks Regina in her eyes, "did you really think your mother would kill me, if she could use me against you some day?" Daniel says and he smiles. He is completely cleaned up and there is no sign he had been in a prison for a long time.

"No..." Regina mumbles. "I'm not doing this. Not with you. Get him out of here!" she shouts at her assistant. But that man doesn't move. He only smiles. Regina backs away from Daniel when he walks towards her.

Daniel can't believe it, why doesn't Regina want him. He forgave her, but now he wonders why, "Regina..." he whispers and he reaches out his hand.

Regina looks at him. She takes his hand and out of nothing they start to dance together. Perfect. Synchronized. The dance teacher doesn't need to correct one move.

The dancing teacher and even the assistant are stunned. "How is that possible?" Tiffany mumbles in herself. 

It looks like Regina and Daniel float above the ground, every step perfectly followed by another and every hand and arm is just placed right. Daniel feels his heart sparkling again when Regina holds him.

Regina looks at him while they dance. "I've missed you." she whispers. "I don't... I don't want to marry the King. I want to be with you." she then whispers. Tiffany nor the assistant can hear them.

"I've missed you too," Daniel whispers and he really wants to kiss her. Of course he doesn't, because she still has to marry the king. "I also wished we could be together," Daniel says, "but we can't... We have to be grateful for this moment..."

"No. I'm not letting you go again. We're going. Now. I can poof us away just like that. What do you say? The song is almost over, Daniel, you have to decide. Now." Regina whispers with a hurry in her voice.

"He will get us," Daniel says, "where will we go?" He looks at the dancing teacher, who doesn't seem to hear them.

"I don't care. Far away from here. I can poof us pretty far if that's your concern." Regina looks him in the eyes. "Now, Daniel. We need to decide now." she whispers again.

"No," he just says, "he'll kill your nanny..."

Regina remains silent for a moment while they dance together towards the end of the song. "He will." she whispers. "Alright then. We'll wait for the perfect moment. Alright?" When the song ends she bows for him like she's supposed to bow for the King.

Daniel takes smiles and lets go of her hand. Tiffany starts to applaud, "that was fantastic! Regina congratulations!" She hugs Regina. "You've worked so hard and now everything is just... Perfect." She almost jumps around the room. 

Daniel smiles as she sees the dancing teacher so happy, but the only thing he can think of are Regina's arms around him.

Regina softly smiles at Daniel. She doesn't care about the happiness of Tiffany. She just wants to be with Daniel. "Can I practice some little more with him? Alone?" she asks Tiffany.

"O now, why would you want that?" Tiffany says, "your next dancing lesson is in two days, so your muscles can rest.

Regina softly nodds. "Alright then." she whispers. "I will walk him to his room then." She takes Daniel with his arm and starts walking to the exit of the ball room.

"That's kind of you, my queen," Tiffany says and she lets them go. The assistant doesn't let them go alone and walks behind them. Daniel and Regina walk together for a long time. "I'll go alone from here," Daniel then says.

Regina nodds. "We will see each other soon. I will find you in this castle." she whispers. "I want... I just want to be with you." A tear falls down her cheek. "Meet me in the gardens tonight." She squeezes his hand softly before she lets him go. She turns around to her assistant. "I'm tired." she softly says.

 

"Gardens at midnight," Daniel whispers back as he looks into Regina's eyes as she wipes away her tear. "I'll try to come," he says, he knows he has to find a way to get out of his prison, he never succeeded before but he'll try harder this time. He doesn't tell Regina that he is still staying in the prisons... Maybe later.

"Come on, milady," the assistant says.

"Where are we going now?" Regina asks her assistant. "Can I at least know your name?"

"It's Vincent," he says, and he takes her to the baby room. "The king said you liked to spend some time with the baby," he says and he walks inside with her. "I'll leave you alone now," he closes the door behind him and locks Regina up in the room alone with the baby.

Regina notices the baby is asleep. She sits down on the ground, against the door. After a while she falls asleep on the ground. She's exhausted. She doesn't notice when the baby starts to cry.

"Regina, my dear," Cora says, after she poofed inside the room, "you still have to learn how to be a good mother, don't you?"

Regina startles when she hears her mother. "What? What's going on?" She quickly gets up.

"Your baby is crying," Cora states, "she is hungry."

"So? I'm not her mother. You take care of her."

"You are Regina," Cora says and she sits down on the couch, poofing the baby into Regina's arms.

Regina startles but holds the baby firmly in her arms. "I'm not her mother." Regina repeas to Cora. "You wanted me to be Queen, so you help me with her." Regina poofs the baby now in Cora's arms. "You take care of her."

"Fine, you’re even afraid of facing your own child..." She says and she starts to feed the baby, while she whispers sweet words to her.

"She's NOT my child!" Regina now screams at her mother. She startles when the door opens and the King enters.

"What did you just say?" The king snaps.

"I said Snow White is not my child. She's yours and Eva's." Regina softly says now.

"But now you are her mother. How dare you to say something like that!"

"I will never be her mother. I will never love her as my own." Regina now looks up at the King. "And you can't make me."

"Then pretend you live her!" The kings says emotionless, "she needs love, she deserved love, because she is my daughter!"

"How can you pretend you love someone?" Regina asks the King. "I can't do that! It wouldn't be fair to her. She needs her real mother. My King..." Regina now softly speaks. "Why don't you marry Eva? I know she would make an excellent Queen. You don't love me. You love her and she loves you." Regina looks down again, afraid of being punished and hurt. "Why don't you marry Eva, my King?" she asks again.

"My father wouldn't want that," he says, "she is too low for me!" He says, "and besides that I love you," he almost doesn't get it out but he knows Cora is listening, and even he is afraid of what Cora is capable of.

"No, you don't love me. Otherwise you wouldn't have done what you did to me. You're in love with Eva. I can see it in your eyes, every time you look at your daughter. You owe it to her to be with the woman you love. The woman who will also love her. And that's not me. That's Eva and you know it. Who cares what your father thinks? You can't make someone love you. You have to follow your heart, Leopold." It's the first time Regina says his name out loud. "When it comes to matters of the heart, you have to follow it. Not your mind. Not the rules. Your heart. Please, Leopold. With Eva and Snow White you'll have a chance to be happy. Not with me."

"I don't love her," the king shouts, but then he pulls Regina out of the room, so Cora can't hear them. "Walk with me," he says and he reaches out his arm. "I care about my father, he taught me everything, he meant the world to me," he says, "he wanted me to marry you and he pushed Eva away. And I accepted it, why can't you just do that too." Her words touched him, and he feels his heart glowing as he thinks of Eva.

"But I don't understand, Leopold. I'm not from a rich family. My mother is a miller's daughter. I'm nothing. I'm sure Eva is worth far more than me." Regina looks up at Leopold. She notices the sparks in his eyes when he talks about Eva. "You don't have to accept your father's decision. You are the King. Not him."

"You have a powerful mother, Regina, a good ally and someone you can better have on your side," the king says, "that's the difference, Eva may be rich, but not powerful...". He looks at Regina."and I do accept my father's decision and so does she," he adds but he isn't sure about it anymore.

"Leopold..." Regina whispers. She can't help but feeling sorry for this man. "If... If we have to do this... Getting married..." She sighs. "I can only promise to try to be the Queen you deserve, my King." she then whispers. "Hurting me... Hurting me won't make that any easier for me."

"I know," he says, "but it makes it easier for me you know..." He sighs, "I don't expect you to get it... It's just all my anger," it's the first time he says something personal to Regina and for a short time it even feels like he can have a good life with her...

"I understand." Regina whispers. "You're the King. What you want tops my wishes, doesn't it?" Regina doesn't expect an answer. "I just have to accept that that will be my life." A tear runs down her face.

The king looks away when he sees a tear on Regina's face. "Yes you have," he says. He can't handle it anymore and he walks away without looking back.

Regina starts to cry. She sinks down on the ground in one of the hallways in the castle. She doesn't really know where she is in the castle. She doesn't care. She just want to close her eyes and never wake up again.

The assistant walks through the hallway and sees Regina, "the king called me," he says, he holds a knife, "he said you did something terrible...".

Regina doesn't look up. "Just punish me then." she whispers.

The assistant looks away. His hand shakes when he brings it down. He hesitates. "Not here," he says, "we’ll go to your room."

With a wave of her hand Regina poofs them both to her bedroom. Leopold's bedroom. Their bedroom. "Go ahead." she whispers.

"Why?" He says while he makes a cut on Regina's stomach after she put out her dress.

Regina softly moans. "Because I don't care anymore!" she snaps at him.

"Why don't you care?" The assistant goes on asking. He moves from her stomach to her legs and makes circles.

Regina bites on her bottom lip so she doesn't moan of pain again. "Because I don't." she then whispers.

"No no no no!" The king shouts when he enters the room without knocking, "stop and go Vincent," he says abruptly. "Give the knive to me."

Regina doesn't even look up. She hears the door closing when Vincent leaves the room. She waits for the King to hit her with the knife now.

The king throws the knife away, "sorry" he says emotionless, "maybe we need to try to be nice to each other. We both don't want it but we have to." He takes a deep breath.

Regina doesn't move. She didn't even hear him. Her mind has split off from her body to protect herself, unconsciencely.

"Regina..." The king sighs, "I'm sorry but I think we need to try..." It doesn't feel good so this time he wants to hear Regina's opinion and for the first time he really is interested in what she has to say "what do you want most now? Just be honest" he whispers as he sits down next to her.

Slowly Regina's mind returns to her body. To the here and now. "I want to be with Daniel." she very softly whispers. "And I know you want to be with Eva." She doesn't look up at him, afraid of making him angry.

"You are right," he says and he inhales deeply. He doesn't want to be angry, he has been angry for too long already. "I'll get him for you," he whispers, but he almost can't get the words out. Eva's name goes through his mind and he knows Regina is right.

"No, you don't understand. I want to be with Daniel. I want to be with him to grow old together. Just like you want to be with Eva, Leopold." Regina softly whispers. "But if... If that's really... really not a possibility... We have to make do, don't we?" Regina now does look up at the King. "Starting with being nice to each other? Getting to know each other?"

"Yes..." he only says and for the first time in his life he feels truly weak. "Lets start with not torturing you anymore," he says, "it won't make me stronger so it won't help me either...  
But tell me something about yourself then."

Regina lays down beneath the bedsheets now. She's cold. Her face looks pale. The wounds made by Vincent have stopped bleeding and aren't deep cuts. They will heal in time, Regina knows. She looks up at King Leopold. "I... I know how to dance now." she softly whispers.

"I already thought that," the king says, "dancing is always easier when you feel love," he sighs, "it took me ages to learn how to dance, until I met Eva. Lady Tremaine did a good job..." He knows he shouldn't think about Eva anymore, but he feels he can say such things to Regina, just like she can talk about Daniel to him.

"Can we release Lady Tremaine out of the prison, Leopold? She was only trying to help." Regina softly asks him. She then looks up at him. "We will manage our dance. We can do that. Together." She softly smiles at him.

"We made a deal," Leopold says, "but I'll let her out... For you." He smiles, "yes we will be all right... We still have five days left before the wedding." An idea comes into the king's mind, maybe a stupid idea... "What if..." he starts.

"What if what?" Regina asks him. "Come on, you can't start a sentence and then not finish it." She gives him a playful push on his shoulder. "What if what, Leopold?"

"What if we take dance lessons with the four of us? You, Daniel, me and Eva..." He says softly, "no it's a bad idea, isn't it?"

"It will only hurt us. All four of us. I think." Regina whispers honestly. She looks up at the King. "I'm cold." she whispers.

The king takes the blanket and lays it around her. He sighs, "maybe you're right..." He looks at the wall on the other side of the room, "I thought maybe we would learn it quicker... But your right..."

"I think we can learn it together too. I have payed a lot of attention during the dance lessons." Regina softly smiles. "Will you come lie next to me?" Regina asks him softly.

"Do you still want that," Leopold says with a smile and he lays down next to her. He feels Hoe cold Regina is and he pulls her towards him to warm her up. He kisses her softly on her cheek.

Regina looks at him with very soft eyes. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She softly kisses him on his mouth. She looks at him.

For the first time in his life it doesn't feel good when someone calls him king. His heart hurts so he doesn't ask Regina to undress herself. He knows she doesn't want it and he doesn't want to force her.

"I like this." Regina whispers. "And you?"

"I do," he says after a long moment of silence. He smiles while he hold Regina, "are you still cold?"

"No. Not anymore. Thank you, Leopold." Regina whispers. She doesn't move out of his arms and draws figures on his chest. She looks at him.

He likes Regina, "how do you do this?" he says, "how can you be so kind to me after everything I've done to you?" He sighs, "you should hate me...."

"I don't hate that easily." Regina softly smiles at him. "I know you acted from your anger, which is never one for good advice." She softly laughs.

Leopold is afraid of what Regina hides under that smile on her face. She can't forgive him that easily, can she? He carefully smiles back, "you should..." He whispers.

"No. I don't want to hate you. You will be my husband, won't you?" Regina looks up at him. "I don't want to start off by hating you." she whispers.

The king slams Regina in her face, not because he hates her, but because she makes him hate himself. He pulls his hand back and starts to shake a bit, he can't get a word out he just looks at her.

Regina startles really hard. She turns away from him and curls up next to him. "I'm so sorry, my King." she whispers softly.

"Go to sleep," he only whispers and he turns her back to her.

"Yes, my King." Regina softly answers. Her heart beats really fast. After a while she falls asleep.

The king is really angry with himself. He looks at Regina while she sleeps and softly wipes her hair from her face. He doesn't sleep that night and he leaves early in the morning, leaving a note for Regina:

Dear Regina, I'm sorry that I can't be the man you deserve, I hope you can forgive me.  
-Leopold  
P.s. Do you still dare and want to dance with me?

When Regina gets woken up by her assistant she sees the note from Leopold. She softly smiles. She looks up at her assistant. "Dancing lessons?" she whispers.

"In two hours, milady," the assistant says, "the king wanted to give you some time to think about it, he also said you were allowed to say no and have a day off today..."

"No. I will dance with him today. It's alright." Regina knows she shouldn't reject this. She decides to take a long walk through the gardens. After more than an hour she gets ready for her dancing lesson with the King. Together. She enters the ballroom and notices he's already there.

"Regina," he says, "you've come!" He wants to run at her and hug her, big he walks to her slowly and carefully. "Can you forgive me?" he whispers as he leads Regina to the teacher. He hopes she can.

Regina nodds. "Yes. I can." she softly whispers back. Together they start to dance and although it's not as perfect as it was with Daniel, it's not bad either. "You see?" Regina asks the King while dancing. "We can pull this off."

The king only nods. When his feel move over the ground he can only think of his time with Eva. He hasn't this way for a long time... Regina triggered something. "We will be all right indeed..." He closes his eyes.

After the dance Regina and Leopold look up at Tiffany. "And?" Regina asks her.

"I have seen you dance better to be honest, both of you..." Tiffany says, "I miss some kind of chemistry," she looks at Regina and the king. "I want you to dance again, but then with your eyes closed. Let them stay close and thing of that thing that gives you energy."

"Alright. We can do that, right?" Regina looks at King Leopold. They both close their eyes and start dancing. Perfect.

When the dance ends the king starts to smile and he almost laughs. "Well that was perfect," Tiffany says, "try to keep this feeling and now dance again looking in each others eyes. It will be the last dance for today so give everything you have."

While looking into each other's eyes, Regina and King Leopold together dance perfect again. Regina softly smiles at him.

Tiffany hugs them when they are finished. "I knew you could do it," she whispers. "I hope you have a good day," she walks away, feeling happy about the dance.

"You did an amazing job, Regina," the king says as they walk out of the ballroom side by side.

"Thank you." Regina whispers, stunned by his compliment. "You too." She softly smiles at him. "Shall we go to your daughter? Together?" Regina then suggests, very softly.

"I would love that," he says, wondering if Regina really wants it. They walk upstairs together and tell the nanny to go. The king picks Snow White up in his arms and sits down on the couch.

Regina sits down on the couch next to King Leopold and watches him holding and loving his daughter. She softly smiles. She loves seeing this kind of love.

"I know she will like you," the king says out of nothing, "no matter what." He lets Snow White play with his fingers, "do you think she will like this palace when she gets older?" He feels so insecure about this being the good place to grow up.

"I think so." Regina whispers. She looks at King Leopold and decides just to say what she really thinks. "Maybe we can make this castle a little... warmer?" she suggests.

Leopold is surprised about Regina's words, but he feels she is right. His eyes lighten up, "how can we do that?" he asks.

"I don't know. Maybe we can hire someone to do that?" Regina softly smiles at him.

"Do you have someone in mind?" Leopold whispers. He really doesn't know how to do this, he never cared much about the look of the castle. Cold was easy...

"Leopold..." Regina smiles softly. "You have so many servants working for you. I'm sure one of them knows someone who can help us with that, don't you?" Regina gives Leopold, out of nowhere, a soft kiss on his lips.

Leopold kisses her back, feeling Regina's warmth ho through his body. "I don't..." he whispers. He is a bit ashamed of himself, "I don't know my servants very well, I just give them orders..."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Regina teases him. "It's alright. I will ask one of them. If that is alright with you?" She kisses him again. She then looks at Snow White. She softly touches her cheek and the baby smiles at her.

Leopold smiles when he sees Regina touch the baby. "Yes that's good," he says and he thinks Regina is the right person to do that. "I'm glad you want to do it," he laughs, "I'm pretty sure they like you more than me."

"I'm pretty sure they will like you too. If they get to know you. The real you." Regina comforts him. "I'm actually sure about that."

"Not everyone forgives me as soon as you do, Regina," the king says, "some of them are already her for more than twenty years... I guess they should know the real me by now."

"How can they know the real you if you've never shown it to them?" Regina asks the King with a soft voice. She doesn't dare to look up at him, afraid to have triggered him.

"What if the real me isn't this, that the real me is as evil as everyone believes... What if your wrong about me!" The king says and he looks at Regina. He feels almost desperate.

"I'm not wrong." Regina looks him in the eyes while saying that. "I'm not wrong about you." She softly smiles. "You are afraid of your own dark side inside of you, but you don't have to be. You are a good man, Leopold." Regina softly strokes his cheek.

Leopold grabs Regina's wrist, his eyes are on fire, "I'm not a good man!" He says with his head close to Regina, "I'm not, because I want to hurt you now. Good men don't hurt people!"

"You don't know how to deal with these feelings, that's why you want to hurt me." Regina whispers. She keeps looking him in the eyes, searching for a spark of light, but all she sees is darkness.

"O don't I?" He says and he grabs Regina's chin and pulls her towards him. He releases it again to lay Snow White on her bed. He stands before Regina now, ready to hit her, "you're right I don't know how to deal with them,". He hits Regina on her cheek with his fist.

Regina's body flies against the wall after that slam in her face. She sinks down to the ground and makes herself small to protect herself. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, my King." she whispers.

"You aren't sorry!" The king says and he starts to kick Regina, who lays on the ground.

Regina moans of pain. "Please, my King. I truly am sorry. Please." she whispers and begs.

"Don't lie to me!" He shouts, bit he stops kicking her. He pulls her up and pushes her to the wall. He starts to kiss her... But it's not the soft kiss of the night before.

"L.Leopold.. N.oo..." Regina softly moans. "You're hurting me. Please, stop."

He doesn't stop, he only kisses her harder. "You see, this is the real me" he says and he goes on.

Regina kisses him back. She knows she has no other choice. She poofs them both to the bedroom so Snow White doesn't wake up.

"Why?" He snaps at her, "why do you do this?" He pushes her to the wall next to the bed.

"I.. I'm sorry... I didn't want Snow White to be awakened." Regina whispers. She looks up to the King. "Please. I'm so sorry." she whispers again.

"I can see in your eyes you don't mean a word of what you're saying!" Leopold says then he calms down a bit, "why are you trying to comfort me with lies?"

"They are not lies." Regina can only whisper.

He steps away from her, "how can your words not be lies," he whispers, breathing heavily, "how can you say such nice things about me?"

"Because you are a good man, Leopold. I know that. I mean that." Regina whispers. She doesn't look up at him, afraid to make him angry again.

Leopold sighs and looks at Regina, "you're too good for me Regina..." he says and he hugs her, "thank you," he whispers, trying to control the anger.

Regina softly moans of pain. Her ribs hurt from the kicking. "Sorry... Sorry..." she whispers.

"Don't say sorry," the king says and he ignores Regina's moan. Her being so nice, makes him doubt himself. She makes him feel weak. He lets Regina go and walks a few steps away from her. He really wants to hurt her again.

Regina notices his anger is already coming up again. She makes herself as small as possible on the ground to protect herself. "Please... Please, Leopold. You don't have to do this." she whispers and begs.

"But I want it." he says clearly, but he stays on a little distance of Regina, giving her the opportunity to flee.

"No, you don't. You think you have to, but you really don't have to hurt me. I know you are a good man, Leopold." Regina whispers. She doesn't run from him. She wants to trust him.

Leopold walks towards her, slowly, "you should go for your own safety," he mumbles. He already raises his fist, ready to hit her.

"I'm not leaving you here alone, not with all that anger inside of you. You don't have to be alone right now, Leopold. Please... I know you can do this. I know you don't want to hurt me." Regina softly whispers.

"It's your own choice" he says, "but it's the wrong one," he closes his eyes and hits Regina on her cheek with his fist. "Do you still believe in me now?" He snaps.

"Y.ess..." Regina mumbles of pain. "I do.. I believe in you." she whispers. She looks up at him, deep into his eyes. "Please, Leopold..." she whispers.

Leopold relaxes, "how?" he whispers, and he walks a few steps away from her. "I'll be all right alone, please leave me now." He sees blood on his knuckles, "you're right.... I don't want this."

"I'm not leaving you alone, Leopold. You don't have to be alone now." Regina whispers again.

"You should!" The king shouts. "I will hurt you again, because you make me weak, your kindness makes me weak!" He hits Regina again.

"Leopold, please!" Regina now shouts of pain.

He hits her again and pulls her towards him. "Go," he whispers and he walks away to the bed. He lays down with his eyes closed .

Regina poofs away to the Royal Gardens. She doesn't notice where she walks, lost in thoughts, and bumps into Daniel.

"Hey," Daniel says as Regina bumps into him. He looks down at her and want to hug her, but then he sees the bruises on her face, "Regina what happened?" he says, and he feels worried, "did the king do that?" He looks into her eyes.

"He didn't mean it. He didn't want it." Regina mumbles. Her ribs also hurt a lot and breathing hurts. Regina looks up at Daniel. "I'm going to be Queen, Daniel." she whispers. "This will be my life." She points at the bruises in her face.

Daniel knows she is right and it hurts him there is nothing he can do to change it. He doesn't know what to say. He takes Regina carefully in his arms, not wanting to hurt her. "I'm sorry," he whispers, "he doesn't deserve you, no one does, your to good for this world." He kisses her on her cheek, "you'll be a wonderful queen."

"I... I want to be with you." Regina whispers. She poofs both of them to the Royal Stables, which are empty. No horses and no trainers. "I want you." Regina whispers, while laying down on the ground in one of the stables and pulling Daniel above her.

Daniel smiles as she poofs them away to the stables. "I want you too," he whispers. He kisses her, not daring to touch her cheek. He loves to have her arms around her and he takes a deep breath.

"I want to feel you. Please." Regina whispers. She kisses him back, unsatisfied, and lets him open and remove her dress.

Daniel takes of Regina's dress and follows with his own shirt. No one ever comes to the stables and he feels free in some way. He undresses Regina completely and touches her skin.

Regina smiles. "I like this. With you." she softly smiles at him. She pulls him above her again. "Go on." she whispers.

Daniel goes on. He still lays on top of her and touches her over her whole body. He breaths heavily and kisses Regina's lips. She warms him up again and he realizes how much he has missed her.

"I love you." Regina softly whispers. They continue until they both reach their climax. Regina smiles at Daniel. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," he says with a kiss, "more than you can ever imagine..." He already misses Regina's body.

"I want to be with you so much." Regina now softly cries. "I don't want to be Queen."

"I know, I know," Daniel whispers. They now sit with their backs to the wall. He lets Regina cry on his shoulder, letting his hands go thorough her hair. "I wish we could be together too..."

"I know he can be a loving man, I've seen him with his daughter.. But he has so much anger inside of him..." Regina whispers.

"He lost someone too," he says with a sigh, "someone he loved and he doesn't know how to live with it... His daughter is the only thing he has of her, of them."

Regina nodds. "Indeed." she whispers. She looks up at Daniel. "But that doesn't change anything. He will keep hurting me, won't he?"

"I think you can change him, but you have to prepare yourself you have to suffer when you try..." Daniel says, "all people can change, but I don't want you to get hurt again."

"I don't know what to do, Daniel." Regina whispers. She startles when she hears footsteps in the stables.

"Get behind me," Daniel whispers and he puts on his shirt, making no sound. He slowly walks to the door to see who's there.

Regina quickly puts on her clothes. She knows that walk.

"Regina... I know you're in here," Regina's old assistant says. He still walks limp because of robins arrow, his new mistress didn't heal him completely, not before he finishes this task.

"You need to go." Regina whispers to Daniel. "Go. Now."

"I'm not leaving you," Daniel says and he waits with his heart beating incrediblely fast. He knows this man will get them, he is sure... but he wants to keep hope.

"Daniel, please go." Regina now insists. She knows that assistant is coming after her to hurt her. "Go. Now!" She poofs Daniel away right before her old assistant enters the stable she's in.

"Regina what a surprise!" he says and he blows some dust inside her face. His mistress was right, it put her asleep. He takes Regina to her after he tied her hands up, so she can't use her magic.

After what seemed like ages Regina wakes up and looks in the face of her old assistant. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"Ow Just some revenge, but that doesn't matter, but my mistress' plans matter," the assistant says, "she has something terrible in mind for you and besides that she will heal my leg."

"I don't have a mistress!" Regina shouts at him. She tries to free herself from the ropes but fails. She looks up at him.

"I didn't says that she was your mistress, Regina," the assistant says, "she can be here every moment." He grins and leans against the wall. "So tell me, are you still enjoying the king?"

Regina doesn't answer. She startles when the door opens. She looks up.

"I'm happy to see you here Regina," Zelena says, while she walks towards her. She closes the door with her magic and grins. Her skin is completely green. "How are you dear?" She says with a laugh.

"Zelena?" Regina whispers. "What... How... What are you doing here?"

"I just want to have some revenge, Regina..." She says while she looks at her perfectly green nails. "It wasn't that hard to track you..."

"Revenge? Revenge for what? I've never hurt you!"

"Of course you didn't!" Zelena snaps at her, "you didn't take Daniel away from me! That never happened!" She shouts, "don't act like your innocent, you know exactly what you did.

"Zelena, please. We can talk about this." Regina softly says. But when she looks up into Zelena's green eyes, she knows they can't talk about it.

"Okay," Zelena says and she sits down on te chair in front of Regina. She looks her deeply in her eyes. "Talk about it, I'll listen to your sweet words." she says annoyed.

"I didn't know Daniel had left you and his family for a deal he made with my mother. I didn't know... We... We fell in love. He had moved on. I'm.. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers.

"You made him forget about me," Zelena says, "he loved me too and I loved him, but you..." She looks away in anger, not finishing her sentence. "You are not sorry, I don't expect you to, because you have Daniel now... No regrets at all..."

"I don't have Daniel at all! In case you've missed it, I'm going to be Queen because my mother want me to. And I've never made him forget about you. If anyone did that, it would be my mother. Not me. I won't do that!"

"I know you will be queen, but I know Daniel still loves you and that you still love him! And that made him forget about me, your mother didn't do that, YOU did!"

"No. Zelena, please, I really didn't. You have to believe me." Regina looks up into Zelena's eyes again but she can only see the darkness growing inside of Zelena. She sees Zelena nodding to her old assistant. He walks towards Regina. "What do you want?" Regina whispers.

"I don't want anything from you," Zelena says, "I want my revenge and I want Daniel to suffer too!"

"Please, leave him out of it. He didn't do anything!"

"No you're right," Zelena says, "he only left me, sure he didn't do anything," Zelena says sarcasticly, her voice is full of anger.

"He had no choice. You don't know my mother! If she wants to make a deal, she gets one. Please, Zelena." Regina notices her old assistant has come very close to her now.

"Your mother is not the problem here. She didn't want you to be toghether but you still kissed and did all things that happens when you love and when I came back I chose you over me... We were engaged and he threw me away..."

"Zelena, please." Regina now whispers and begs. "I'm so sorry for what happened."

"No you don't," Zelena says, "but your talking time is over." The assistant walks to Regina, he loves to see her suffer.

Regina looks up at him. "Please. The King will kill you."

"He won't," Zelena states, "because then I'll kill him first." The assistant makes a small cut in Regina's cheek. Regina moans of pain. "Please, Zelena. Please!"

Zelena doesn't react, she stands in the corner looking into Regina's eyes, smiling. The assistant sees Regina's bruise on her cheek and instead of cutting her, the hits her really hard on the bruised place.

Regina now screams of pain. "PLEASE! I'll do anything!"

Zelena walks to Regina and holds her lips close to her ear, "Make Daniel love me again!" She snaps, "let him choose me over you!"

"I can't." Regina whispers. "I'm not powerful enough to play with someone's love. I can't do that, I really can't." Regina whispers again.

"Everything, you said," Zelena whispers and moves away from Regina again, "go on," she says to the assistant and he hits her again at the exact same place.

Regina almost loses conscience when he keeps hitting her on the same place on her cheek, but he makes sure she stays awake. "Please! I beg you!" Regina shouts out.

"Why would I stop when you have nothing to give me?" Zelena says calmly. She lets the assistant stop and sits on the chair again, healing Regina's cheek.

"Thank you... Thank you..." Regina sighs with relief. She looks at Zelena again. "Please. I can't do what you want me to do. I'm not powerful enough, I swear."

"What do you suggest?" Zelena says. She only wants love. Her life is a lonely mess and her heart feels empty, like no one cares about her, but she knows Regina can't give her that, so she uses revenge to keep satisfied.

Regina doesn't answer. She knows her mother can do what Zelena is asking for, but telling her that would mean losing Daniel. And she's not ready to give him up.

Zelena turns her back to Regina. The assistant walks to her again, his knife still red of Regina's blood.

"Please..." Regina can only beg.

"Begging is not going to help you," Zelena says softly. She turns around again and watches her assistant cutting Regina's in her arm this time.

Regina moans of pain. She hears footsteps outside of the room. She knows them. The King. Regina looks up at her old assistant. "Please. You have to go. He will kill you." Regina whispers to him.

The assistant starts to laugh, "he is on our side from the beginning Regina, how do you think he knew where we were otherwise..." Zelena laughs too and opens the door with her magic.

Regina looks up to the face of King Leopold. "My King..." she whispers.

"Regina," he says with a smile, "I see you found my friends, did you have a nice chat?" He walks inside the room and hugs Zelena, then he looks at Regina again. "Love makes you blind, Regina...".

Regina is stunned. She doesn't know what to say. She really thought she and the King had finally some connection with one another. "My King..." she whispers again. She bows her head before him.

The king nods to Regina and starts a conversation with Zelena. They don't even look at her anymore, but the assistant takes his chance and sits down on the chair after making some more cuts on Regina's cheek.

Regina's eyes now turn completely empty and broken. She moans of pain when the assistant cuts her face. But she doesn't speak.

"Are you already crying?" The assistant say, while he puts down Regina's zipper and starts to make cuts on Regina's back. All kind of circles covered with blood appear on Regina's back.

Regina remains silent. Completely silent.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" the assistant says and he lets his figures go on on her shoulders. The king carefully looks at Regina and takes a deep breath.

Regina still doesn't say a word. She just looks and stares at the King. With every second she gets more and more broken.

The king looks at her and nods. He hopes she can handle it for a little longer. He will safe her, but he first needs to act normal, as if he is on Zelena's side. Regina's words still go through his mind. Her believe changed him. He focusses on Zelena's words again. The assistant gets tired of Regina ignoring him so he pushes his knife deeper in her skin.

Regina very, very softly moans of pain, but she still doesn't say a word or doesn't scream. She won't give him that satisfaction. She thinks about believing Leopold is a good man. She wants to take those words back. He's a monster.

"Don't Ignore me!" The assistant shouts. He now makes a deep and quick cut in Regina's arm. He wants to hear her pain.

Regina moans a bit louder of pain now. "My King." she whispers. "Please."

Leopold knows he has to wait. Zelena has magic so if he does something she doesn't like now, she will hurt one of them. When Zelena looks at Regina when she shouts he takes his chance to form "don't worry," with his lips.

Regina looks at him with empty eyes. She doesn't care what he's trying to tell her. She has lost all her faith in him. When the assistant cuts her again in her arm, Regina doesn't flinch.

The assistant moves his head close to Regina, "I know it hurts you," he says. Behind him Zelena talks to the king about what to do with Regina. The assistant bows and kisses Regina, she still can't move and he graps her cheeks.

Regina kisses him back. She knows she has to. She then looks up at him. "You can't hurt me." she whispers.

"Great," the assistant says and he starts to undress her. It doesn't really work because she is tied up, but he manages to undress a part of her.

Regina doesn't flinch. Doesn't move. Doesn't speak. She just looks at him with empty eyes.

Zelena looks up. "Keep your hands of her!" she shouts to the assistant, "only the knife I said." She wants to hurt Regina, but not in that way. The assistant moves away from her, grinning. Zelena and the king walk towards her.

Regina looks up at them. She looks at the King, still with empty eyes. "What do you want?" she whispers.

Zelena takes Regina's hand in her hand. She poofs the two of them away to the prisons far away from the palace. "I don't trust that king... The way he looks at you...".

Regina looks Zelena deep in her eyes. "What do you want?" she asks again.

"Revenge," she only says and she pins Regina to the wall. She starts to choke her and moves her head next to hers.

Regina doesn't flinch. She doesn't want to give Zelena the satisfaction of knowing she's really hurting her.

"Shall I get Daniel for you?" Zelena says with a grin.

"N.oo.. Leave him alone." Regina softly whispers.

"Then tell me, why does he love you more than he loves me?" Zelena ask while he chokes Regina more and more.

"Please!" Regina now shouts. "I don't know, Zelena, I don't know!"

"How can you be so much better than I am?" Zelena says, "even of I love him just as much..."

"I'm not better than you. I'm different. We're different." Regina whispers. She almost loses conscience now.

Zelena lets her go a bit, "I just don't understand..." She snaps, "I can give him everything! And you aren't even available!"

"He knows that, Zelena. He does know that. Please... " Regina almost has freed herself out of the ropes now.

Zelena ties her up stronger, so Regina can't use magic, "and why does he still choose you!!" She walks close to her, feeling the anger through his whole body.

"Zelena, STOP THIS!" Regina get really angry now. Being angry makes her power stronger. The ropes around her wrists break loose. She waves with her hand and pins Zelena to the opposite wall.

Zelena smiles, "I already thought, how can someone with my blood be so weak..." she feels her body be squeezed, but she doesn't really mind.

"I'm going to give you one chance to go away. Because if you don't... I will hurt you." Regina threatens Zelena.

"You already hurt me enough..." Zelena says, "I can handle a bit more." She doesn't even try to free herself, she doesn't care about anything anymore.

Regina lets Zelena go. She then poofs herself away to her bedroom. She tries to heal herself and she's finally able to do that. Regina softly smiles.

Zelena falls on the ground and realizes she is alone again... She sighs and doesn't move, she is done with everything.

The king got into the castle again and waits for Regina to come back. He walks into the bedroom just to take some rest as he sees Regina sitting on the bed...

Regina startles when the King enters the bedroom. She just healed herself completely. She looks up at him.

"Regina?" He says shocked, "a... Are you okay?"

Regina doesn't answer him. She has lost all her belief in him. She thought he was a good man but after seeing him with Zelena, letting her hurt her like that... She doesn't trust him no more.

"I'm sorry..." He says softly, "I wanted to let you go, but Zelena was to powerful." He doesn't know what to say.

Regina still doesn't answer him. She changes into her sleeping clothes and lays down into bed with her back towards the King.

"Regina..." He whispers as he sits down by her side, but he knows he ruined it all. "Do you want me to go?" he asks her.

Regina doesn't answer him. She's afraid she will get too mad and say things she can't rewind.

The king stands up and walks to the door. "I understand..." he whispers and he looks at her for the last time and goes through the door.

Regina hides herself in one of the big closets in the bedroom. She just wants to sleep without getting disturbed. The next morning she startles when she hears noise outside of her hiding place. She slowly gets out of the closet and sees King Leopold changing into other clothes for the day.

He carefully looks at Regina while he changes his clothes. He fakes a smile and doesn't walk to the bed.

Regina slowly walks over to him. She stopt right in front of him.

The king says nothing. He wants her to be angry with him, because he deserved it. He deserves to be hated. He only looks back at her.

"I will be the Queen you deserve." Regina softly smiles at him.

"I don't want you to be that," he say and he wants to walk on.

Regina doesn't let him pass. "You did want me to be that. What changed?"

"What changed?" The king says, "I betrayed you... That's what has changed and I didn't even help you, I let my... Her assistant hurt you!"

"It's alright. Nothing changed then. You let your assistants hurt me too, remember? So nothing changed, dear." Regina turns around and undresses.

"I don't want it," he says, but Regina is blocking the door. He turns around and just walks away. But there is nowhere to go.

Regina walks over to him, naked. She kisses him. "Come on. This is what you wanted from the start, don't you?"

"Regina no," he pushes her away. He doesn't want it, he can't move on like nothing happened.

"I like it when you say my name like that." Regina smiles at him. "The wedding is in two days. Are you looking forward to it? I know I am." she smiles at him.

"What happened..." The king says. He shakes his head and doesn't answer her question. "You aren't looking forward to it!" He snaps.

"Your lessons payed off. I am finally the Queen you always wanted, aren't I?" Regina leads his hands to her hips. "Go on."

"But why?" Leopold whispers as he brings his hand further down.

Regina softly moans of pleasure. "Why not?" she smiles. She opens her legs for him and lets his fingers slide inside of her. "Go on. I know you like this." she smiles at him.

"I don't... Not now," he whispers, he takes a deep breath and kisses her softly, "what made you like this? This is not you?"

Regina kisses him back very softly. She plays with his tongue in his mouth. She feels his fingers deeper and deeper inside of her. She moans of pleasure. "This is me. Your Queen." Regina smiles.

The king is stunned by Regina's willingness. It almost frightens him, but he goes on. He has to admit he enjoys this too, but he doesn't like the way Regina is acting. "Stop it, Regina..." he whispers.

"Hush now." Regina whispers. Her head falls in her neck when he lets her reach her climax. She moans loudly of pleasure. "You like this. I know you like this." Regina smiles and kisses him again. "Let's get dressed for breakfast, dear." Regina waves with her hand and poofs herself into a beautiful dress, wearing a tight corset. "What do you think, my King?" she asks him with a smile on her face. She notices he's looking at her waist, which looks thinner than ever.

"We're not going," he says, "I'll let our breakfast here in our room." He says stricks. Watching Regina like this hurts him and na he sees she is so skinny... So easy to break...

"No, my King, we can't do that. People are expecting us. You know that, dear. Now come along." Regina waves with her hand again and puts on a suit on Leopold. "Aren't we a lovely picture?" she smiles at him. She gives him a kiss and then leads them to the dining room for breakfast.

Leopold takes Regina's arm, they can't go back now. He takes a deep breath and decides to let her go now. He will talk to her again after breakfast. During breakfast he can only look at her skinny body, Regina doesn't eat a thing and he gets more and more worried. This was all his fault.

Regina doesn't eat but talks with every important person at the table. She laughs and seems to enjoy this time. But deep down inside Regina is broken. She knows when she takes off this mask, she will fall apart. So she decides never to take off this mask. She smiles at king Leopold.

He smiles back. He wonders what changed Regina, but it looks like she's happy... Or at least tries to be happy. He doesn't know what to believe, but for now his worries fade away a bit. After breakfast he waits for Regina outside og the dining room. He waits for a long time, because she is talking with so many people.

After talking to everyone, Regina walks towards King Leopold. She looks up at him. "Did you enjoy our breakfast together?" she smiles at him. While the King softly nodds, Regina loses her balance and falls against the wall. Her face looks pale, more than ever, and sweat drips from her face. She quickly gets herself together again. "I'm sorry, my King." she softly whispers.


	6. The Wedding

"No problem, Regina," the king says while all the other guests walk away. He grabs Regina's arm and pulls her to the bedroom. He pushes her to the wall, "You haven't eaten a thing! Why?" he says.

"Because I have to fit in my dresses, my King." Regina answers with a smile. "They said you wanted me to fit in those tiny dresses." Regina looks up at him now. "I'm sorry, my King. Isn't that what you wanted? Everybody told me you wanted that." Regina smiles now. "I'm here to serve you, my King."

"What changed your mind?" The king whispers and he lays his hands around her waist. "Since when do you want to serve me?" He has calmed down a bit, he likes her being so thin... Why does he worry about her? This is what he wanted.

"Like I said... Your lessons payed off." Regina smiles at him. She opens the zipper of her dress with magic while she kisses him. "Let's go upstairs?" she suggests.

The kings looks at her. He really wants her right now, so he nods. He thinks of being a good man, but he is already tired when he thinks of that. "Yes. Let's go," he whispers and he kisses her again.

Regina poofs the both of them to their bedroom, straight into bed. She leads his hands to the back of her dress so he can feel the zipper is already down. She smiles at him. "Go on." she smiles.

"This is not what you really want, is it?" he whispers. He starts to undress her and still kisses her. He just wants her, a good man or not...

"Yes, it is, my King." Regina smiles. "I do want this. Because you want this. And I am here to serve you, my King." She kisses him back and undresses him too. She looks at him while he lays on top of her.

The king sees her pale face and her empty eyes, but he doesn't care. He has what he wants, a queen who does what he wants. He moves his hands to her hips, but it's like he only feels bones. Is she too skinny? No... You can't be too skinny.

Regina giggles and moans of pleasure. "I like this, my King." she smiles at him. She herself strokes his chest and softly scratches with her nails. She knows he likes that.

The king grabs Regina's wrists and laughs with her. "You do?" he says with a smile and he lets his hands go down again. "Are you ready for the wedding?" He says still laughing.

"I do." Regina smiles again. "I'm ready, my King. Are you?"

"I definitely am," he says, "I'll make sure everything will be perfect for you, have you seen the list of guest already?" He smiles.

"No, my King, I haven't. Will there be a lot of people?" Regina smiles at him. She feels him sliding inside of her again. She thinks to herself she needs to find a way to not get a child from this man. She will work on that after... after this, when he goes to work. She then has time until dinner to figure something out. She looks at him. She kisses him. He holds her hands above her head, he holds her wrists tightly together. Regina moans of pleasure again. "Go on." she whispers.

The king feels Regina enjoys this and he goes on. He looks back at her as she moans of pleasure, "There will be a lot of people, I invited everyone who deserves to come here for our big day!" he says with a lot of enthusiasm. He kisses her, "you're up to something," he says and he goes on kissing her, more violently this time.

"No, I'm not. I'm just enjoying this moment between us." Regina whispers. "Can't I enjoy this?" she asks him.

"Of course you can," he whispers with a laugh, "I'm sorry, my queen," he laughs. "Is there something you like to have on the wedding? It can be anything," he says with a smile.

"Just you." Regina whispers while looking him in the eyes. She feels she's almost going to faint now, because she hasn't eaten in days. It's been weeks since she had a decent meal. Her face looks paler than ever before. She moans again, of pleasure but also out of fear, fear of losing her conscience.

"I like you," the king says and he kisses her again. He knows he has to go to work, there is still a lot to do before the wedding.

Regina lets him reach his climax before he slips out of her. She looks at him while he dresses himself to go to work. She kisses him goodbye. Regina then stays in bed. She's too weak to get up. Her eyes are empty, her body shakes, her face looks very, very pale and she coughs up a little bit of blood.

Lady Tremaine greets the king in the hallway. She knows Regina should be alone right now, so she walks into the room. She remembers Regina during breakfast and she feels worried. "Hello Regina, how are you doing," she says before she looks up.

Regina notices Lady Tremaine entering her bedroom. Without knocking; Lady Tremaine never knocks on the door when she enters Regina's bedroom. Not in the past and not now. Regina doesn't care anymore. She coughs again and stares in front of her. Her body shakes from not getting enough food into its system.

Lady Tremaine turns around and looks into her eyes. She is immediately frightened, "Regina..." She says and she walks to her, "what did he do to you?" She sees Regina's pale face and she looks like she will faint very soon.

"I.. I haven't eaten... in.. d.ays..." Regina whispers very softly. "I. I can't eat."

Lady Tremaine wraps a blanket around Regina, "why not?" she says as she sits down on the side of the bed. She never saw Regina like this before. She never looked so bad.

"Because they told me I have to fit in my dresses." Regina mumbles. Sweat drips from her face. She has to give all she has, which is not a lot at this moment, in order not to lose her conscience. Her body keeps shaking. "I'm so tired." she whispers. She knows if she closes her eyes, she won't wake up again.

"Stay with me, Regina," lady Tremaine says, "you have to eat something," she whispers and she lets a servant get her some food. She cuts the bread the servant brought in tiny pieces. "Please try to eat something..." Lady Tremaine says. She knows it won't fix everything, but she has to try something.

"I can't eat." Regina whispers softly. She turns around with her back to the food.

"You have to," lady Tremaine says, "you'll faint if you don't and you know that!"

"I said I'm not hungry!" Regina shouts. She then coughs up blood again. She doesn't see clearly now. "I have to do something.. But I need to eat something first." she whispers.

"Yes you have," lady Tremaine whispers, "please try this," she holds the plate in front of Regina. "You don't have to eat much, but at least try to eat something..."

Regina takes a little bite out of a piece of fruit. She looks at lady Tremaine when she finishes eating an apple.

Lady Tremaine sighs and smiles, "good," she whispers, "maybe you can try to sleep a bit, I'll stay with you so no one else will come to you."

Regina shakes her head. "I have to do something first. Can I? Please?"

"What is it?" Lady Tremaine asks, confused.

"I have to make sure I won't get any kids from Leopold." Regina whispers.

"What?" Lady Tremaine says, "and how will you do that?"

Regina smiles while she conjures a black potion into her hand. She looks up at her old nanny.

"No Regina!" Lady Tremaine say and she grabs the potion out of Regina's hand, "I can't let you do that..."

"I am not getting a child with that man." Regina poofs the potion back into her hand. "I am not going to be the mother of his child."

"But you don't know what will happen in the future," lady Tremaine says, "please what if you want a child sometime, please think again,"

Regina shakes her head again. "I will never love anyone. And no one is ever going to love me." She whispers. She quickly takes in the potion. After a few seconds she lets out a scream of pain.

Lady Tremaine starts to cry. The last time she really cried was many many years ago. She was a stone after that, until now. She grabs Regina to keep her from collapsing. She lays Regina down on the bed and hides her face in her hands. "Regina..." She can only whisper.

Regina cries too. She only now realizes she will never ever be a mother... She looks up at Lady Tremaine. "I'm so sorry." she cries. "I just don't want a child with that man."

"This was not the way Regina," lady Tremaine says, she dries her face with the sleeves of her dress, but she can't look at Regina again. She stares to the wall, knowing Regina is crying too.

Regina keeps on crying. She closes her eyes. She just wants to sleep and never wake up. She then hears footsteps outside of her bedroom.

Lady Tremaine stands up and locks the door. She finally looks at Regina. "He won't like that." Regina can only whisper. "He didn't do anything. It's all my fault."

"You can't tell him..." Lady Tremaine says strict, "he can't know what you did, you understand?!"

Regina quickly nodds. "Yes. I understand. I won't tell him, ever." Regina promises. "You have to go now, Lady Tremaine. He will kill you if he finds you here."

Lady Tremaine nods. It's better if she goes... Otherwise she will get too angry about what Regina did. She is just too young to make decisions like this. Tears appear in her eyes again. She fakes a little smile and leaves the room, "see you at dinner," she softly says and closes the door behind her.

Regina quickly puts herself together again, just in time before the King enters the bedroom. Too early for dinner. She smiles at him, as if she was waiting all day for him to come back.

"You waited for me?" the king says and he feels special for a moment.

Regina nodds. "I did, my King." she smiles at him. She hasn't dressed after he left and she pushes down the blankets that were laying on her.

"Come here," the king says with a grin. And slowly walks to her. Putting out his jacket.

Regina gets out of bed and keeps standing next to it. She smiles. She helps undress him. When he's not wearing any more clothes she looks up at him.

Instead of letting her lay on the bed he pushes her to the wall and kisses her heavily. His hands lie on her hips.

Regina kisses him back. She likes it when he touches her there. She puts her arms around his neck while she keeps kissing him. "I like this." she whispers in his ear.

"I like this too," the king whispers between the kisses, "I like you." He says and he kisses her even harder.

"I like you more." Regina giggles. It wasn't hard to put her mask back on. Regina looks at him again. "What do you want, my King?" she smiles.

"Let's take a walk," he whispers in her ear and he pushes her away from him.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She knows she won't be able to walk for a long time because she is still too weak. She poofs herself into a light dress and walks with the King through the Royal Gardens. "Why did you want to take a walk with me, my King?" Regina softly asks him.

"Just to talk," the king says, "first of all, you look beautiful, Regina," he smiles as he looks at her. Then he sees something is not right, "are you hurt or something?" Regina's walk is not like it always was.

"No. I'm not." Regina lies. "I'm just tired, I guess. It will be alright." She smiles at him. "Beautiful?" she then whispers.

The king looks at her and smiles, "yes this color looks great on you," he says and he is quiet for a moment, "like every color," he adds. He feels Regina holds his hand very tightly and he still wonders why she walks so carefully.

"Thank you, my King." Regina looks up at him. "Do you think I'm skinny enough for being your perfect Queen?" She looks him into his eyes while asking this. She shortly loses her balance again but regains control very fast.

The king looks at Regina. Her dress fits perfectly around her waist. "With a corset it will be fine..." he says, not completely satisfied.

Regina nodds. She waves with her hand and re-appears in front of him, wearing the same dress but now with a corset. "Better?" she smiles at him.

The king raises his eyebrows, "a bit," he says, and he waits for Regina to change again.

"What do you want on me then?" Regina asks him now honestly.

"It just has to be pulled on tighter..." he says with a studying look. He walks to Regina and opens the zipper on her back. "Let me help you..." he says with a sigh.

Regina nodds. "Thank you, my King." she softly whispers. She waits for him to pull the corset tighter around her body. She holds herself onto the apple tree they both are standing under.

The king pulls the corset very tight. He looks at Regina again, "not perfect, but better..." he says and he picks up Regina's arm again.

Regina almost can't breathe now. Her face turns pale again and her eyes more empty. "Thank you, my King." she whispers. They walk further into the Royal Gardens until they are completely alone. No servants. No maids. No noise.

"Don't you like the gardens?" The King asks, looking at Regina's face. She doesn't show any emotion. The feels like hurting her again. Now when no one is around its so tempting...

"I do love them, my King." Regina whispers. She looks at them and can only see darkness in his eyes now. "My King..." she whispers.

"You don't like me, do you," he says. It's hard to keep in control. He breathes heavily, he is looking for a reason to hurt her.

"I love you." Regina softly answers him. "I love you." she whispers again while unzipping her dress with magic. The dress falls down her body.

"You love me?" The king says and he grabs her chin with his strong hand. He lets his fingers go over Regina's lips. "Put it back on." he snaps.

"But... But I thought you wanted this, my King?" Regina asks him. She now steps out of her dress. "Don't you like this corset on me?"

"I do," the king says and he walks to her, "but you have to do what I say, so put it back on!" He lays his hand on Regina's cheek.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She puts her dress back on. "What do you want to do now?" she asks him with a soft smile on her face.

He doesn't say a thing. He just picks up her arm again and walks on. "Where is Daniel?" he asks her. Asking her that was the real reason for the walk.

"I don't know, my King. How should I know?" Regina doesn't dare to look up at him.

"Because he is gone!" he snaps, "and you are the only one who ever talks to him, so I want to know where he is!"

"I really don't know, my King." Regina only whispers. She knows he won't believe her. She looks to the ground, too afraid to look up, to look him in the eyes. She knows she will only see his darkness.

He pushes Regina against a tree. "What did you do at the stables then? Last night remember, you were with him! I know that!"

Regina doesn't answer him. Nothing she says will be good enough for him. She just looks him in his eyes now. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"About what? About letting him escape!" The king says, "tell me what you did at the stables last night! I want to hear every detail." He grows darker and darker.

Regina remains silent. She just looks at him.

"Tell. ME," he says and he puts his hand around Regina's throat.

"I slept with him." Regina mumbles.

"You did what!" The king shouts and he hits Regina on her cheek, "how could you?" he snaps at her. He pushes her harder against the tree.

Regina turns her face away from him. He is hurting her. "I'm sorry, my King." she whispers again.

"Why?" He says very loud. He breathes heavily and tries to regain control.

"You and I were having a fight. He was there. I don't know." Regina looks up at the King again. "I'm really sorry, my King."

"So you wanted to punish me by making love with someone else? Because we had a fight?" He snaps. He doesn't like this.

"I already said a thousand times by now I'm SORRY!" Regina snaps at him. She's getting tired of this. She's feeling weak and tired.

"Sorry is not enough!" The king says and he just her again. "He has to be punished, Regina! I will find him." He lets Regina go and tries to keep his anger in control.

"NO!" Regina shouts at him. "If you want to punish someone, punish me, not him! It's my fault!" Regina keeps screaming at the King. She gives him a hard push and he falls to the ground.

The king jumps up again, "how dare you!" He shouts, but he keeps some distance between them, "you will be punished for this!" He snaps, "I'll punish him to punish you..."

"I said NO!" Regina screams again. But making herself so angry, getting herself completely stressed out... She loses her balance again and falls on the ground. "Please. I'll do anything." she whispers. She looks up at the King. "I bet he's gone with Zelena."

The king reaches out his hand and gets Regina on her feet again. "Right!" He says, "but that doesn't change the fact he has to be punished. I only need to find him..."  
He starts walking back to the palace.

Regina follows him softly. She knows the King won't find Daniel. She keeps her head down, like a loyal Queen needs to do, and follows her King back to the Royal Palace. "I will get ready for dinner, my King." Regina softly says to him when they arrive back in the Castle. After an hour she is ready for dinner. She's wearing a very, very tight corset and a beautiful dress again. She meets the King at the entrance of the great dining hall. She looks up at him. "Do you like this dress on me?" she asks him softly, before they enter the dining room.

"It's perfect," he says, looking at the beautiful dress and high heels. They enter the dining room and immediately a lot of people come to them to talk to Regina. The king smiles and tells them to leave her. They sit down at the table and the king holds Regina's hand, as to say, she is mine.

Regina looks up at the King. Dinner arrives but again Regina doesn't eat, or at least not very much. She looks at him again and smiles "Tomorrow is our wedding." She softly smiles.

"Yeah," he says, "this night they will finish everything! I hired the best people to do that... Everything will be perfect!" He smiles and he kisses her on her cheek.

Regina smiles. "I'm tired. Can we go to bed?"

"We can't there are still a few things to do before the big day," he says. His voice is happy. "We need to communicate the last things, look where to place the wedding cake, and then tomorrow they will make you look perfect and stuff." He knows it maybe won't make sense, he has too many thoughts...

Regina giggles when she sees King Leopold this enthusiastic. She kisses him. "I'm thin enough, or not?" she then asks him. She still hasn't eaten much from dinner. She feels weak and sees pale.

"You are," he says and he kisses her back. He loves to see her like this. She seems happy and he doesn't pay attention to her pale face. Enough make-up will hide that...

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you." she whispers. "Where do we have to go now?" Regina asks the King.

"I think we should go to the dresser first, so he can make the dress exactly your size," the king says and he picks up Regina's arm.

Regina follows King Leopold to the dresser. She knows she will have to undress in front of the two men.

"Welcome, my king, welcome, my queen," the dresser says and he bows, "thanks for coming. You can undress yourself, milady." He smiles and walks to the table to pick up his stuff.

Regina undresses herself. She notices the King looking at her with lust in his eyes. She looks up at the dresser and waits at him.

The dresser starts to measure Regina from all sides. When he comes to the waist he is amazed for a moment, then he just takes a breath and looks for the perfect size of the dress.

Regina softly smiles when the dresser shows her wedding dress. "I love it." she whispers. She then notices he walks towards her with the corset.

"I need to know if the corset fits," he only says and he puts it around Regina's waist. He makes sure the corset is as tight as possible and he measures again.

Regina very softly moans of pain. She almost can't breathe. "Do I have to wear this corset tomorrow?" she whispers.

The dresser looks up at her and he almost starts to laugh, "of course, milady," he says and she takes off the corset, "now that I have to perfect seize, you are allowed to go," he says with a smile, "do you have any questions?"

"Can't I wear another corset, please? I won't be able to eat a thing if I have to wear that one." Regina asks him.

The dresser looks at her, "I do have other colors, but no other seizes are not possible... Otherwise the dress won't fit, milady."

“Try another one, my queen deserves the best," the king commands and the dresser takes another corset.

Regina softly smiles at him. When the dresser puts on the other corset, Regina notices it is even more tight than the previous one. She knows if she keeps complaining, the corsets will keep getting smaller. "Alright." she whispers.

"Is this one better, my love?" the king says with a smile on his face. "Any other things?" the dresser says.

"No. That was all." Regina whispers. She walks with the King outside of the dresser's workspace. "I'm tired, my King." Regina whispers. She coughs and a bit of blood appears on her hand.

"What did you eat?" the king says as he sees the blood on Regina's hand. He doesn't know what else it could be. He takes her to the bedroom, knowing everything will be perfect tomorrow... He worked on this wedding for weeks.

"Nothing. I haven't eaten a thing, my King." Regina softly whispers. "I'm sorry, it's nothing." Regina lets him undress her and she undresses King Leopold. She then notices someone walks into the room without knocking. She looks over her shoulder and sees 'a friend' of the King, as King Leopold introduces him.

Leopold puts his clothes back on, but he undresses Regina, just to show his beautiful wife to his friend, "well, this is Regina," the king says to him and the man reaches out his hand.

Regina takes the hand of this friend and makes a little bow. She wants to put on her clothes again but Leopold doesn't let her.

The king talks to his friend and holds Regina's wrist very tight so she can't get away. Then the man looks at Regina, "you choose a good one, Leo," the friends says, "how did you do that?" He smiles an lets his hand go over her tiny waist. Leopold does the same, "I only take the best," he says and they both start to laugh.

Regina breaths heavily. She feels weak and tired. She still manages to smile at both men. She gives King Leopold a kiss.

The man winks and grins, "you're lucky to have a wife like this," he says and he touches Regina's cheek, pretending he will kiss her. The king laughs and pushes him away, but he comes back.

Regina looks up at the King to see what he expects of her. When he pushes her against his friend, she knows what she has to do. She softly kisses this friend.

"O my goodness! Leo!" the friend says and he laughs. He gives Leopold a high five and Leopold grins, "I told you..." He says with a wink. He lets his friend touch Regina, like she was some kind of toy. "You won't miss the party, Leo," the friend says, "it starts in five minutes I don't want to party without you!"

Regina kisses this friend again. "What party?" she asks him with a soft voice.

"A party for men," he says and he takes over Regina from the man. He knows his friend is already drunk, he will be too soon. "I need to go Regina," the king says and he gives her a long and heavy kiss. "See you tonight," he whispers.

Regina nodds. She lays in bed and tries to sleep, but she can't. She's nervous to face all those people tomorrow, to marry that man. In the middle of the night she still hasn't slept a bit. She startles when the King and his friend from earlier return to the bedroom, both very, very drunk.

"Regina..." The king laughs and he walks towards her. His friend comes after him. "Had a good night so far?" he asks her with a grin.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She notices both men coming into bed, putting Regina in the middle. She turns towards the King and kisses him. "Did you have a nice party?" she asks him.

"We did, didn't we Gaston?" the king says with a smile. He kisses her again. Gaston lays his hands on Regina's hips.

Regina softly kisses the King back. She feels both of them laying very close against her. "What do you want me to do, my King?" she whispers.

"Just be yourself," the king says and he and his friend both laugh again. "Show my friend how perfect you are!" He lets his tongue go over Regina's cheek and down her neck.

Regina looks over her shoulder to this friend, Gaston. She softly smiles at him. "You can touch me, you know." she whispers to him. She then strokes Leopold over his chest and his back, softly kissing him again.

Gaston touches Regina over her whole body very hard. His hands squeeze her stomach and he pulls her violently away from Leopold.

Regina now turns onto her other side towards Gaston. She kisses him and pulls him above her. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers.

Gaston grins and takes her hips. He undresses himself and slips inside her, letting her move on his rhythm.

Regina moves with him. She very softly moans of pleasure. She looks up at the King. While moving into Gaston's rhythm, Regina kisses the King. With every passing minute she keeps getting weaker and more and more tired. But she doesn't disappoint her King and his friend.

Gaston enjoys his time with Regina. He kisses her body, while Regina kisses Leopold. He goes on and on. Then there is a loud bang on the door. "Get out!" A woman's voice shouts, "both of you!" They look up.

Regina startles. She looks up too but Gaston blocks her view on the door. She feels he keeps moving inside of her. She moans again of pleasure. "Go." she whispers to the woman. "I'm alright."

"No," the voice says again. Lady Tremaine now opens the door. She doesn't look. "I give you two one minute to dress yourself and leave her alone!" She shouts, but the two men don't leave Regina.

Regina kisses Gaston now. "I like you." she whispers. She starts taking over the rhythm of the movements and moves a bit faster. Her heart beats fast. She almost reaches her climax. When the King touches her upper body, she softly screams when she reaches her climax. "I'm alright!" she snaps.

"Leave her alone!" Lady Tremaine says, she doesn't want to see them, she doesn't want to see Regina like this. "I'll turn around in three seconds and I'll pull you out of the bed," she sates, "Leopold your drunk... And so is your friend... So just go and find another place to have fun".

Regina notices the two men don't leave her. She kisses Leopold now. "Your turn." she smiles at him. She coughs up blood again.

Lady Tremaine turns around and pulls Gaston out of the bed, "get dressed," she snaps. Gaston puts on his clothes with a grin on his face. He gets Leopold out of the bed too by pushing Regina off him. Leopold gets up.

Regina curls up in bed. Her body shakes and she's on the edge of losing conscience. Her body doesn't want to cooperate any longer because of the lack of food. Regina feels cold, while sweat drips from her body. Her face looks very, very pale. Her eyes stand empty.

Lady Tremaine pushes the laughing men out of the room. She locks the door and runs to Regina, "o no..." She only whispers. She gets a wet and cold towel and lays it on Regina's forehead. Her hand touches her cheek, which is glowing more than ever before.

Regina doesn't react. She's too weak to react. She breaths too fast. Her body keeps shaking. She looks at the food on the table. There always seemed to be food in every room in the castle.

Lady Tremaine gets some food and water for Regina. She helps to get her up and starts to feed her, just to make sure she will take the foot. She cleans Regina's sweaty body with a new towel and gets a wide sleeping dress for her.

Regina is too weak to argue so she just eats what Lady Tremaine gives her. She starts to feel a bit more energy but this isn't enough to feel completely better. That will take time. She barely weighs more than a 10-year-old. She keeps eating and eating. She's starved.

"How do you feel?" Lady Tremaine whispers. She stops feeling Regina, because she doesn't want her to throw up everything again, "I'll get you more food later." She says and she lays Regina down again, wrapping the blanket around her. Regina's eyes are less empty, but her face is still pale and she is so thin it looks like you can just break her with just one hand...

"I'm tired." Regina whispers. "I'm just so tired." She looks up at Lady Tremaine. "Do you want to lay beside me? Please?" With eyes full of hope Regina awaits an answer.

"Yes of course," lady Tremaine says. She puts out her heels and lays down beside Regina, after she changed the wet towel on more time. "I'll be here until you wake up, don't worry...." She whispers.

Regina takes Lady Tremaine's hand and doesn't let it go. She falls asleep. After a while she wakes up again. Her nanny, as promised, still lays next to her. Regina's condition has gotten worse. Her body doesn't stop shaking. She still sees very, very pale. She coughs up blood.

Lady Tremaine looks at Regina. She makes Regina drink some water, "come here," she whispers and she lets Regina's lean against her. And she lets her hands go through her hair. Regina's forehead feels really hot. "We need to get a doctor, Regina," she whispers.

"Nooo." Regina mumbles. "He won't like that. He will punish me for it." Regina coughs again, this time more blood.

"But your body can't handle this for long," lady Tremaine says, "and I also doubt if your mind can..." She gets another towel and cleans Regina's hands and lips, which are covered with blood.

Regina nodds. "Alright then. Get the doctor. But come back. Fast. I'm scared." Regina whispers again. She already closes her eyes again. When she wakes up, Lady Tremaine and the best doctor in the Enchanted Forest are standing beside the bed. Along with the King who now is more sober.

The doctor takes a closer look, feels Regina's forehead and measures her temperature. "Can you describe the process?" The doctor says, "how did it get like this?" He looks at Regina with a questioning look. Behind him the king looks angry, but lady Tremaine blocks his way, so he can't go to Regina.

"I haven't really been eating too good." Regina whispers. She focusses on Lady Tremaine because she's truly terrified with the King now. "I needed to fit in my dresses." she then whispers.

"I understand..." the doctor says, "open your mouth please,". Lady Tremaine looks at Regina and nods. She takes a deep breath, hoping Regina would do the same, because she sees Regina's is breathing really fast. The doctor looks into Regina's mouth and then looks into his notebook to look for a good medicine.

Regina coughs up some blood again. She looks at the doctor. "Can you help me?" she whispers.

"I can, but I can only help you with food and the king told me not to give you food..." the doctor days, "and I'll always serve the king, milady, I'm sorry." The king closes his book, "and about the blood... Drink some of this tea,"

Regina stares at Lady Tremaine. She can't handle this any longer. "Thank you, for everything, nanny." Regina whispers. She waves with her hand and poofs away, deep into the forest. She lays down beneath a tree where no one will find her. Only someone who knows the forest as good as their own home can find her. She closes her eyes and goes to sleep. She knows she probably won't wake up any more.

Robin walks through the forest looking for food for the day. Yesterday he couldn't find a thing, but he hopes he is luckier today. He holds his bow and aims it on everything that moves, until he sees a body... A body of a woman. He walks to her to take a closer look and he sees the women he saw before. 

Regina, the king's wife on the night before the wedding. 

"Regina?" he whispers and he shakes her shoulder.

 

"Leave me." Regina mumbles. "I just want to sleep." She looks up with empty eyes and an even thinner body than the last time she saw this man. Robin was his name. "How... How did you find me?"

"I was just hunting and looking for some food..." Robin says, "I'm not going to leave you here," he looks at Regina, what happened to her...

"Yes, you are. Otherwise he will hunt you down and kill you an your wife. I don't want that." Regina clearly states. She looks at her body. She feels filthy from both men a few hours before. She looks up at Robin. Will he take advantage of her too?

"Otherwise you'll die here and I won't let that happen..." Robin says. He lifts Regina up in his arms, but it's like carrying nothing at all... He takes her home and lays her on the couch, makes some tea and waits for Marian to come home. She knows what's best for Regina now.   
Robin sits down next to Regina, "what happened?" he says.

"I don't eat any more. I can't eat." Regina softly whispers.

Robin takes a deep breath, "you should eat something... You won't make it if you don't..." Robin says, "I'll be right back." He walks to the kitchen to pick up the last bit of food they have, some bread and vegetables he bought yesterday. He brings the food and the tea to Regina. "Here," he says and he sets the plate on the table. He picks up the bread and makes Regina eat it.

"Nooo." Regina mumbles. "I will get too fat for him. He will punish me if I eat something he doesn't want me to eat." Regina truly feels terrified of eating. She already panics when she thinks about it.

"You need to eat, Regina," Robin says. He will never forget her name ever again. "You will collapse of you don't,". He sighs, "look," he says softly, "you can't starve yourself for him..."

Regina eats a bit of bread because Robin keeps insisting on it. "The doctor won't help me. He serves the King and only the King." Regina whispers. She startles when someone enters the house. She's so afraid of everyone and everything she immediately curls up to protect herself.

"No worries," Robin says, "it's Marian," he knows she always comes home around this time.   
"Robin?" she says and she walks into the living room. "O my gosh, Regina," she says when she walks in, "what happened to you?"

Regina's body keeps curled up laying on the couch. She's frozen out of fear.

"She won't eat..." Robin says, he is really worried, "she will die if she goes on like this..."   
Marian walks to Regina and sits down beside her. She lays her hand on Regina's shoulder, "Regina," she whispers, "please, it's me, I'm not going to hurt you,".

Carefully Regina looks up at Marian. "Marian." she whispers. "I'm... I'm sorry... I don't want to bother you or your husband. I should go, shouldn't I?" Regina looks away, ashamed to have disturbed their lifes once again.

"No, no, it's okay," Marian says, "you can stay here, it's no problem, really." She smiles and inhales deeply. "We're not letting you die, but you have to eat something...". Marian cuts the vegetables in really little pieces and gets a spoon, so Regina can take it in easily. "Please, just try," she whispers.

Regina looks at the food. "Vegetables." she thinks to herself. Those won't make her fat. Won't they? Carefully she starts to eat them. After a while she's finished. She lays down again. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"That's okay," Marian says, "do you want to sleep upstairs?" She stands up and picks up the tea, which is still hot. She drips some of her medicines in it and gives it to Regina, "to help you sleep," she says.

Regina looks up at Marian with a little bit of suspicion in her eyes. But then she decides to trust these people, this man and woman who only have been very kind to her. Regina drinks the tea. After a few minutes she falls asleep.

The next morning she wakes up, laying in bed upstairs. She knows because she remembers from the previous time. She notices Marian sitting on a chair next to the bed.

"Hey," Marian says softly, "did you sleep well?" She looks at Regina waiting for her to answer. Downstairs Robin is making some soup. He got up early this morning to shoot some wild animals to trade on the market. He had just enough to buy everything he needed.

Regina slowly nodds. "I did actually. Thank you." she softly answers. "I.. I should go now. The King is probably looking for me and he will kill you two if he finds me here."

"You can't even walk," Marian says, "I won't let you go now," she looks at Regina's pale face and thin arms and feels tears come up. This was so dangerous, but she can't leave Regina....  
Robin comes up with a bowl of soup and sits down next to Marian.

"No. I'm not hungry. I've had enough yesterday." Regina immediately says. She looks away. She can't eat. He will punish her so hard for it.

"If you don't eat it for yourself, then do it for us..." Marian says, "you can stay here as long as you want, I want to give you that with all my heart, but you can do something back for us... I don't want you to break," she whispers and she takes Robin's arm, afraid Regina will get angry.

Regina looks up at the both of them. She slowly nodds. "Alright then." she whispers. She takes over the soup Robin is handing to her and drinks it slowly. "It's good." she softly smiles. "You do know how to cook." Regina thinks to herself this is the first meal she really enjoys in a long time. When her bowl is empty she hands it back over to Robin. "Can I.. No, I shouldn't ask. I'm sorry." she whispers. "Thank you. I really liked it." Regina lays down again and almost falls asleep again.

"Thank you," You can have Some more of you want," Robin says with a smile, he feels a bit honored thinking of all the amazing food they have in the palace... Or maybe she just wants to be kind... He takes over the empty bowl, "we have enough, Marian and I will eat the last bread," he smiles and sees Regina almost falls asleep again. Before Regina can answer, he walks downstairs to get some more soup.

Before Regina falls asleep again she sees Robin leaving the bedroom. She can't stay awake even though she would love some more from that delicious soup. She doesn't really know how the food tastes in the Royal Palace. She wakes up with a lot of noise.

Marian still sits next to the bed. Her whole body is shaking and tears roll down her cheeks. "They came," she says, "you have magic, don't you?" Marian says. She saw Regina make a tiny flame while she was sleeping. "Robin is downstairs..." She says, but she almost can't get the words out, although she tries to stay calm.

Regina quickly sits up straight and gets out of bed. "Who came?" she just asks Marian.

"Four men from the king..." Marian says, she recognizes them, they are from the king's army. "Can you send us away?" Marian then asks all of a sudden. They don't have much time and she promised Robin to try to get away, while he would distract the men.

"We're not leaving your husband. I won't let them hurt you." Regina quickly runs downstairs. She looks at the men. "I will come with you if you promise not to hurt these people."

"Regina!" Marian screams, but it's already too late. One of the man took her arm. She and Robin make a quick bow. "Give me one reason not to hurt these people! They keep you away from your wedding!" A low man's voice says.

"They don't keep me away, I am keeping myself away. They have nothing to do with it. You're not going to hurt them." Regina looks at the men with fire in her eyes and a small fireball in her hand that she keeps growing and growing in her hand. "Do you understand me?" she asks the men.

"Yes my queen," the guard says, "but we have orders from the king." He bows and the other three men walk to Marian and Robin. Two take Robin, the other one keeps Marian. They hold their arms together so they can't flee, "I'm sorry my queen," the man says.

Regina softly smiles. "Go." she whispers to Robin and Marian. She waves with her hand and poofs the two of them to a safe place, deep in the forest. She knows Robin and Marian know the forest as good as their own home so she isn't worried about them finding back their home. By then she will be back in the Palace with these men. She then throws a fireball to one of the guards, the one who said they have orders from the King. She looks at the three other men. "You have a choice. Bring me back to the Palace and tell the King you couldn't find Robin and Marian. Or tell the King about this and die. What shall it be?"

"We won't tell him," the man softly says and he makes a bow. The other men follow him. "Let's go my queen, we need to hurry," he says and he leads her to the coach.

"Why? What's the rush?" Regina gets in the coach. She notices the three men sitting next to her (one of them) and over her on the other bench (the other two). The man next to her sits very closely against her. "Why do we have to hurry?" Regina asks again.

"The wedding starts in three hours and you need to get ready before the guest arrive," the man next to her says, looking at Regina's mess hair and dirty clothes, "the king won't be happy with this..." the other man says.

"I'm not happy with him either." Regina only answers. She looks out of the window of the coach. She feels the breath of the guard next to her in her neck. Her body freezes.

The man hits her in her face, not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to let her feel pain. "Don't talk like that about the king," he snaps, "manners..." says the second man.

Regina nodds. "I'm sorry." she whispers. She knows the drive to the Royal Palace will at least take an hour. She looks at the man next to her, who strokes her cheek now.

The other two men roll with their eyes and laugh. They are already screwed because they didn't get Robin and Marian, so why not have some fun... They will be punished anyway.

Regina looks the man next to her deep into his eyes. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"O nothing," the man says, "just be yourself." He grins and one of the other man now bows to her and kisses her on her lips and lets his tongue slip inside, "We heard the king talk about you," he says when he pulls back.

"The King talked about me? What did he say?" Regina asks softly. She feels the hand of the man next to her looking for her zipper on the back of her dress.

"He said you were perfect," the man says, "and I think you know what I mean,". Without undressing Regina, the man next to her lets his hand go inside Regina's dress, touching her skin. The man laugh and get a fight of who sits next to her, who can feel her and who will see her. It's kind of a game for them and Regina is their toy.

Regina just looks outside the window. When one of the man touches her on a place of her body where she likes to be touched she softly, very softly, moans of pleasure. Her body likes it.

"You can do like you don't care..." one man says. "But we know you like it," the other man adds. Only one of the men status silent and only watches. He had his hands folded in his lap and sighs.

Regina lets her dress slide down her body. She then looks at the man next to her. She gets up and sits down on his lap with her face turned towards him. She softly starts to kiss him.

The man likes it and kisses her back, but soon the other man lays his arms around her waist and pulls her towards him. The first man gets angry.

"Don't fight." Regina whispers. "Why not work together?" She takes a deep breath before she lays down on one of the benches in the coach. She pulls one of the guards towards her and kisses him. She feels the other guard stroking her legs, slowly going up.

"The king was right about you," the man says between kisses. The other man moves up and softly tickles Regina on her legs... "Just stop it," the third man says, "you two act like a child...".

Regina giggles. She lets the man pull down her panties while the other one opens her corset. She keeps kissing him.

When Regina is completely undressed the third man pulls her away from the other two and hits them both very hard. The two man sigh and turn away. "Behave yourself, my queen," is the only thing he says.

"Why? After today my life will be over. So why not have a little fun, right?" Regina smiles at him. She strokes his lips and his chest. "Come on. You know you want to."

"Of course I want to," the third man says, "but you have a wedding to go to and besides that, you don't even like it... You only pretend you do."

"That's where you're wrong, dear." Regina laughs. "I don't like it, I love it." She smiles at him. "So go on. Finish what they started."

"You don't," he whispers, but he kisses her. The two other man turn their heads away... "Dress yourself, my queen, you act like a child, just like those two," he points at the two man wish look out of the window with an angry look.

"Yes, I do." Regina whispers. Why won't he touch her? "You think I'm fat, don't you?" she asks him. She puts his hands around her waist. "You can tell me." she whispers.

The man looks Regina in her eyes now. He keeps his hand on her waist, but he doesn't hold her gently, "you're not fat, you're too thin," the man snaps, "don't listen to those people who tell you to stop eating, they will kill you with that..." He looks away with anger in his eyes.

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps at him. He does hold her too tight on her waist. She takes a step back from him and puts on her clothes. She just sits down and looks through the window. The coach reaches the Royal Palace and the King is waiting for her. He looks very, very angry.

The man wants to say so many things, but he keeps quiet. They reach the palace and he sees the king standing in front of the gates. 

"Regina," the king snaps and he grabs her arm very tight. He violently pulls her inside, walking far too fast for her. He pushes her to the wall and presses his arm to their throat, "what were you thinking!" He shouts very hard.

"You were hurting me!" Regina snaps back at him. "I have to eat! You might not like that, my King, but I have to or I will die! Is that what you want?" She pushes him off of her with all the strength she has.

"You can't tell me what to do!" The king says, "you are too fat and I don't want a fat queen, Regina! Look at yourself, without a corset you..." He turns his head away, "all right get dressed!" He says and he takes her to the dresser, "extra tight please," the king says as the dresser makes the corset ready.

Regina moans of pain when the dresser puts the corset on her body and very tightly pulls the laces together. "You're hurting me!" she snaps at him. "I'm not wearing this!" she screams at the King then.

"You are!" The king only says. He knows he has all the power, he can hurt her, and not only by beating her, he can break her heart, her mind and everything else. "You listen to me," he says and he moves his face close to hers, "you can't win...".

Regina knows he's right. She looks back at him. "Please, Leopold." she whispers. "Please... I can't breathe in this thing. I can't eat. I will faint. I will get very sick. Please." she whispers to him.

"It's only for today," the king says, "really... Why is that such a problem..." He walks away, "women..." He sighs and he walks out of sight. The dresser puts out the corset to let Regina breathe, "don't listen to much to him, okay? Please keep eating... Don't starve yourself," he has seen the whole process of Regina getting thinner and thinner and the corsets getting tighter and tighter and he divided it went too far right now....

"Just put it on. The wedding starts soon." Regina whispers. She lets the dresser puts everything on her. The corset, her dress, the jewels, her shoes. She then goes to the hairdresser.

The girl smiles when Regina comes in. She almost wants to jump of excitement, but she stands still and makes a bow. He realizes her hands are shaking again... Really...? She smiles and leads Regina to her chair. She doesn't look happy... How can't she be happy on her wedding day?

Regina sits down and looks to the girl. "Do whatever you want with my hair. I know it will be perfect since you're doing it." she softly says. The next 45 minutes Regina's hair is perfected for the wedding. Afterwards she's ready to go.

"I want to say thank you, my queen," the girl softly says. She looks at the ground, not dating to look the queen in her eyes, "thank you for being so kind to me, no one ever was..." Then she knows the queen probably doesn't care about her words so she turns around and keeps quiet, still amazed by the big compliment Regina gave her.

"You're a very nice girl." Regina softly smiles. "I don't want anyone else doing my hair but you." Regina smiles at the girl, gives her a hug and then leaves the room. The King is waiting outside for her. Regina bows for him.

The king doesn't even smile, "I'm not supposed to see you, so I leave you with lady Tremaine, she will guide you," he snaps, "don't do stupid things today or you will have to pay for it. Smile and be happy!"

Regina nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She knows she won't smile. Not once. She looks at Lady Tremaine who just walks to the Royal Couple. For a moment Regina loses her balance but manages to stay upright. "I'm sorry." she quickly whispers to the King.

"Don't let it happen again," he snaps and he walks away, leaving Regina with alone with lady Tremaine. Lady Tremaine kisses Regina's hand and offers her a hand. "This day will be over soon, sweetheart, you'll make it," she whispers.

Regina shortly nodds. "Let's get it over with." Regina mumbles. Lady Tremaine guides her to the wedding hall. When the music starts to play, Regina and her father walk down the aisle. She doesn't smile. She only looks in front of her, not really looking at anyone.

"How do you feel?" Regina's father asks. Although the thick layer of makeup that masks Regina's pain, he can see the sadness in her eyes. They walk on.

Regina doesn't answer. She has decided not to smile, not to talk and not to eat during this entire day. It will be her way to strike against this forced wedding. The only words that will come out of her mouth will be 'I do'. Her father hands her over to the King. Regina turns towards him while the priest starts to talk. When it's time Regina softly says 'I do', kisses the King and walks with him outside of the wedding hall. Regina doesn't look at him.

The king holds Regina's wrist very tightly, "I know what you try to do and you'll pay for it." He snaps with a soft voice. They enter the ballroom, now that they are man and wife the party can begin. When they walk in the quest applaud, Daniel looks from behind the crowd to the love of his life. She looks broken and it breaks him too. Zelena holds his hand and he remembers their deal.

"I don't care." Regina snaps back at him. They start with the first dance. Regina dances perfectly, but she doesn't smile. Not even once. She knows the guests are talking but she doesn't care. She doesn't look at them. When their dance is over, Regina bows for her King. They then take place at the table. Regina just stares in front of her.

The king is very angry, but he can’t show it right now. He just walks away to Cora, just to chat... Zelena pulls Daniel with her to Regina, "Hey, Regina, how do you feel on your big day?" She makes sure she holds Daniel close.

Regina just looks at her. She doesn't answer. She glances over to Daniel and the sadness in her eyes only grows. Regina looks away. She eats a bit of the vegetables and a tiny piece of meat. It hurts to eat in that corset.

"Have a nice meal," Zelena says with a grin and she makes sure Regina sees her and Daniel kiss before they walk away to dance.

Regina doesn't look at them. She doesn't look at anyone. She doesn't speak to anyone. People come and go to her but she doesn't greet them nor does she answers their questions. She just keeps playing with her food. One by one the guests go home. After a very, very long day she and the King are finally alone. Regina still sits at her place at the table. She hasn't moved since she sat down after the first dance.

"The guests were complaining about your rudeness..." the king states as he walks around the table Regina is sitting at.

Regina looks up at him but doesn't say a word.

The king sits down at the opposite side of the table and looks at Regina with a look full of anger and even hate. "You ruined everything!" The king says, "why?" he shouts now.

"I didn't try to ruin it." Regina very softly whispers. "I told you I can't breathe in this corset. Talking hurts when I'm wearing this." She looks at him with empty eyes. "I'm tired, my King. Can we go to sleep?" she very softly whispers.

The king now can't keep his anger inside anymore, "you have not the right to say that!" The king shouts, "corsets are part of your job, I can't help it you're too fat to fit in the dresses normally!" He walks to Regina and hits her. He hits her until she falls on the ground. He doesn't stop. All his anger comes out right now and he kicks Regina again and again.

Regina doesn't have the energy to protect herself from the King. She tries to crawl away from him but he keeps following her and he keeps kicking her. "P.l.ea.se.." Regina begs very, very softly.

"Don't say please! I warned you, but you didn't listen," the king shouts. He kicks her even harder. Then he gets her up and hits her in her face again. He wants to see her face, he wants to see the pain she deserves.

Regina looks at him. The King. Her husband. She almost can't stand on her feet because her legs hurt so much. But he keeps her upright. Her eyes show the panic and fear she's feeling deep inside of her. "I.'m.. I'm.. so.r..ry..." she whispers very softly. She's afraid of the anger she sees in his eyes. Anger and determination. Determined to hurt her as much as he can tonight.

The king sees Regina knows what he is going to do and it gives him a big feeling of satisfaction and even pride. He grins and looks at her, "you're not sorry... Otherwise you wouldn't have done it!!" He says and he beats her very hard in her stomach this time. He holds her chin in his hand, making it impossible to sink down on the floor.

Regina moans of pain. Blood drips out of her mouth now. She keeps looking the King in his eyes. Tears appear in her own eyes. She tries to get out of his grip but he doesn't let her go. Not yet anyway. "L.eo.pold.." she whispers. Blood drips on her wedding dress. That only seems to make him more and more angry.

"Don't talk to me!" Leopold shouts very loudly, "you ruined everything and you're still ruining everything." He hits her again, his fist gives her a big slam on her cheek, "do you know what this wedding cost me? And I did it all for you!" He brings his head close to Regina's now, "you can think you’re brave, Regina," he whispers, "but brave people don't make things worse...".

Regina now feels truly terrified. She looks him in the eyes. "Pl..easee." she whispers. "I'll be.. good.."

"You said that to me a hundred times, Regina," he says still very angry, "I don't believe you anymore... I'll never trust you again! You are a horrible wife, and I'll make sure you know that!!"

"Pl.ease..." Regina whispers again. Her wedding dress keeps coloring red from the blood that comes out of her mouth.

"I thought you were brave, brave enough to ignore my orders," the king says and he lets her go. Regina fall on the ground, "so where is that brave girl now? Don't you want to fight me?" He walks closer to her, ready to kick her.

Regina doesn't look up. She curls up to protect her body against the kicking that will follow without a doubt. She moans of pain.

The king doesn't stop kicking her, until someone enters the room. He looks around but can't see who it is. He kicks Regina again... And again. He just waits until the person mentions them.

"Who's there?" A man's voice sounds through the ball room. Regina very softly moans of pain. "I'm.so.rry.." she whispers very, very softly. She almost loses conscience.

"It's me," the king says. He walks to the man, one of his servants who comes to clean everything. "If you can come back in ten minutes I'll be ready with my business, thank you." The man doesn't see Regina and he leaves the room again. 

"We are not finished," the king says and he makes Regina stand.

Regina can barely stand. She leans against the wall to stay upright. She looks at the King. "What more do you want?" she whispers to him, very softly.

"Walk to the bedroom, like nothing happened," he snaps, "if someone asks you... Say you fell down," he pushes her towards the door, "I'll be right behind you!"

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She tries to walk upright, but the high heels don't really help. She puts them out and very slowly walks to the bedroom. Once there she lays down on the bed and curls up again. The King follows right behind her.

"Well well," the king says and he walks to Regina. Her white dress is red for a big part. He knows he did that, but it was her fault. He gets angry, very angry, again. He turns Regina towards him. She lies curled up and he hates that. "Look at me!" He shouts.

Regina looks up at him. Blood drips out of her nose and mouth. She can barely breath. In the King's eyes she sees only darkness. Darkness and hatred. She screwed up big time. He's breaking her, hit by hit and kick by kick. Not only her body, but also her mind. "What do you want, my King?" she softly whispers.

"I want to see you suffer," he snaps, hitting her again. He sees she almost falls down, that he has almost beaten her unconscious. He doesn't want that... That will only put her out of her misery. He lets her go.

 

Regina coughs up blood. She looks at him. "Can I get my dress off? Please?" she whispers softly.

"Do you want that?" the king asks with a loud voice, "is that more comfortable?" He moves his face close to Regina's.

"Y.es..." Regina mumbles. "Please." she whispers.

"Then... No," he says and he starts to laugh very hard, like he just said the funniest thing in the world. He pushes Regina to the wall and starts kissing her, holding his hands on her waist. He lets his tongue slip inside her and moves his hands to her throat.

Regina kisses him back. She knows she's supposed to do that. She moans of pain.

He now pulls back and starts to choke Regina, but he makes sure she won't faint.

"Pleeassee.." Regina begs one last time. She can't hold this much longer. Her eyes start to turn away.

The king lets his hands go and walks away from her, not looking at Regina any longer. He starts change his clothes to something more comfortable, "you want this too, don't you" he says with a grin.

Regina sinks down to the ground. She starts to undress herself. She can't wear that corset any longer. It hurts. It hurts so much. She doesn't wait for his approval.

The king turns around and looks at Regina, "what do you think you're doing!" He snaps and he walks to Regina, who just started to untie her corset. "Don't touch it," he says and he walks to her back.

"Please. It hurts so much. Please..." Regina whispers.

The king says nothing, he only ties the corset tighter. "Put your dress back on!" He says and he sits down on a chair, just looking at Regina.

"No." Regina only whispers.

"O Yes," the king says, "I don't think you want to know the consequences if you refuse to do it." He grins, because he has all the power, he can't lose.

"I can't breathe." Regina whispers. She unties the corset.

"Put it back on," the king says calmly and he stands up, "put it back on until I say you can put it off." He walks towards Regina, feeling his anger coming back. He already loses control.

"I said no." Regina looks up at him.

"I see your bravery has come back," he snaps, "bad choice!" He kicks Regina in her face very hard. He loves to see the blood drip over her face and he loves to see the white grow red.

She moans of pain. Regina turns her back towards the King. "Will you tie it for me then?" she whispers.

"Of course," the king says with a soft but evil voice. He can't look Regina in her eyes, the anger will only grow, so he walks to her back and ties the corset even tighter than before. He gets her dress up and closes the zipper.

Regina breaths very superficially. She looks at the King. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"I already told you," the king says, while he lets Regina step into her high heels, "I want to see you suffer, I want you to feel what happens when you ruin MY wedding and when you ignore MY guests!"

"What do I need to do to make you happy, my King?" Regina softly asks him while she stands up straight. It hurts so much but she knows she has to go through this to satisfy him.

"I want you to dance," the king says and he sits down on his chair again, "clean your face and dance until I say you can stop, just a little warming up...".

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She walks to the bathroom to clean her face. She wants to poof away but she knows it will only makes things worse. She softly dances towards the King.

The king watches Regina dance alone for some time, then he stands up in his comfortable clothes and dances with Regina for a longer time.

Regina leans against him to manage herself to stay upright. She softly kisses him. "I'm so tired." she whispers in his ear.

"But you'll miss all the fun..." the king complaints and the door opens. Zelena and Daniel walk in, they bow for the king. The king smiles and gives them both a hug, leaving Regina for a while.

When the King leaves the room, Regina sinks down on the bed. She just looks at Zelena. She knows she can be worse than the King.

Zelena laughs, while she holds Daniel's hand tightly. She leans against him and he holds her up. "Let's be nice," Zelena says, "put out that ridiculous dress."

Regina quickly undresses herself. She bleeds almost everywhere thanks to the King's hits and kicks. She moans of pain. She curls up under the blanket on bed.

"Don't hide yourself, Regina," Zelena says and she pulls the blanket from Regina's body. "I brought Daniel for you, don't you want to hug him? Or even kiss him?" She says with a laugh and she lets a servant pick up a soft dress for Regina.

Regina looks up at Daniel. She lets the servant put the dress on her. She walks slowly, barefoot, towards Daniel. The pain she's feeling shows clearly in her eyes.

Zelena sits down on the chair, from which the king just left. The evil smile doesn't fade as she watches Regina and Daniel. 

Daniel walks to Regina, full of worry. He knows what the king has done and he knows he can't do anything about it. He picks up Regina's hand to keep from falling down.

"Thank you." Regina softly whispers. She leans against Daniel. "I'm so tired." she whispers now in his ear. "Everything hurts." she whispers then.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers back. He takes Regina in his arms and Zelena lets them. He moves his hands slowly over Regina's back.

Regina moans of pain. "It hurts." she now cries. "Please. Please, leave me alone. I want to sleep." She crashes down on the ground. She just can't stand any longer.

"That's exactly the reason why we stay," Zelena says, "but that means you won't want Daniel anymore? Good for me," she laughs and pins Regina up to the wall.

Regina moans of pain, louder now. "What do I need to do for everyone to leave me alone?!" she snaps at Zelena.

"You should have acted like a queen on your wedding Regina," Zelena says, "the king says you ruined it and of course you have to pay for that..."

"I've payed enough by now!" Regina screams at her.

"No you don't!" Zelena shouts back.

"What more do you want? Please! Tell me!" Regina cries. She looks up at Daniel. Why doesn't he help her?

"I want you to say goodbye to Daniel," Zelena says, "this will be your last night together and after that I'll take him with me to Oz, sis," she never used that word before, but since she found out they are sisters she loves to use it, and the look in Regina's eyes, makes it even more worth it.

"Sis?" Regina whispers very softly. "I'm an only child. We can't be sisters." Regina looks at Daniel again. Goodbye? She can't say goodbye to him. She doesn't want him to leave. Tears roll down her face. She coughs up blood again.

"You're mother abandoned me when I was a baby," Zelena says clearly, "but I won't bother you any longer on this special night... You can enjoy each other for the last time. Even the king will stay away from you," she smiles and poofs away in a green smoke, knowing the bigger Regina's love for Daniel, the more she will hurt her sister as she takes him away from her.

Regina sinks back to the ground. "You should go." she whispers to Daniel.

Daniel looks confused, "is that what you want?" he asks her softly, while he looks into her eyes. Regina frightens him with the look in her eyes, he never saw her like this before. "I'm... I'm so sorry I didn't help you, I couldn't." He carefully walks towards her.

"I... I know." Regina whispers. "It's alright." She looks up at him. "Don't touch me. Everything hurts."

Daniel sits down next to Regina, "Shall I carry you to the bed?" he softly asks, "I'll clean your wounds...". He doesn't know what to say and he wishes he could take all the pain, so Regina wouldn't feel a thing...

"Yes. Please." Regina whispers. "I.. I can't walk to the bed. It hurts too much."

Daniel carries Regina to the bed. Every step he does is slow and careful, hoping he doesn't hurt Regina very much. He lays her down and picks up a wet towel and some ice. "Here," he says and he lays the ice on her bruises. He cleans the wounds, he can see it hurts Regina when he removes the blood, which has already dried up a bit.

"Thank you, Daniel." Regina whispers when Daniel is finished.

Daniel smiles, "it's the least thing I can do," he says and he sits down on the side of the bed, softly holding Regina's hand, "I'll come back for you one day," he whispers and he looks away.

Regina nodds. "I will wait for you." she whispers back to him. "I... I want to go to sleep now. Please? Can I? Can you hold me until I fall asleep?" Regina looks up at him with eyes full of hope.

"Yes," he whispers and he holds Regina's hand. He removes the ice and lays it next to the bed. He waits until Regina sleeps and then lays down next to her, just looking at her.

Regina wakes up in the middle of the night, screaming. She looks next to her and notices the King is laying beside her.

"Regina?" Daniel says, who still lays beside her. Regina did sleep for only an hour. He lays his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but it looks like Regina doesn't recognize him, like she sees someone else, "Regina it's me," he whispers, "it was only a dream."

"I'm sorry for screaming, my King. I won't do it again." Regina whispers. She looks the King in his eyes. They have a different color. How is that possible? Regina turns on her other side but moans of pain. She's broken. Completely broken. She softly, very softly, cries.

"Regina, it's me," Daniel says, he is really scared, "please look at me, I'm Daniel, not the king." Daniel notices Regina is crying and he doesn't know how to reach her anymore, "Regina please..."

Regina keeps crying, louder and louder. She just can't stop it. She startles when the door flies open and the King walks in. She looks next to her and sees Daniel. "I thought you were the King." Regina whispers.

"I'm not," Daniel whispers and he wraps his arms around her to protect her from the king.  
"Time's up..." the king clearly states.

Regina looks at the King. She nodds. "I'll wait for you." she very softly whispers to Daniel. "I promise."

"I'll come for you," Daniel whispers back, "I promise," he kisses her. It's a short and gentle kiss. It doesn't feel like a goodbye. He walks away from Regina and before he leaves the room he looks over his shoulder and winks, as to say, we will be all right.

Regina nodds slowly. She then turns towards the King. "What do you want me to do for you, my King?" she whispers.

"I want you to keep quiet, your voice annoys me," he says and he lays down beside Regina, laying his hands on her arms.

Regina nodds. She just looks at him. She kisses him softly, because she knows that's what he wants.

The king kisses her back, putting out her soft dress. He pulls her towards him.

Regina softly moans of pain. Her whole body hurts.

The king ignores Regina and does what he wants. He moves his body, so he connects with Regina's. He knows he hurts her, but he doesn't care.

Regina feels him slipping inside of her. She moans of pain. Every touch hurts. "Please..." she whispers. "You're hurting me."

"Stop talking," the king says, but he lets her go and lies beside her again, but he still holds her close.

Regina looks up at him. "Am I done? Am I punished enough?" she asks him, on a very, very soft tone.

"Never," he says and he turns away from her. He doesn't say a word after that and falls asleep.

Regina turns away from him and cries herself to sleep. She wakes up the next morning because the King wakes her up.

"Breakfast," he only says and he waits for Regina to dress herself. He reaches out his arm and they walk together to the dining room.

Regina has dressed herself in a soft, easy dress. When she and the King walk into the dining room to have breakfast, everyone bows for them. Regina and Leopold sit down on their place at the biggest table. Regina eats some breakfast and looks up at Leopold. He nodds to her when she has eaten enough. Regina puts down her fork and knife. She softly smiles at him. The Queen he always wanted.


	7. The Evil Queen

The time goes on. Decisions are made and problems are solved. The king rules the kingdom and Regina is the queen he always wanted. Two years pass by and everything is still kind of the same. The king still hurts Regina sometimes, but seeing his daughter growing up makes that he is less angry and cruel.

This day starts like every other day. He and Regina have breakfast with every important person in the palace and after that the king goes to work and lets Regina look after Snow White.

Zelena and Daniel are still gone and the nights are still full of 'love'.

"Snow? I have work to do, so you play nice in here, alright?" Regina turns around and leaves Snow with one of the maids. She walks towards the Royal Gardens. For the past years she has sat down beneath her favorite apple tree, just waiting for Daniel to come.

Lady Tremaine sees Regina. She sits there every day... "When are you going to give up on him?" lady Tremaine says, "you have already been doing this for two years now, it's time to get him out of your mind...".

Regina shakes her head. "No." she softly says. "He promised to come back for me. I promised to wait for him." Regina looks up at her nanny. "He still hurts me." she whispers to her.

Lady Tremaine sits down beside Regina, "he does?" She whispers back an looks at Regina, "I thought he changed..." She sighs.

"No. He will never change. It's less because of Snow White, but he still does it. And when he does... He hurts me so bad." Regina whispers. "Why didn't you crush my heart when I asked you to, all those years ago?"

"The same reason why you come here every day again... I still had hope," lady Tremaine says, "and just like you that hope is still inside me and I still believe you'll get your happy ending...".

"I'll never get my happy ending. I hate the King, I hate Snow White, I hate this life. I have to do something about it!" Regina snaps at her. "I've found one of my mom's books. About... About dark magic." Regina looks at Lady Tremaine. "I want to know more about it. I'm sure that.. Rumplestiltskin can learn me a couple of things about it."

"Don't say that Regina!" Lady Tremaine says, but it's already too late, Rumplestiltskin appears in front of them. "You called me dearie?"

"Yes, I did." Regina shows him the book she was just talking about with Lady Tremaine. "Your name is written in this book. It's one of my mom's books. Can you... Do you want to teach me some stuff? I don't want this life. I want to get out of it. Can you help me?"

"Of course I can!" Rumplestiltskin says full of excitement. Lady Tremaine stands up and looks at Regina, "it's too dangerous, don't do it," she whispers.

"I don't care if it's dangerous. I need to do this. I need to find a way to get out of this life, nanny. Please... I hope you understand." Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin. "The King can never find out. Promise?"

"Of course," he says. He grins and reaches out his hand, "let's go, poof us away!"

"Please Regina!" Lady Tremaine says.

Regina poofs the both of them away, deep into the forest. She looks up at Rumplestiltskin. "Thank you for doing this, sir." she softly says to him.

"No problem, dearie!" Rumple says, "now show me, how far are you willing to go?"

"Whatever it takes." Regina whispers to him.

Rumple laughs, "kill that whole village," he points in the distance, he knows she has to kill them one by one first, but he believes in her.

"Not a problem." Regina walks towards the village and kills everyone she encounters. She kills them all, all the women, all the men, all the children and all the elderly. She kills them all by ripping their hearts out and crushing it with her bare hands.

"Good," rumple says, "but your reaction is too slow," he points at a few villagers in the distance, "they are not the only one who escaped," he adds, "now try again," and he poofs them to the next village.

"Isn't there a quicker way?" Regina asks him. She forms a fireball in her hand and destroys most of the houses with a single fireball. Not only the houses but also the people standing in the way. She looks at Rumplestiltskin.

"Great," he says full of excitement. He claps in his hand. "Now walk to that little girl right there." He points at a crying girl who stands by her mother, who Regina just killed.

"Do I have to kill her too?" Regina smiles at him. She kind of likes doing this.

"Yes," rumple says, "but when you do it you have to look at her, you have to look her in her eyes... Don't look away,".

Regina does exactly what he asks of her. She then turns towards Rumplestiltskin. "Why did I have to look her in the eyes? I don't care about her or her family."

"You need to see their feelings," he says, "weak people can't kill when they do that... But you... You are perfect." He grins.

Regina smiles at him. "I am. At least... That's what everyone says about me." She looks at him. "Can you help me to get out of this life?"

"Of course I can," Rumplestiltskin says, "the only thing you need to do is give in to your inner darkness, control you magic and claim the kingdom." He walks around her, "simple isn't it?"

"How do I do that?" Regina asks him.

"By following your instincts and of course I'll help you with that," rumple says and he smiles. "You'll become like your mother... No, even worse," he adds, "do you want it?"

Regina looks up at him. "If it gets me out of this life... I'll do anything." She smiles at him. "What's next?"

"Excellent!" He says, "all you need to know are a few tricks,". He takes Regina to another village, she needs to cross a line. A dark and evil line. This was the ultimate test, of she will pass this one, she was indeed perfect. "You're ready for your new task?"

"I am." Regina smiles at him. "What do I need to do?"

"Good," he says, "go inside that house, inside is a girl... About your age and she just became a mother. Can you see the smile on her face?" He points through the window at the girl who looks incredibly happy. She kisses her baby.

Regina starts walking to the house but stops when she sees who it is. "It is Marian." she whispers.

"It is," Rumple says, "now go inside, and rip Marian's heart out," he grins, "then let her kill her own child. Do it and you'll be free from your miserable life forever." He smiles of satisfaction and waits for Regina to react.

"I can't do that. Those people have been nothing but kind to me. I won't do that." Regina turns towards Rumplestiltskin. "You will have to come up with something else."

"It's this or your life," rumple says. He needs her full darkness, not just a sparkle, "the choice is yours...". He sits down under a tree and smiles.

"I won't do it. I won't let her kill her own child." Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin. "I can kill her but leave the baby alone."

"I shouldn't wait for too long, or Robin will be home," rumple says, "I like it better with both of them, but I understand you like one better than two." He leans back and sighs.

Regina poofs inside, kills Marian and poofs back outside. Right in time. Robin gets home right after she has poofed away from Marian. "We go now." Regina says to Rumplestiltskin. She poofs away with him.

"Welcome back to your miserable life, we'll go back to the palace and I'll never help you again." Rumple says, "unless you want a second chance." He smiles, and he knows she needs him.

"I'm not killing that baby!" Regina snaps at him. "Give me another task, I'll do whatever you want, but leave Robin and his baby alone!"

"Let Robin kill his baby," rumple laughs, "it's the only thing you have to do before your free." He poofs Regina to the house again and knocks on the door for her. Robin opens the door, carrying his baby on his arm. His face is covered with tears.

"R.Robin.." Regina mumbles. "What's going on?" she asks him, as if she doesn't already know.

"Regina?" he whispers, "I... It's..." he can't find the words he wants to say. He only shakes his head and tears starts rolling over his cheeks again, "I'm sorry...".

Regina can't look at this. She poofs herself away back to Rumplestiltskin. "I've asked for another task! We're leaving the both of them alone. I am the Queen and you should listen to me!"

"You asked for my help, dearie, not the other way around" he says and he poofs her back. The door is still open, but Robin has gone inside.

Regina goes inside. "Robin?" She sees Marian laying on the ground, just where she left her. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

Robin dries his tears, "I should have been here? I wish I knew what happened to her," he says with sadness in his voice. He looks at Regina, while he sits next to Marian, who lays motionless on the couch. "I'm sorry you have to see this, my queen," and he remembers he forgot to bow. He bows, "what brought you here?"

"You don't have to bow for me. I don't like that." Regina whispers. She looks outside and sees Rumplestiltskin still sitting under the tree. "I... I did that." she whispers.

"You did what?" Robin says with tears in his eyes. What does she mean...? No, that can't be it, does it?"

Regina doesn't dare to look up at him. "He wants me to let you kill your baby too. But I don't want to let you do that." She cries now.

"You mean... You mean you killed Marian?" Robin says carefully, but as he sees Regina crying, he knows it's true, "why?" He whispers through his tears, "why would you do that?"   
He keeps his eyes locked on Regina, his body shakes.

"Because he asked me to!" Regina snaps at him. "It's the only way to get out of this life!"

Robin is stunned by Regina sudden anger, "after all... No never mind," he looks away, "get out of my house please," he says softly. He doesn't feel anger, but he knows he lost his trust... His trust in her, but also his trust in other people. What did he ever do to her to deserve this?

"I'm so sorry." Regina rips out his heart. "Kill your child." she whispers to it.

"No..." Robin says but he moves to his child. He takes his son in his arms, ready to choke him, "what did I ever do to you," he says, he cries now and looks at Regina, "please..." He says and his hands shake.

"I'm so sorry." Regina whispers. She turns away when Robin kills his own son. Regina then talks again to the heart. "You will forget all about Marian and your son. You will always have been alone." She puts his heart back into his chest while she poofs away the bodies of Marian and the child.

Outside Rumple waits for Regina, "good job, Regina," he says when she comes out of the house and he reaches out his arm, "perfect, but still weak... But we can work on that!" He says and he grins.

"Leave him alone now." Regina whispers. She turns around and looks at Robin who smiles at her and waves her goodbye. Regina softly waves back before poofing away with Rumplestiltskin. "What now?" she asks him.

"I'll leave him alone for now..." Rumple grins, "and? Before we go on... What do you feel?"

"I feel horrible!" Regina snaps at him. But deep inside she also feels some kind of happiness. Because now she can get away out of this hell of a life.

"You do?" Rumple says, "you can’t keep the truth hidden from me, dearie," he poofs them to a giant hole, the bottom is really far down. "Jump down," rumple says.

"Why? Where is it going to take me?" Regina asks him.

"It makes you trust your magic," he says, "if you just jump you'll die, now it's your job to stay alive...".

Regina jumps. Flying objects and enemies fly towards her but she keeps them off with her fireballs. She poofs away where she needs to and re-appears where she needs to. When the test is done, she looks at Rumplestiltskin. "Happy?"

He nods, not impressed, "good," he says walking away without saying a thing after that.

"Can we now skip to the part where you help me get out of this life?" Regina asks this Rumplestiltskin.

Rumple smiles, "fine," he says, "it's all about timing and using magic everywhere." he says, "you're not ready yet, you have killed a few persons today, but you have to prepare to control more than a thousand people, to fight the guards, make the survivors forget and let them honor you as the queen. You need to create fear, and that's not something you can learn in one day, dearie...".

"What should I do?" Regina simply asks him.

"Try to control a village, instead of killing them, make them help you reach your goal." He says and he poofs them to a new village. "Choose your own way, ripping out all hearts... Or just freeze them all... Maybe just make them fear you by creating fire..." He leans to a house, watching Regina's choice.

Regina waves with her hand and re-appears in a beautiful dress. "Good afternoon, villagers." she smiles while walking into town.

Most of the villagers turn their head towards Regina. They immediately bow for her. "Good afternoon, my queen," they say, all at another moment.

Regina smiles. "Why don't we try that again, but this time you'll all say that at the same time? I like it better that way." She looks around, waiting.

It remains silent, no one dares to start. One of them counts to three and they say it all together. They remember the queen as a kind girl, so they all smile to her when they are finished.

Regina walks around. "I'm still not happy." The smile on her face doesn't disappear.

The people bow again, "I'm sorry, my queen, we will do it again for you," the woman who stands in the middle of the group says. The people want to honor their queen and on three they say it again, this time almost perfect.

"That was better." Regina laughs. "But it still wasn't perfect, now was it?" Without hesitation she rips out the heart of one of the men who's standing closest to her. "I'm going to give you all a choice. You do it again, perfect this time, or this man dies."

The people are shocked, they do it again, perfect this time. They bow again, it's like a layer of fog just covered them with fear. Was this their queen?

"That wasn't that hard, right?" Regina smiles while putting back the heart into the man's chest. "Now. Go on with your work." Regina leaves the town and walks over to Rumplestiltskin. She can smell the fear of the villagers.

"Not bad, my queen," he imitates the villagers, "and did you know... that black dress suits you," He walks away some weird giggle escapes his mouth.

"Well thank you. I think it will be my new favorite color." Regina laughs. "I should go back to the Castle now. My husband will be done with work soon and then it's time for dinner. Do we continue tomorrow, Rumplestiltskin?"

"If you wish so," Rumple says, "same spot same time!"

"That's a deal." Regina smiles and then poofs away back to the Royal Castle. Just in time. She's undressing herself in the bedroom at the moment the King walks in. Regina looks over her shoulder to him. "Hi." she smiles at him.

"Hey," the king says as he sees Regina in the bed, "how is my daughter doing?" He asks, she is the only thing he cares about. He starts to undress himself.

"She's doing great, my King. She has been playing all day very nicely." Regina strokes his back.

"Wonderful," he says and he smiles. He lays his hands on her back too and he moves his lips towards hers.

Regina kisses him back. She lets her tongue slips into his mouth. She moves closer towards him until their naked bodies touch.

The king moves his hands to Regina's hips and slips inside her. He makes her follow his rhythm.

Regina moans of pleasure. She changes the rhythm and makes the King follow her now.

The king smiles, he likes this. He still kisses Regina violently. He breathes heavily, trying to keep up with Regina's movements.

Regina lets him reach his climax. She then pulls back. "It's time for dinner, my King." She waves with her hand and re-appears wearing a black dress and a very tight corset beneath it. She looks at the King. "How do you like this dress on me?"

"I love it," he says, "black suits you." He takes her hand and kisses her, holding his other hand around her waist.

"It's my new favorite color." Regina smiles at him. They both enter the dining room for dinner. When they do everyone stops talking and looks at the Queen in fear.

They all know what happened in the villages today, everyone except for the king. "What is this?" The king says, "show some respect!"

Everyone bows for the King and his Queen. Regina smiles at their guests. "Something wrong, dears?" she asks them when she and the King sit down at their table.

The men turn their heads away and starts to eat like nothing happened. The king is confused by Regina's behavior... She was never so confident.

Regina slams her glass on the table. "I think I've just asked you all a question. Is something wrong?"

"No, my queen," the men say, still not looking at her. The king lays his hand on Regina's arm, "what are you doing?" He snaps.

Regina looks at the King. "Nothing. I'm sorry, my King." she whispers. She eats a little bit. She never eats much. She knows she can eat a little to stay alive and to not get fat but stay this skinny.

The king smiles and after dinner they take a walk through the gardens together. "I have a party tonight," Leopold says, "I want Snow to sleep with you, I don't trust drunk men around her."

"She needs to sleep in her own bed, Leopold." Regina clearly states. She hates having Snow around her.

"It was a command, not a question," the king says, "or do you want it clearer... Snow sleeps next to you tonight and you will hold her and protect her so nothing happens to her." Leopold squeezes Regina's wrist, do you understand?"

"I'm not doing that, my King. You can't make me." Regina just answers him.

"I can," he snaps, "I can because I'm the king and I can hurt you whenever I want. So do it or you'll bleed!"

"She's your daughter. You take care of her." Regina snaps at the King.

"You're my wife, so that makes her your daughter too, and besides that you have to do what I say!" He makes a fist.

Regina quickly turns away. "Yes, my King." she softly whispers. "I'm sorry." Slowly she looks up at him again.

"Good," he says, but he can’t keep himself from hitting Regina on her cheek very hard. "Now go and get her." he says.

"What's the point in listening and obeying to you if you're still going to hurt me?" Regina snaps at him. "No. I won't do it. Take care of her yourself!"

"You deserve to be hurt, because you ignore my orders," the king shouts, "you'll take care of my daughter with love. Otherwise I'll make this night the most horrible night you can remember, because my daughter deserves the best!!"

"I said I was going to look after her but you insisted on hitting me. You've ruined your chances yourself. I'm not looking out for her, ever again!"

The king now hits Regina very hard. He sees blood appear. "I do what I want and you need to serve me, like you always did." He hits her again and again. It has been a quite long time since he was so angry.

"Stop hurting me!" Regina screams at him. "I can't take care of Snow if you keep hurting me!"

The king stops hurting Regina, "go and get her," he snaps, "and love her, love her like you loved that stable boy of yours, wouldn't he come back to safe you?" He grins.

Regina looks up at him with hatred in her eyes now. "Don't speak to me about Daniel!" she screams at him. She runs towards the King and starts hitting him.

The king laughs, but Regina hits him very hard on his nose and screams. He places his foot on her stomach and kick her as hard as he can.

Regina moans of pain. She flies against the wall but gets back up again. "You have to stop hurting me!" she screams again.

"You need to stop ignoring my orders," he shouts back and he walks to her, "you deserve to be hurt because of that, so this starts with you,".

Regina looks him in the eyes with hatred in her own eyes. "Let me be alone!" she snaps at him.

"No!" The king shouts, "get my daughter NOW!"

"NO!" Regina screams back at him.

"I'll hurt you if you don't," he says, "so go away and take care of her!!"

Regina doesn't move an inch. "You have servants and maids for that. I'm not her mother."

"You are," the king says, "my daughter only deserves a queen! Not some kind of slave!" He walks closer to Regina.

Regina still doesn't move. "No."

"Remember what I said," the king says, "I can make this night the worst night you'll ever have, trust me, so go." He says and he raises his fist.

Regina keeps looking him in the eyes. "I. Said. NO." She says this with a soft but stern voice.

The king hits Regina very hard again and he starts choking her with a lot of power. "Listen to me!" he snaps.

"N.oo.." Regina now whispers. "I'm not.. her... mother..." she whispers.

"You are," the king snaps and he pushes harder, "say it!"

"Never." Regina whispers. She almost loses conscience.

"Say! It!" The king says, kicking her with his knee in her stomach. "You have one more chance!"

Regina now moans and screams of pain. He has won. He has defeated her. "I am Snow's mother." Regina softly whispers. Blood drips out of her mouth and nose.

"Good," he says and he kisses her, tasting her blood when it drips into his mouth, "now fix yourself and act like it." He whispers clearly in her ear.

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She goes to the bathroom and heals herself. She has learned how to do that in the last couple of years. She needed to be able to do that. She waves with her hand and re-appears in a soft dress. She then walks to Snow White's room to get her. She picks up the little girl who is almost three years old. Regina takes her with her to the bedroom of her and Leopold. "Enjoy your party." Regina whispers to King Leopold. She lays Snow in bed and tells her to go to sleep.

"I don't want to sleep, mommy," Snow White day and she stretches out her arms to Regina. She wants her to pick her up, "please, mommy," she says and she jumps a little, "tell me a story!" She grabs the side of her little bed, ready to climb out.

Regina turns her back towards the little girl. "It is time to sleep now." she says with a strict voice.

"But I don't want to sleep," she says still jumping, but now she starts to cry too. "I am still awake!"

Regina looks up at the King, who is still standing in the bedroom to see how Regina will handle this situation. Regina slowly turns around to the little girl with hatred in her eyes. The King doesn't see that since she's standing with her back towards him. "It's. Time. To. Go. To. Sleep." Regina slowly repeats while looking very angrily at Snow White.

The kings looks angry at Regina, waiting for her to take his daughter in her arms and give her the love she deserves. Snow White starts to cry very hard, "mom-my!" She screams.

"No, Snow White, it is time to go asleep. It's already far to late for you to be up now." Regina turns her back towards the little girl.

Snow White stands in her bed, still crying and screaming very loud. "I can't sleep." She says with her high voice.

Regina turns back around with more hatred in her eyes. "Well, you have to! I don't want to hear you anymore!" Regina snaps.

The king walks to Regina when he hears Snow White is still crying very hard. "This is not the way you need to do it," he softly snaps at Regina, "take her in your arms!"

"She needs to sleep." Regina snaps back at him. "She's crying because she's tired." She looks up at the King. "I'm not taking her in my arms."

The king picks up his daughter and reaches her out to Regina, "hold her," he whispers, "she deserves love! She can't sleep of you're so cruel to her." He kisses his daughter and stretches his arms out again, waiting for Regina to pick her up.

Regina just looks the King in the eyes and doesn't take over Snow White.

"I guess you don't want me to hurt you again, do you," the kings says, "because that's going to happen if you act like this,".

"I don't care what you'll do to me. You can't make me love this child. She's your child, yours and Eva's, not mine. I've never wanted this in the first place."

"You need to do what I say," the king says. He is very angry again. He kisses daughter and calls a maid to look after her for a while. He grabs Regina's arm and takes her to the bathroom. He locks the door and he hits her in her face, again, like he did so many times before.

Regina looks up at him after he hit her. "What's the matter, dear? Don't want to do it in the bedroom any longer? Are you getting tired of hurting me in that room?"

He doesn't want his daughter to see him like this, that's the reason, but he doesn't say it he only hits her again.

Regina saw that hit coming and just in time steps away so he slams into the air. Regina giggles.

The kings hands start to shake. His anger is bigger than ever before and he runs towards Regina and pushes her to the wall with all his strength.

Regina gasps for air. She didn't saw this one coming. She poofs away and re-appears behind the King. She giggles again.

"You want to play with me," the king snaps. He breaths heavily, "I give you one chance to stop this or I'll make this night the worst night you ever had!" He screams now, but he stands still.

"I only play when I know for sure I'll win." Regina smiles at him. "So... No. I'm not stopping this. You need to stop hurting me."

"I won't hurt you if you act like a queen," he says, "if you do what you're supposed to do!"

"I am doing what I'm supposed to do. Your child needs to learn some manners!" Regina now snaps at him.

"My daughter needs love!" he shouts very hard.

"Then give her some! She's not getting it from me, I'm NOT HER MOTHER!" Regina shouts back at him.

"You are!" He says, "you're MY wife and that makes you her mother!" The king walks to Regina, "now go to her and give kiss her goodnight! She needs a mother!"

"NO!" Regina now shouts in his face.

"Yes, you will!" he shouts back, but the magic has terrified him a little, so he doesn't dare to hurt her anymore. He tries to keep in control.

"No, I'm not. You take care of her yourself. She's your daughter. I don't love her. I hate her!" Regina sees in the King's eyes she has crossed a line.

The king breathes heavier. He can't control himself anymore and he pushes Regina to the wall again. Before she can use her magic he starts to choke her, while he kicks her in her stomach again.

Regina moans of pain now. Her magic doesn't work now. It seems to freeze every time Regina feels afraid. She looks up at the King. "I.. I didn't mean that...." she whispers. "I.I'm sor..." But the words can't come out. He hurts her too much.

The king doesn't respond to Regina's words. He only hurts her more. He kicks her until she falls on the ground and even then he doesn't stop. Her words made him lose control and he doubts if he can ever see Regina again, without the anger he feels now.

After a few minutes of getting hit and kicked, Regina doesn't respond any more. She has lost conscience.

The king looks at Regina. She lays on the White ground of the bathroom. The floor and her clothes are red from the blood and it's still getting worse. The king gives her one last kick, but then walks away, locking the door from the outside so no one can find her.

After a few hours, which seemed like ages, Regina softly wakes up. She notices she's alone and still lying on the bathroom floor. Everything hurts. She can't move. Or maybe she can but she doesn't dare to move. She knows only one place where she wants to be right now. Robin. With the last strength she has Regina poofs herself away to Robin's cabin in the woods. She knows she killed his wife and has let him kill his only son, but she also knows he doesn't remember a thing about that. Regina re-appears in front of the door of Robin's cabin. She's too weak to knock on the door so she just waits.

Robin opens the door when he wants to go out to hunt. "Regina?" He says when he sees her lying on the ground. He kneels down beside her. "How did you get here?" He whispers, but he doesn't expect an answer. He carries her inside.

"Hmm..." Regina can only whisper. She moans of pain when he picks her up to carry her inside. She puts her arms around his neck, afraid that he's going to let her go.

Robin lays Regina on the couch. He isn't able to leave because Regina is holding his arm, "I need to clean your wounds," he whispers, "don't worry I won't leave you..."

"S.ta..y..." Regina mumbles. She starts to close her eyes again because it hurts so much. She just wants to sleep.

"I can't..." He says but he doesn't finish his sentence. He just stays close to her. "Your wounds will get infected if I don't do something," he whispers after a while.

Regina lets go of his arm. She follows him with her eyes just to make sure he isn't going to leave her alone. "The King." she whispers when Robin comes back to her with stuff to clean her wounds.

"I'm so sorry," Robin says, he can't imagine how someone could do this to her... He cleans the wound and after that he picks up the bandage. For a moment he doesn't know what to do... He remembers the bandage around Regina's leg from a while ago, it was perfect right then... Did he do that? Soon he gets out of his little fuss and starts bandaging Regina's wounds.

Regina moans of pain but she lets Robin help her. At least with the physical wounds. With the hurt in her heart and mind he can't help her.

"I'm sorry I don't have any ice," he says, but he gets a wet towel for her, hoping it will let the pain disappear a bit. It doesn't seem to help, "I'm sorry, my queen," he says and he bows a little.

"N.oo.. Don't bow for me." Regina almost begs. She's so tired of people doing that. "I don't want that." she whispers. She looks up at him. "I'm so sorry to intrude."

Robin quickly brings up his head and looks at her, "it's no problem, really," Robin says and he stands up.

"You will be rewarded generously." Regina whispers. She knows she has to go back to the Royal Castle as soon as possible, but she hates it there. She loves being here. It's so calm and beautiful outside. She looks up at Robin. "Can I... Do you mind if I... stay... for a little while longer?"

"No that's no problem at all I've a bed for two persons... No I'll sleep on the couch that's no problem..." Robin says. His big bed suddenly sounds weird... "And I don't want a reward, I have enough," he says with a smile and he starts cleaning up the stuff on the table.

"I don't want to sleep alone." Regina softly whispers. She looks up at Robin. "I'm scared alone. I'm scared he will come and get me. I don't want to go back to the Castle. He will kill me one day."

"You can stay here until..." Robin says, but he hesitates, "until you want to leave," he adds, but he knows she knows the truth. The guards will find her before that. "You can stay with me," he says then, "I'll lie next to you if you want."

Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "Really? You mean that?" she whispers. She knows he means it when he picks her up and carries her upstairs to the bedroom.

"Of course I do," he says and he lays Regina on the bed. She still weighs almost nothing, but it wasn't as bad as the last time he saw her. Robin walks away from her to put out the fire downstairs.

"Robin?" Regina asks loudly when he doesn't come back quickly enough. "Robin, are you still there?" Her voice is filled with panic.

"Yes I am, Regina," he says and he runs to the bedroom as fast as he can, "is something wrong, my que- Regina?" he says a bit worried.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "I'm just so scared, being alone. I'm so scared he will find me again. I don't want to go back, Robin, please. Please." Regina begs.

"It's okay," he says, "you can stay as long as you want...". He knows they will find her and he knows they probably have to leave the house now, but he can't move Regina right now, so he just hopes the king is not in a hurry.

"I'm so cold." Regina whispers. Her body starts to shake. It's like she's going to collapse. "I'm so cold." she whispers again.

Robin lays a blanket around her body. It's a very thin blanket, he can't afford a better one... He wants to hold her, just to warm her up, but he doesn't want her to get frightened and he doesn't want to hurt her.

Regina looks at him. "Will you hold me? Please?" She looks at him with eyes full of hope. When he lays down beside her, Regina slowly lays closer and closer against him, until her body touches his completely. She lays her head on his chest.

"Yeah," Robin says softly. Regina also warms him up. Then his body freezes for a moment. It feels like an empty spot in his heart, like he experienced this before... He doesn't know... He relaxes again and smiles, making sure Regina lies in a comfortable position.

Regina calms down when she hears Robin's heart, softly beating in his chest. She looks up at him. "Thank you." she whispers, before falling asleep.

After a while Robin falls asleep too. It's a peaceful night and when Robin wakes up, Regina is still lying in the same way on his chest. He smiles and waits for her to wake up.

Regina wakes up, not long after Robin did. She doesn't know he's awake and she doesn't dare to move, afraid to wake him up.

They just lie there, until Robin sees Regina has woken up, "good morning," Robin says, "did you sleep well?"

"I did. I actually did. Thank you." Regina whispers. She moves away from Robin. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Thank you.. For tonight." she whispers.

"I'm glad I can help you, my queen," Robin says as he steps out of the bed. He almost bows... He isn't used to people thanking him, instead of the other way around.

"I'm not your Queen. I'm your friend. I hope." Regina whispers those last words. "I don't want to be Queen. I never wanted that."

Robin smiles, "you can be both," he says and he starts to walk downstairs, helping Regina so she can walk herself.

Regina softly smiles at him when he helps her getting downstairs. It's far more easier to walk than the night before. "I... I should go." Regina whispers. "He will be looking for me and I don't want him to hurt you."

"Don't worry about me," Robin says, "I'll help you get to a safer place if you want."

"Is there such a thing?" Regina asks, with a soft voice. She doesn't mean this sarcastically. She really doesn't believe there is such a thing as a safe place, away from the King and his guards.

"I don't know..." Robin whispers honestly. They'll find her, he knows that, so maybe staying here was better...

Regina startles when they hear footsteps outside of the door. "I... I can use my magic." Regina whispers. "Poof us out of here. Is that alright?" she asks Robin.

"You're my queen," Robin says, "do what you want," he knows she doesn't like him to call her queen, but he can't help it...

"I'm not your Queen!" Regina snaps at him. She poofs away, alone. She re-appears back in the Royal Castle, in the bathroom. She softly opens the door and sees King Leopold lying in bed with Snow White next to him in her cradle. Regina takes a few steps towards the bed but wakes up Leopold that way.

The guards find out Regina isn't with Robin, but they make sure he doesn't forget them. They hit him with their swords before they go, leaving him bleeding in his house.

"Regina," Leopold says as he sees her. He stays where he is, "had a nice trip?" he snaps.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "I'm so sorry." She knows she has to make up for this. She slowly walks towards Snow White, who has started crying because it's morning and she's hungry, and picks her up into her arms. "I will get her breakfast." Regina whispers. "If that is alright with you, my King?"

"Yes," he says, knowing he has won, "Thank you." He stays in the bed to sleep for a while.  
"Mommy mommy," Snow White keeps saying happily.

While walking outside of the door, Regina makes sure the King hears what she says to Snow White: "Mommy is here, darling."

Snow White wraps her arms around Regina's neck and starts to make high sounds, just trying to sing a song, "are you still mad mommy?"

"No, sweetie, I'm not mad any more. Your daddy and I just had an argument. It's over now. Come on, let's get something to eat, just you and me in the kitchen." Regina and Snow White walk downstairs and enter the kitchen. Regina lets the cook make pancakes for Snow White. Regina herself doesn't eat very much. She looks at the girl. She actually doesn't hate her at all. It's not Snow White's fault what's going on in Regina's life. Regina gives Snow a little kiss on her forehead. "That's because I love you." she whispers to the little girl.


	8. Redemption

Another 7 years passed by and Snow White grew up in peace. She was 10 years old now and loved her mother and father more than everyone. Regina told her she wasn't her real mother, but she didn't care and still called her mom, because she was the one who raised her and who was always there for her. From her father she got everything, a new horse when she wanted too, new dresses and new toys, if she was tired of her dolls. Snow White didn't notice her fathers anger on his bad days, but Leopold still hurt Regina. Not as frequently as before, but sometimes he completely lost control. Now that Regina was a good mother for his daughter, he calmed down a bit. He rules the kingdom, goes to parties and sleeps with Regina, everything stayed the same in his eyes. But Rumplestilskin still teaches Regina magic when the king is doing business. Although Regina isn't that evil anymore, because the king made her more afraid and maybe even more weak, he still teaches her magic. Not only how to use it, that's easy, but how to control it and how to use it against people...

After another night of terrors and pain, inflicted by the King, Regina wakes up in his arms. "Lady Tremaine is taking care of Snow today." Regina whispers to King Leopold.

"Why?" he whispers back. Regina lays with her back against his stomach. He holds her close and kisses her in her hair, his arms tightly around her.

"Because I have to do some things today." Regina softly answers.

"O do you?" The king say and he turns her around so he can look at her, "what things? I've not planned something for you today..."

"I think after being married for 10 years, I can keep track of my own schedule, can't I?" Regina snaps at him. The torture of the night she still feels inside her body.

"Yes of course," he snaps back, "but I hate it when your schedule doesn't match with the one I have in mind," he grabs her arm and moves his head close to hers, "so what are those... Things... You need to do today?"

"What's the problem if you didn't have anything planned for me today?" Regina snaps back once again.

"I hate it when I don't know what you're doing!" he snaps, "and I start to thing you're planning something secret, something you don't want me to know and that... That makes me angry."

"Even if I'm working on a surprise for you and Snow White?" Regina looks at the King with soft eyes. "Alright then. I won't surprise the both of you."

"I don't like surprises," he says, but he calms down a bit, "you can still surprise Snow White, of you tell me," he smiles.

"I can't tell, other wise it isn't a surprise any longer. So it is alright if I do that today?" Regina softly kisses him.

"Fine," the kings says, "one thing, will it be nice for our daughter?" He still holds her arm.

"What do you think? Of course it will." Regina softly moans of pain when the King squeezes hard in her arm.

"Okay," the king says strict, "but only for this time," he lets Regina's arm go, but nog before he squeezes it very hard.

Regina nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. Regina dresses herself and walks out of the bedroom. She then poofs away to Rumplestiltskin's castle.

"You're here..." Rumple says, "good," he takes some potions from his shelves and places them in front of Regina.

"When are we finally going to kill that husband of mine? I'm tired of waiting!" Regina snaps at Rumple.

"Make these potions work together,' he says, "if you do I'll help you, because then you know enough of magic to control it completely... But choose wisely... Not everything you can create with this is good."

Regina looks at the potions and smells at them. She doesn't need much time. She has learned a lot in the past years. "These two are just water." She smashes them against the wall with a wave of her hand. "And with these you can create a protection spell if your magic isn't working how it should work." Regina mixes the correct ingredients together and uses it to create a small protection around an apple laying on the floor. She looks at the last potion. "I don't know which one that is but I do know it's deadly." She looks up at Rumplestiltskin.

"Let's find out," rumple says and he poofs the both of them to a village. "Just try and you know,".

"What? No compliment from the great Rumplestiltskin?" Regina laughs. "It doesn't matter. I know you're proud." She looks again at the potion. "This has to be taken in by drinking it." Regina conjures a glass of water in her hand and adds the potion to it. She then enters the village. "Greetings, subjects!" she smiles at them.

Rumplestilskin grins, she won't get a compliment before she did everything, including testing this potion. He hides behind a tree and just looks at how Regina will figure this out. 

"Good morning, my queen," the people say at the exact same time and they bow for her. Regina came to their village before... They know what she can do and what she wants.

"That's more like it. You keep getting better and better." Regina uses her magic to pull one of the woman closer towards her. "You seem thirsty. Here. Drink. Fresh water from the well." Regina smiles at her while handing her the glass of water.

The womans hands shake, she doesn't trust the queen, not after pulling her with her magic, "thank you, my queen, but I'm not thirsty," she says and she bows.

"I. Said. Drink." Regina clearly says to the woman with a harsh voice. "Or do you want me to do something else?" Regina lifts up the man of the woman with just a flick of her hand and starts to choke him.

"O no, my queen, I'm so sorry," she says, "I'll drink it," she says She brings the glass to her lips and drinks all the water that's inside.

Regina smiles and lets go of her hold on the man. She watches the woman sink to the ground, her body collapsing and shaking and finally die. "That's all for now." Regina smiles. She turns away from the villagers and poofs back to Rumplestiltskin.

"Congratulations," Rumplestilskin says with a smile, "now you're ready to kill the king without someone noticing it was you," he laughs now and poofs them back to the castle. "You know..." He says with a grin, "you could have done this after our first lesson... You already knew how to use magic... You don't need control for this... Rip someone's heart out and command that person to kill the king, would have been enough," Rumplestilskin turns to Regina, "why didn't you do that?" he asks.

"I don't know." Regina honestly answers him. She has learned, through the years, to always be honest with this man because he will find out the truth, one way or another. "Maybe I thought I could change him. That doesn't matter now. Give me the potion to kill him. Please?"

"Good," he says, "are you sure Snow White wasn't the reason? Are you sure you didn't want to spare her feelings by keeping the father she loved alive?" He smiles and hands over the potion.

"I couldn't care less about that girl." Regina snaps. "Thanks for the potion, dear. What do you want in return?"

"You'll pay me back later," he says, "now go." He winks, sits down and starts spinning gold, "or do you have a question or something?"

"After I kill the King... Is it possible to get away out of this hellhole? This Enchanted Forest? Is it possible to start somewhere fresh? Somewhere nobody knows me?" Regina asks Rumplestiltskin.

"There are ways, magic can do everything..." Rumple says, "but I'm not going to tell you how, it's your job to make this hellhole a better place... You're still the queen, you have all the power now!"

"That's right. After the King is dead, I will be the one with all the power. Thank you, Rumple!" Regina poofs back to the Royal Castle, just in time for dinner. She takes one of the servants aside in a private room. She rips out his heart. "You are in charge of the drinks tonight. You give my husband a few drinks and in his last glass you pour this." Regina hands over the deadly poison. "If someone asks what it is you just say it's for his cold. Understood?" When the servant nodds, Regina whispers to the heart to forget all about this after he has put the potion into the King's drink. Regina gives his back his heart and then joins her husband at the dinner table.

"How was your day, Regina?" Leopold asks, not suspicious at all. Their plates are filled with food and they eat in silence. "You look tired," he says to Regina when they have finished their food, "you can go to bed early, we can skip the last drink... It always takes ages," he says. He wants to be better for Regina, he wants to make it up to her for tonight, like he always wants after he hurt her.

"That's alright, dear. I think my mother would like to talk to us." Regina answers, noticing her mother coming towards them. "We can't disappoint her, now can we?" Regina kisses king Leopold softly on his lips. "Snow can be brought to bed by Lady Tremaine." Regina holds up her hand and Lady Tremaine approaches and does what Regina tells her to do. "Afterwards we can go to bed, dear. I'm not that tired." Regina smiles at the King. Her hands stroke over his upper leg and she looks him deep into his eyes. She then takes her own glass of wine and toasts against his. She drinks out of her own glass.

"Okay," he whispers and gives Regina an quick kiss on her cheek. Then he brings the glass to his lips. He drinks a little and is surprised by the sudden grin on Regina's face. Than he brings his hands to his stomach and almost throws up. He grabs Regina's arm to stay upright, but Regina pulls her arms away. He collapses because of the pain and he curls himself up. He breathes heavily and in his last seconds he looks at Regina, "spare my daughter..." he says with a rough and soft voice. This was Regina's work... And he knows he deserves it.

"I won't." Regina whispers, right before the King dies. Regina knows she has to put on her best show now, because there are a lot of important people looking at what's going on at the head table. "My King?" Regina whispers. She pretends to be shocked. She kneels beside him. "My Ki.. Leopold? LEOPOLD!" Regina starts to cry. "What's going on? I need help! My husband!" she shouts through the room.

Cora poofs herself to the corner of the room, she knows Regina did this and she won't get away with it...

All the people run to the king, shocked about what happened. They overflow Regina with sweet words and the dresser lets Regina cry on his shoulder. Nobody sees Regina as a subject, but they all look at the servant, the one who brought the wine.

Regina keeps on crying. "What happened?" she keeps asking to everyone around her. "What do I do now? He's the King! He can't die! Leopold, wake up!"

"The doctors will come soon they will see what happened," the people around Regina say. A group leads Regina away from him.

"NO!" Regina screams. "No, I want to stay with him! LEOPOLD!" Regina shouts and cries. "Wake up! I need you!" Regina sinks to the floor. "Leopold." she whispers.

A lot of guests start to cry. To see Regina like this hurts them. They lay hands on her shoulder to show her they care and some people even kneel down beside her.

"Let go of me! I just want Leopold!" Regina shouts out. She runs out of the room towards her bedroom. In there she starts to giggle softly.

"Good work," Cora says from a dark corner. She walks closer to Regina. "But you're not good at doing things... Let's say, not so obvious...".

"As long as the people think it was the servant and not me, I think I'm good." Regina smiles at her mother. "I'm finally free, mother! Aren't you happy for me?"

"Of course I'm not," Cora says while she walks close to Regina, "do you know what this cost me? Do you know what I did for you to get this perfect life right here? And you just ruined it all, like it was all nothing!!"

Regina snaps back at her mother. "Do you know you have ruined MY life? Letting me marry that horrible King! I was in love with Daniel and you took him away from me!" Regina looks angerly at her mother. "I will never forgive you for that. Now... Now my life can finally begin!"

"Your stable boy is gone Regina," Cora snaps and she makes Oz visable in the mirror. She zooms in and shows her her Daniel. Zelena pushes him agains the wall and kisses him and he... He kisses her back.

Regina laughs. "You can show me whatever you want, I know it isn't true. This is just you trying to manipulate me again. And it's not going to work, mother. Now... If you can leave me alone, please. I have a funeral to take care of." Regina walks towards the door. She turns around to look at her mother again. "And a stepdaughter to get rid of."

Cora pins Regina to the wall. "Don't talk to me like that!" she snaps, "look at them. They loe each other! He doesn't love you!"

"No!" Regina screams in her mother's face. "He does love me! He promised to come and get me! I've been waiting for too long to give up now!" Regina looks at her mother and smiles. "I have to go now, mother. The people will miss me."

"I don't care! They can't hurt me!" Cora says and she starts to choke Regina a little. "I'll let you go soon, but I want you to know he will never come back for you, because his love for you is gone!" The mirror shows Daniel and Zelena again. They are both laughing, it looks like love...

"You're lieing." Regina whispers. She doesn't look at the mirror. Her mother can't break her. Not anymore. She's the one who's going to break people now. "Let go of me, mother!"

"Look at them!" Cora snaps and she chokes Regina harder. "You think the king is the only one who can hurt you?" Cora grins.

"You're not the Queen here, mother! I AM!" Regina screams. "I'm the one who's going to hurt people now!"

"O I can still hurt you!" Cora says and she chokes Regina harder and harder, but deep down inside she knows Regina is just like herself... Powerful and she will always get what she wants.

"You won't ... kill... your own... daughter..." Regina mumbles. She looks Cora deep into her eyes and softly smiles. "I need... to see... the people..." she whispers then.

Cora lets Regina go, "we're not done!" she says and she poofs away.

Regina softly smiles but then puts her mask back on. She has to play the wife of the dead King: full of sadness. She can pull that off. She hasn't felt anything but sadness in the past years. She slowly walks back towards the dining room. She looks around her.

Lady Tremaine runs towards Regina with Snow White running next to her, holding her hand, "is it true?" Lady Tremaine says while breathing heavily. Snow cries a little, but still has hope, she doesn't believe it until she sees it.

Regina kneels down so she's at the same height as Snow White. "I'm so sorry, dear." she whispers. Tears run down Regina's face when she looks at the little girl really crying loudly now. Did she go too far to get what she wants?

Snow White wraps her arms around Regina's neck and starts to cry very loud now. Regina's dress becomes really wet and Snow Whites body shakes, "I don't want to lose him mommy," she whispers between her tears, "I loved him so much..." The sadness only gets worse.

Regina picks up the little girl. She's only 10 years old and she doesn't weigh much. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers into Snow White's ear. "I loved him too, sweetie. I'm going to miss him too."

Snow White doesn't let Regina go. She cries very soft now, but her body still shakes and feels cold. "I want to be with him, I don't want to miss him, mommy" she whispers, "I want him to tell me a story." She closes her eyes and still holds Regina tight.

Regina doesn't let go of the girl either. She holds her very tight against her own body. Maybe she and Snow White can be happy now? Really happy? Maybe she can try to be a good mother for this child? "It's alright, dear. I'll tell you stories before you go to sleep. I won't do it as good as your daddy did, but I can try?" Regina whispers in Snow's ear.

Snow White softly nods, "yes," she whispers, "daddy will never come back, will he?" Snow White lets her head rest on Regina's shoulder and watches her own tears fall on the ground, "I love you mommy," she say very softly.

Regina walks to Snow White's bedroom, carrying the girl in her arms. She lays the girl down on her bed and strokes her hair until she falls asleep. "I love you too, sweetheart." Regina whispers. She then goes back to the dining room to see to it everything is under control.

Immediatly all head turn go Regina and a big group of people walk to her, "are you alright, my queen," they all ask. One even hugs Regina.

Regina takes a step back. She still doesn't like it when people touch her out of nowhere and she never will like that. "I'm fine. I have to be fine. For Snow White." She keeps playing her role magnifecent.

"You’re right," the people whisper, "you're the best queen we can ask for, thank you," a woman says and the rest nods. "We can't imagine how hard this must be for you..."

"It's hard. It's really hard. But I know he wants me to continue his work in the Kingdom. But I don't want to think about that right now. I have to prepare a funeral he would be proud of." Regina whispers. She greets the people and turns around to walk towards Lady Tremaine. "I should just throw his body into a dump and burn it." she whispers to her nanny.

Lady Tremaine sighs, but she can't keep her laugh inside. A little smile appears on her face, "how you get away with it," she says with a grin, "incredible... But there has to be a funeral, even if it's only for Snow..." She walks closer to Regina. She knew this would happen some day. She isn't happy about his death, but she also isn't sad.

Regina looks up at Lady Tremaine, who she still sees as her nanny. "Of course there will be a funeral. Snow White needs that to say goodbye to her father. I've hated him so much, but I can't deny he was an excellent father for his daughter." Regina whispers to Lady Tremaine, without anyone hearing them. "Can you let someone arrange the funeral? I don't want to be bothered with that." Regina then looks up at her nanny. "Do you think I can be a good mother for Snow White, all by myself?"

"I'll make sure the funeral will be perfect," lady Tremaine says, then she grabs Regina's hand, "and you can be a great mother, Regina... All by yourself. She loves you very much, you know," lady Tremaine says, "she always talks about you when I'm with her and I'm sure you can be happy together."

"So you don't think it's an awful idea to try to be happy with Snow White? In this Royal Castle? To try to be a good Queen for the people in this Kingdom?" Regina doesn't dare to look up at Lady Tremaine, afraid for her answer.

"Of course I don't think that," lady Tremaine says, "I think it's a perfect idea." She hugs Regina with a smile, "don't doubt yourself," she says, "you can make this place a beautiful and happy place, I really believe you can do that."

"But... But all those people I've killed already. And Rumplestiltskin wants something in return for the potion he gave me to kill the King. The whole Kingdom hates me, except the important people in this Palace. What do I do, Lady Tremaine? What do I do?"

"You can show them you've changed," lady Tremaine says, "it's never too late for that... And Rumplestilskin, you can handle him, and I can help you if you want."

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Lady Tremaine." Regina looks around her. "I will go to sleep now. I'm tired. Snow White is in bed too. If she wakes up, can you let me know?" Regina can't help but feel a little bit guilty. But that feeling is gone as soon as she enters her bedroom and all she hears is silence. Calmness. Fearless.

In the middle of the night Snow White wakes up from a terrible nightmare. "Mommy!" she screams. She shakes and steps out of her bed. She runs to Regina's room. She runs inside, crying, "I miss him so much," she says, while tears roll down her cheeks.

Regina taken the little girl closely against her. "It's alright, dear. Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" Regina feels happy inside. She likes this, being alone with Snow White and not having the King around. For good. She softly smiles when Snow White lays against her. "You try to sleep, alright? I'll be right here if you need me."

Snow White closes her eyes, but she can't sleep, she wants to know one thing. "Why did he... Die?" she asks. Her eyes get heavy and she almost fall asleep. Her mother keeps her warm.

"I think it was his heart, dear. Your father was a very hard worker." Regina whispers. "That can be the reason."

"You think so?" Snow White says and the years come up again, "I wish he was here with us now," she whispers but almost immediately after she said it she falls asleep, feeling safe.

Regina looks at the little girl. "You have no idea how glad I am he's gone." she whispers to herself. Regina falls asleep to. The next couple of days are filled with taking care of the funeral. Regina has to decide on everything although she explicetly said she didn't want to be bothered with that. But she doesn't mind. She's glad it will be all over soon. The day of the funeral she plays her best acts as sad widow.

The next days go by in a fuss. Snow White walks around in the castle a bit and sometimes looks what Regina is doing. She sometimes cries just out of nothing and on the funeral she cries a lot, but now it seems to go better again. She spends more time with her mother and she likes it.

Regina likes spending time with her daughter too. But she misses something. She doesn't now exactly what that is, but this life, living in the Royal Castle with a child who isn't even hers... But does that really mind since she loves Snow as if she's her own daughter? Regina decides it doesn't matter that Snow isn't her own daughter. She decides just to enjoy all the moments together and try to live a happy life. But days pass, weeks pass... And the empty feeling inside of Regina doesn't fade away.

"Mom?" Snow White asks, "do you have to work on my birthday?" She looks at her hands. Regina is away very often these days and she is afraid her birthday, which is in about a week, will be a boring party with only important people, like every year... But if her mother was there too, it could be fun.

Regina looks at Snow White. "Of course I'm not working on your birthday!" she smiles at her. "What kind of party do you like? You know there has to be some official celebration with all those boring, boring people, but maybe we can do something together too? Or do you want to invite some friends to come over for a little birthday party? You choose!" Regina laughs when she sees Snow's face brighten up.

"I don't really have friends, mom," Snow White says, now really exited for her birthday, "but I would love to do something with you," she runs to her mother, "can we leave the palace for once? Can we go to a real village?" All those years in the castle start to get boring... And maybe she can even meet some girls her age in the village.

"You... You want to go to one of the villages in the Kingdom?" Regina softly asks Snow White. When the girl nodds with an enormous smile on her face, Regina can only smile too and give in to her. "Alright then. We will go to a village. Is it alright if we do that the day before your birthday and on the day itself I'll let Lady Tremaine organise the boring party?"

"Yes yes! That's fine!" Snow White says. She is so exited she almost screams. "Thank you, thank you," she says and she runs to her mother. She hugs her, "it will be so perfect!"

Regina smiles back at Snow and hugs her tightly. "I really hope so." she whispers. The week passes slowly with all preparations for Snow White's birthday. Regina wants everything to be perfect on both days. The day before her actual birthday, Regina takes Snow White on a trip to one of the nearby villages. Regina steps out of the coach and then helps Snow get out of it.

"O wauw! It's so... Real," Snow White says. She looks at her mother who doesn't look very happy. "Don't you like it, mom?" Snow asks, "come on." She smiles and then laughs and takes her mothers arm to take her into the village.

Regina follows Snow White into the village. She makes sure the guards follow her and especially Snow to protect them. Slowly she walks into the village.

The people all bow and then carefully walk away, afraid of Regina. Snow White doesn't notice the scared and angry people, the only thing she sees is a group of kids running into a house. On top of it is a plate, which says 'school'. Snow White looks at her mother, "what's a school?" she whispers with a smile.

Regina softly smiles. She's wearing a soft dress today, nothing black or evilish. "You know your teacher who comes to the Castle to learn you about all sorts of things? That's what happens in a school, only there is one teacher for a lot of children."

"Why do I have a teacher for myself?" She asks, "with more children it's much more fun! Can we go in there!?"

"You have a teacher for yourself because that's what your father wanted. It's what Princesses do, dear. If you want to take a look inside, we can. Come on." Regina takes Snow White's hand and walks with her towards the school. It's a little house actually.

Snow White takes her mother inside, not seeing the worried looks on the faces of the people around them. Inside there is a small hallway with all kind of paintings on the walls. Children of all ages walk around there. When Snow White takes Regina further inside the children freeze and turn their heads away.

"It's alright, dear." Regina whispers when she sees the worried face of Snow White. "They're scared of me. This has nothing to do with you. They will love you." Regina looks around and notices the teacher. She softly smiles at her.

"How can they be scared of you?" Snow White says softly, "you never did something bad to them, did you?"

Regina doesn't answer that question. She looks at the teacher who now slowly approaches the both of them.

"Can... Can I help you, my queen, the teacher says, "I'm sorry my students didn't greet you, they can still do it...". She turns to the children to make them say good morning to the queen. Snow White looks at her mother's face, confused about what's happening.

"That's alright." Regina softly answers. "I can see they are all busy and working very hard." Regina smiles at the children. "Who made those lovely paintings on the walls in the hallway?"

Snow White smiles again, "my students made those, my queen," she says and she bows again. The children slowly walk into the classrooms to be away from the queen, "do... Do you need something, my queen?" she asks.

"You've bowed once. That's enough." Regina softly whispers to the teacher. "My daughter, Snow White, wanted to see the school. So here we are. That's all." Regina looks up at the teacher. "Is that alright?"

"Yes of course, my queen, it's an honor," the teacher says and she bows again, just to make sure the queen will be happy, "do you want to see more of our school?"

"Mom, why is she so scared of you?" Snow White whispers.

"It's alright, Snow. Don't worry." Regina looks at the teacher again. "Please, you don't have to bow. Really, once is enough." Regina takes a step back so Snow White stands in front of her. "If it's not an intrusion, maybe you can give us a little tour in the school? But only if it's not too much to ask for." Regina keeps talking with a soft voice. Her own voice. The voice she had before she ever met the King.

The teacher nods, "well... You two can join my class if you want," she smiles and when she sees Regina's eyes, she starts to relax, "we're just starting our lessons..." She still shakes a bit, but she walks them to the classroom.

"Thank you. I think Snow would like that." When Regina sees the big smile on Snow White's face, she also smiles. "In fact, I'm sure she'll like that." Regina and Snow follow the teacher to the classroom. "I'll sit in the back, so I don't disturb your lesson." Regina softly says to the teacher. "If there is anything I can do, just call my name. It's.. just.. Just Regina." Regina takes a seat in the back of the class, next to a little boy.

"So as you can see we have two special guest today..." The teacher starts and she goes on with a speech about how grateful they are and things about honor and stuff. The boy next to Regina inspects her. As if he wants to take in every inch of her. He moves his seat as far away from her as possible, but he keeps staring.

Regina looks at him. She softly smiles. "Don't worry." she whispers to the boy. "You don't have to be scared of me. I promise."

"You killed my brother," the boy whispers back. He doesn't show any emotion.

Snow White sits on a free table in the middle. No one sits next to her... Maybe afterwards she can talk to someone, why do they all seem so afraid.

Regina knows she has to do something. This isn't going very well. She slowly stands up and walks towards the classroom. "This won't take long." she whispers to the teacher. Regina then turns to the classroom full of children. "I can see you are all very afraid of me. And I don't blame you. I understand. I have done some terrible, terrible things and I did them not very long ago." Regina takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry." she softly says. "I'm sorry for what happened. I know I can't undo what I did." Regina looks at the little boy she just sat next to. "I can't bring back your brother. And I'm really, really sorry about that." A tear falls down Regina's face. "I will go outside and wait for Snow White when your lesson is over. Take your time." Regina whispers to the teacher.

"No please stay," the teacher says and she turns to the students, "do you remember the book about the thief? About a man who stole everything from everyone?" The teacher says. All children nod, only Snow White looks at her hands, she doesn't understand what's happening.  
"Do you remember how everyone hated him?" The teacher starts to walk around, "but in the end he apologized, and do you remember what the people did...?" She sighs and doesn't finish her story. "do you have it in your mind?" She inhales deeply, "now look at Regina again and do the same...".

Regina just looks at the children when they all open their eyes and look at her.

The whole classroom is silent. The children look at Regina, they just look. Then someone smiles and soon more and more students follow, even Snow White, who has tears in her eyes.

Regina really doesn't know what to do or say now. She's stunned by the forgiveness these children are showing her. She doesn't understand it. "I.. " Regina turns around and cries softly.

"I always thougt them that forgiveness is one of most important things in the world," the teacher says, "and as you can see, my queen, you deserve it," she says with a laugh. "Now all go play outside, go, go," she says and she waves with her hand.

Regina looks up at the teacher. "I don't know how to thank you." she whispers. "I don't know how to make up for what I did." Regina looks at Snow White. "Look at her." she whispers to the teacher. "Nobody wants to be her friend and that's all because of me."

The teacher lays her hand on Regina's back, "maybe you can't completely make up for it, but that doesn't mean things can't change..." she says, while the children stand up and walk outside. Some students walk to Snow White and take her with them outside. Snow looks over her shoulder to her mother and laughs. Then she runs away together with the other children.

Through her tears Regina starts to smile again. She's glad some of the children took Snow White with them. Regina looks up at the teacher again. "I don't know how to thank you. Anything. You can ask me anything."

"That's not necessary, thank you, but I'll keep it in mind," she says. "Let's go,". She walks outside and sits down on the bench on the side of the schoolyard. The children teach Snow White how to play soccer and soon her white shoes are completely green and brown...

Regina sits down next to the teacher. She notices Snow White's shoes getting all dirty but she doesn't care about any of that. Snow is having fun and is making friends. That's the most important thing. Shoes can be replaced. Moments like this never. She softly smiles at the teacher. "I'm not sure the parents of those children will forgive me as easily as they do." she says with a soft voice.

"They won't," the teacher says, "adults are complicated creatures..." She smiles and turns to Regina, "but the first step is to not let them fear you. Let them forgive you will take a long time, but you can make them less afraid of you, that already makes the next step easier..."

"How do I do that? How do I make them less afraid of me?" Regina asks now. She really has no idea.

"I'm just a teacher, my queen," she says, "it's up to to make that happen, but I know you can do it. You made me less afraid of you, so... Just be yourself, I think, your good self."

Regina nodds. "Alright. You know... I do am good. Life just wasn't very kind to me. But now it is." Regina startles when one of the parents runs towards her in anger.

"How can you let her into your class," she snaps to the teacher, but she keeps her eyes focused on Regina, "she killed my son! How can you let her come so close!" An other parent comes towards them, a man this time. "Be careful," he says to the woman and pulls her away to protect her, "stay away from our children!" he says, but he steps back, afraid of Regina's magic. The teacher stays where she is, letting Regina fix this, "this is your chance," she whispers.

Regina keeps sitting on the bench. She looks at the parents with soft eyes. "I'm so sorry." Regina softly answers. "I don't know what else to say. I'm so sorry." Regina looks down to the ground.

The parents are a bit surprised, "so you won't use magic to hurt us and our families...?" the man asks with a dark undertone, "sorry is all you have to say?" He looks angry, still holding the woman behind him.

"I won't use magic unless I can help you with it." Regina softly answers. "I can only say I'm so, so very sorry about what I've done." Regina whispers. She then looks up to the people who are surrounding her right now. "I don't know how to make up for what I did, except trying to be a better Queen from now on. A Queen you and the Kingdom deserves."

"Then what do we deserve?" a woman asks. "Yes..." another person asks, "because after all those years, I think we have found out your opinion doesn't really match with ours!"

"You deserve a kind Queen. A kind ruler of this Kingdom. I can be that. I can try to do what's best for the Kingdom, for you." With eyes full of hope Regina looks up at the people. "Can you give me a chance?" she almost whispers.

"Do we even have a choice?" someone says, still full of anger, "what if we don't give you that chance? Then you'll take it anyway, so why should we do that!"

"I won't." Regina softly answers him. "If you don't want me to be Queen, I will give up the Crown for Snow White, once she turns 18." Regina looks at the man. "That I can do. Until then you have to do it with me, that's true, but I can only promise to be a better Queen than I was until now." Regina looks down again. A tear falls down her face again. "I do hope you can find the same forgiveness in your heart as your children have." Regina gets up from the bench and makes her way to the coach. "Do you want to send over Snow White when playtime is over? I will wait for her in te coach." Regina whispers. She walks towards the people because that's the only way to the coach. Regina doesn't like at them with hateful eyes. She looks at them with soft and hopeful eyes.

The crowd doesn't let Regina pass, "we want answers, my queen," an old lady whispers, "forgiveness isn't easy when we don't know why you did all those terrible things." The lady's voice is rough, but calm. "And what changed you?" the man behind the lady says, "why all this kindness all of a sudden after everything you've done to us?". The teacher still sits on the bench and smiles.

Regina looks up at the old woman. "Why? You want to know why I did those things?" Regina takes a deep sigh. "My mother made me marry the King. He wasn't always kind to me." Regina whispers so Snow White doesn't hear a thing. She wants her to remember her father in a good way.

"So you thought, let's kill innocent children!" a man says. The other people want to react too, but the children are running to them, all together. They just run through the mass. Some children run to their parents others from a circle around Regina. Snow White grins and takes Regina's hand. "I told them, you're a good mom," she says, "and they believe me and want to help you!" But the whole situation only seems to make things worse...

"It's alright, Snow White. It's time for us to go home anyway." Regina softly whispers. She tries not to cry. She nodds to the old woman and again wants to walk towards the coach, this time holding Snow White's hand.

This time the people take a step back, so Snow White and Regina can walk to the coach. Snow White waves and laughs to her new friends who walk inside of the school again, they wave back. They sit down in the coach again and Snow White sees her mother is not happy. "Can we come back here sometime?" she carefully whispers.

Regina nodds. "Of course we can, dear." Regina softly whispers. While they drive back to the Castle Regina just looks outside. "Is it alright if Lady Tremaine looks after you for the rest of the day? We will eat together tonight. Is that alright with you?"

"But... No that's fine," Snow says, "thanks for the trip." She looks at her clothes. Her white shoes and dress are very dirty, but Regina doesn't seem to care. "I made some friends today," Snow says with a big smile, but she sees her mother is not in the mood for a talk, so she just sits back.

Regina looks at Snow White. "Look at you!" She starts to laugh. "We'll have to clean you up first." Regina smiles at her daughter. She really does look at Snow as her own daughter. And she likes that. "You really made some friends, didn't you? Did they... What did they tell you about me?"

Snow White's eyes start to shine, so happy her mother is happy for her. She definitely needs a bath and that makes her grin. "They told me that you killed a lot of people and one girl even hated me for that, so I told them they had the wrong person for sure, because you wouldn't do such things." She is really exited to tell her mother everything, "they didn't believe me first, but then they did, isn't that good! It's true right?"

Regina looks at Snow White. "Snow..." she whispers. "They... They were right. I did some terrible, terrible things." Regina doesn't dare to look up at Snow while she whispers "But I'm trying to be a better person now."

"No, no, they can't be right, you wouldn't kill someone, would you," Snow White looks at her mother with big eyes full of hope, "you've always been good...".

"No, Snow." Regina whispers. "I haven't always been good. I'm so sorry."

"So... So you really killed May's brother?" Snow White says. She is full of disbelieve and sadness. She leans agains Regina's shoulder.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "Yes, I did. I'm so sorry, Snow." A tear runs down her face.

Snow takes a deep breath, "I'm sure you didn't mean to kill him," she says with a smile, "May said she would forgive you," she says almost proud, "because you took me to her and because we are friends."

"That's right, Snow. I didn't mean to. But that doesn't change the fact that I did. And I'm trying to be a better person, I really am."

"You already are," Snow White says, and she closes her eyes. She is tired, because of the soccer game and she feels all her muscles hurt. They've never done something like that in the place... It was always only dancing, even running was forbidden, because it's too dangerous. "It was the best day of my life." She whispers.

"It was? Really?" Regina softly smiles at Snow. "Maybe we should do it more often than? Would you like that?" Regina doesn't need to ask this question to know the answer. She laughs when Snow White can't stop being happy and energetic. "Let's go back the day after tomorrow, after the boring party. What do you think?"

"Yes Yes Yes!" Snow White says. She is so happy and hugs her mother very tightly, "maybe May can come to the palace as well," she almost jumps of excitement. She already starts to make plans in her head. "And I looovvvee the boring party," she grins and she laughs very hard.

"All your friends can come over. That will be fun!" Regina laughs together with her daughter. They arrive back at the Royal Castle. "Lady Tremaine will give you a bath, alright? I'll see you at dinner, dear?"

"Yes, bye," Snow says, "see you then!" Lady Tremaine laughs when she sees Snow White and she takes her to the bathroom.

Regina poofs away. Deep into the forest, near the house of Robin. She walks towards it and knocks on the door.

"Regina, hi," Robin says surprised when he opens the door, "come in," he smiles. He finally says Regina instead of Queen... He leads her inside.

"Robin." Regina softly greets him. "I hope I'm not interrupting something?"

"O no, not at all," Robin says, "want some tea?"

"Yes, please. Thank you." Regina sits down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She watches him make the tea. She likes doing that. She looks up at him when he sits down next to her. "I have done some terrible things." she then whispers.

Robin isn't surprised, he heart some things about what she did when he went to the market. "What king of things?" he says, and he gives Regina the mug filled with tea, "can't be that terrible...".

"Is there something more terrible than killing people?" Regina doesn't look up at him when she asks him that.

"There certainly is," Robin says and he looks at her. She doesn't look back, but he still continues, "Regina, you've been through a lot..." He doesn't really know what to say... Killing was indeed terrible...

"I shouldn't have done it. Everybody hates me now." Regina whispers.

"You weren't thinking straight..." Robin says, "and yes it's terrible and they have a reason to hate you, but you can make it up to them, I know you can..." He drinks a little bit of his tea, "I hope they will meet the person, you always was, but never showed," he says with a smile.

"I tried to say the exact same thing today. When I went with Snow White to one of the villages. She has made some friends. It was nice to see her there. But the parents of the children didn't seem to want to give me a chance." Regina whispers.

"I can understand them," Robin says, "you killed their children... That makes it all worse." What if he would have a child, he thinks, he doesn't know if he could forgive someone, if she or he killed his child, "it takes a lot of time to make them forgive you..."

"But will they? Eventually? If I keep doing good, like I am doing now?" Regina doesn't dare to look up at him.

"I... I don't know," Robin says, "I think I would, if something like that happened to me... In the end..." He still looks at her and she still doesn't look back, "just ask it yourself," he says, "if someone had killed Snow White, would you forgive that person?"

"Never." Regina doesn't doubt a second. She startles when she hears herself so angry. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

Robin is a bit shocked when Regina he hears Regina's angry voice, but then he smiles a little, "then I guess you have your answer," Robin says softly.

Regina softly nodds. "Maybe in time." she whispers. She looks up at Robin. She notices their hands lay closely together on the table.

Robin sees Regina look at their hands and he pulls them back a little, afraid she doesn't like him being so close. He drinks the last bit of his tea and takes a deep breath.

Regina quickly looks back down again. He isn't interested in her. Why would he be, after what she just told him? "I... I think I need to go. I'm disturbing you." Regina whispers.

"No that's not it..." Robin says, he looks into her eyes and smiles. He does like her, but something inside doesn't let him love. Like every hole is already filled, but he forget why. "I just..." he whispers.

Regina waits until Robin finishes his sentence.

"It feels like... No nevermind, I don't want to bother you with this..." Robin says and he stands up.

"You can tell me." Regina whispers. She looks up at him.

"It just feels like something is Holding me back, like my bottle with love is already full," Robin says, "Well now you probably think I'm crazy, but yeah... That's what I wanted to say...".

Regina doesn't answer him. She knows she made him forget about Marian and his son. But that... Is something she will never be able to tell him. She looks up at him. "You're not crazy." she softly smiles.

"I can see your lying," he says with a laugh and he brings the empty mugs to the kitchen, "and we're not here to talk about that, do we."

"I'm not lying!" Regina laughs. "You're really not crazy." She giggles.

"Well this helps me believe that," he says sarcasticly and he grins, "you're a bad liar!"

Regina giggles again. She likes this man. She looks at him and softly smiles.

"But I have to say, you're a liar full of love," he laughs, "so that makes it all worth it, doesn't it."

"What do you mean, full of love?" Regina softly asks him.

"A liar who can love is better than someone who can't..., I would be a really bad liar..." he says and he sits down, "just stop listening to me... I'm just a confused weird man..."

Regina giggles really long now. "You're funny!" Regina laughs. While laughing, their hands touch.

Robin smiles. Watching Regina's beautiful laugh. He winks, still looking at her. Then he can't keep it anymore and starts to laugh too.

Regina likes his smile. He has a perfect smile. She looks at him when they both stop laughing. "I have to go." she whispers, with sadness in her voice. "I promised Snow White to have dinner with her. Tomorrow is her birthday and we will have a boring party. You know... With all those important people. I don't like any of them." Regina looks at Robin. "I wish you could be there too." she softly whispers.

"I can imagine," he says, "but it's part of the job..." He stands up and goes to the front door, "I also wish I could be there," he whispers and he looks her in her eyes.

Regina slowly walks towards him. "Maybe one day." she whispers to him. She gives him a soft kiss on his cheek and walks away. Every now and then she looks over her shoulder until she doesn't see Robin any longer. She then poofs away to the Royal Castle. She smiles when she sees Snow White in a nice dress. They have dinner together. Afterwards Snow White is very, very tired after this long and exciting day. Regina puts her in bed. The minute Snow's head touches her pillow she's already off into dreamland. Regina strokes her through her hair and softly whispers "I love you, dear." Regina then goes to sleep too. The next day is a boring, boring day, for both Snow White and Regina. The day after they go, as promised, back to the village and the school.

"Do you think May will be happy to see me?" Snow White asks when they are on their way. "I hope we will play outside again." She looks at her dress and grins, wrong clothes...

"I think they will be very happy to see you." Regina smiles at Snow. "Don't worry about your clothes or shoes." When they arrive in the village, Regina slowly gets out of the coach. She looks around.

No one is outside, so they walk to the school. Snow White goes to the classroom and knocks on the door together with her mother. She goes inside, but it's not the same as he two days ago. Everyone is silent as she walks in and Snow White just takes a seat and has a table of her own. But maybe this is how it really works. She waves to Regina and turns to the teacher.

Regina doesn't like this. Why are those children so different than two days ago? She waves back at Snow White, nodds to the teacher and then walks outside to take a look in the village. She has told the guards to wait at the coach.

Outside two men are waiting for Regina. They made sure they were out of sight for the guards and when Regina sets a step outside they grab her arms and place a hand on her mouth to make sure sho won't scream.

Regina looks at them with a little bit of fear in her eyes. She notices they take her with them towards a little house.

Inside are more people. They all look at Regina with anger in their eyes and some with a sparkle of revenge. "Do you think a simple sorry is enough to make us love you?" a man says and he ties her up on a chair. Everyone stands around her. Some of them have a knife and they are looking forward to using it.

"No." Regina whispers. "I understand that's not enough." She doesn't look up at them.

"Well at least it showed us something," the man says, "you showed us we can hurt you without you using your magic... Because that would mean you would grow evil again." The man smiles and the rest of the people smile too.

"I won't use magic. I've promised you that." Regina softly whispers. She still doesn't look up. She knows whatever is going to happen now, she deserves that.

"I don't think your daughter will have a happy day today," he grinned, "you ruined it for her!" He says and he puts his knife into Regina's leg, making a deep cut.

Regina softly moans of pain. "Please. Do to me whatever you want but let Snow White out of this. She has nothing to do with this." she whispers, still not looking up.

"We know," the man says and the rest of the people nod. "But our children also had nothing to do with anything. You ruined it all!"

"I know. I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "I wish I could turn back time, but I... I can't. I'm so sorry." On her leg you can still see one scar from what the King did to her.

"Like you say... It's too late," the man snaps, "this will be your end,". Then someone comes in pushing Snow White into the room. She looks sad and almost starts to cry, "mommy?"

"No!" Regina shouts out. "Take her away from here! Please!"

No one moves and the man only pushes Snow White further into the house. Now she stands very close to Regina, but still on a little distance. "You can say goodbye to your mommy," the man says to Snow White, "she just told us she didn't love you, that she hated you because you're not her own child, so we thought you would love to see her suffer for that," the man lies.

"No, that's not true! Snow, that's not true! That's a lie! I promise it's not true! Don't believe him!" Regina starts to cry. "Please!"

The man makes sure Regina can talk anymore. Snow White just looks at her mother, of course she doesn't believe the man, does she? She is too afraid of the man who holds the knife. He places the knive in Regina's leg again and Snow White almost screams out of fear.

Regina tries to break free out of the ropes which they used to tie her to the chair but she doesn't succeed. She looks around the room, very afraid now. She can't use her magic since her hands are tied. She looks at Snow White.

Snow White looks back at her. Tears run over her cheeks. The man lets his knife come down again and when Snow White hears her mother scream a little she runs away from the two man who hold her and sits down on her mother lap, wrapping her hands around her neck. She will never let her go.

Regina looks at the people around them with fear in her eyes. She doesn't look angry. She doesn't feel the need for revenge. She understands why these people are doing this. She just doesn't want Snow White to see this. Her eyes seem to beg the villagers to let them go. Tears run over Regina's face.

The man roll with his eyes. "Get of her," he snaps at Snow White. He grabs her arm but Snow White holds Regina to tightly. "No she says and she makes sure Regina can talk again. Her tiny fingers press in Regina's skin.

"Please. I'll leave you alone. I will never come back here. Please." Regina begs. "Just let us go. I beg you." She looks up at the man with the knife. "Please." she whispers one more time.

The man hesitates, but the teacher walks to them and unties Regina,"go," she whispers with a voice full of sadness. No one interrupts the teacher and they form a path to let Regina and Snow White out of the house.

Regina takes Snow in her arms and quickly walks with her to the coach. She tells the guards not to do anything, because they look very angry when they see the Queen is hurt. They all go back to the Castle.

"No one wanted to talk to me," Snow White whispers as they are on their way to the castle. She leans to Regina's shoulder and softly cries, "May didn't even look at me... She said you ruined everything," She looks up, "but that's not true...".

"I don't know, Snow. Maybe I did." Regina can only whisper. She then stares outside.

"No, no," Snow says and she shakes her head, "how is your leg?" Snow White's white dress is covered with red spots.

"It will be alright, dear. Don't worry about me." Regina whispers. She looks at Snow White. "Did someone hurt you?"

"No they didn't," Snow White says. She remembers the words of the man who brought her there and tears come up again.

"What did that man say to you, Snow? You can tell me." Regina whispers.

"He said he didn't hurt me, because he doesn't hurt innocent children like you," she says and she leans agains Regina's shoulder again, "he also told me other terrible things about you... A lot of things..."

"What did he tell you then? Please, tell me, Snow, so I can say if it's true or not." Regina asks with a soft voice.

"He said you set villages on fire and that you killed whole villages by ripping the people's hearts out or something..." Snow says, "what does he mean with that?"

"That's bad magic. Dark magic." Regina whispers. "I have used that, that's true." Regina looks at Snow White. "But I'm not using it now or ever again. I promise." she then whispers. "Do you... Do you believe me?"

"Yes of course," Snow White says, "of course I believe you and the other things he said... I'm sure they were lies!" Snow White looks out of the window. "Does light magic also exist?" she asks, just curious.

Regina nodds. "It does." she softly smiles at Snow White. "I just... I don't know how to do that. But that's alright, isn't it? I'm not using magic again, I promise you."

"It's okay," Snow White says and she looks at Regina again. Her smile makes her laugh, "Well it's also nice together in the palace... I don't really need friends to be happy..."

"Yes, you do. You don't have to lie to me." Regina softly answers. "We just go back tomorrow. I will let them see I have changed. I can try that by going back tomorrow and show them I'm not taking revenge for what they did today." Regina smiles at Snow White. "Would you like to go back tomorrow? The teacher seems like a nice woman, doesn't she?"

"Yeah she is nice, but no one else wants to talk to me anymore..." Snow White says, "but you'll show them that you're good, so maybe then they will!"

"I'm sure they will!" Regina laughs. The rest of the day Regina and Snow spend together, playing with Snow's dolls. They both enjoy the other one's company. At night, Regina lets Snow sleep next to her, just for that night. The next day they have breakfast together and once again they go to the village.

A man immediately walks towards them, "you promised to never come back!" He snaps and he comes very close, "or were we right about you and do you want your revenge!"

"I'm not here for revenge. I'm here to show you I really mean what I said. I really mean it when I say I've changed. When I say I won't use magic anymore." Regina looks up at the man with softness in her eyes. "I just... Wanted to show you that. I just want Snow White to be able to come here and make friends." Regina whispers.

"Well... For her then," the man says and he steps away from them, "but if you do something suspicious, I'll kill you, your majesty!"

"I understand." Regina whispers. She looks over to the three guards she brought with her. "Don't stop them if they do. Just... Just stay here." Regina takes Snow White back to the school. She softly smiles to the teacher when they almost reach the school.

"You shouldn't come here again, my queen, it's not safe," the teacher says, but she lets them in anyway. The classroom smells like leaves and wood. "We're making a plant press, do you want to join?"

"I don't care if it's safe for me or not. I just want Snow White to be able to come here, come to your class and make some friends. That's all I want." Regina softly smiles at the teacher. "I want to show the rest of the village I'm not here to take revenge. I'm here to show to you I really have changed. I'll be outside in the village if you need me. Take care of Snow for me?" Regina softly nodds to the teacher and then heads outside.

The teacher nods, "just be careful," she says and she leads Snow White inside the classroom.  
The villagers don't look at Regina when she walks by... She doesn't deserve their attention.

Regina doesn't care. She just walks a little around the village and notices some of the finest work she has ever seen. She walks towards a very old man who is painting. "You do that very well, sir." Regina softly says to him.

"Thank you, dear," he says and he slowly turns around, "my queen," he says, when he sees Regina, and he bows a little, "you caused a lot of chaos here yesterday," he says with a grin.

Regina softly smiles back. "I didn't mean to." She giggles softly.

"They didn't think it was funny," he says, but he still has a smile on his face. He lays his brush down and now completely turns around, "they're no different than you when you hurt them... They only think they're good..." The old man rolls with his eyes.

"Why do you talk to me? Everyone else seems to ignore me."

"Because you talk to me," the old man says, "I'm not as rude as they are... I don't see the point in ignoring you..." He smiles, "you're not as bad as they think you are."

"I'm not." Regina whispers. "But I can't tell them the real reason I became so evil. I can't tell them why I did those things."

"Why not?" the old man says, "what's holding you back from telling the truth?"

"Because nobody will believe me. Everybody loved the King." Regina doesn't think when she tells the man this.

"You're right," he says, "but everyone has a dark side you know that, but they know that too."

Regina nodds. "I do know that. She looks around her. A few man are looking at her. She softly smiles at them.

The men stare at her, waiting for the moment she will attack the old man. "It will cost a long time before you showed every person you ever hurt your good side. And it takes even longer to make them accept you or even forgive you. The question is, are you willing to wait for that?"

"I am." Regina answers him without a doubt. "I really am. I don't want to be that woman any more." Regina looks back over her shoulder to those man. "Do you want to ask me something?" she softly asks them.

The men just look away without saying something. The old man smiles, "I wish you luck, my queen," he says, "I hope you'll succeed one day,"

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She nodds at the man and continues her way through the village. She walks towards a young woman who's making food that smells delicious. "What are you making?" Regina asks her. "It smells really, really good." She smiles at the young lady.

"My queen," she says shocked and she drops the spoon she is holding. "I'm making soup, my queen," she makes a bow, while her hands shake. The queen killed her husband and she still is very afraid of her.

Regina picks up the spoon and wipes it clean with one of the towels that are lying on the table. She hands it over to the girl. "Here you go." she softly smiles at her. "I think you're an excellent cook. If it tastes as good as it smells, it should be really, really good."

The girl smiles, "really?" she whispers, "thank you." She looks down at her hands, still afraid, but the anger she first had faded a bit. "You want to taste some, my queen?"

"If it's not too much to ask for?" Regina answers softly, with a small smile on her face.

"No no," the girl says and she runs inside to get a bowl for the queen. She gives the filled bowl to her and takes a few steps back.

Regina takes a sip from the soup. It's the best soup she has ever tasted. "I like it. I really, really like it." Regina smiles at the girl. Slowly Regina drinks everything up. She enjoys every drop of it. She then hands the bowl back over to the girl. "Thank you, dear. Like I said, you are a great cook." Regina nodds and turns around to walk further into the village but the men who were looking at her now block her way.

"What did you do to her?" one man asks the other one grabs Regina's arm and holds it very tight.

"I... I didn't do anything. She was so kind to offer me a bowl of soup and it's delicious. I didn't do anything wrong." Regina softly answers the men.

They don't believe her and one of the man hits Regina on her cheek, "you're a liar!" he snaps, but the third man goes to the girl.

Regina softly moans of pain. She didn't expect that hit. "I promise I didn't do anything wrong." she now whispers. She feels one of the men's hand on her body.

But before the man comes to the fun part, the third man comes back, "she is telling the truth..." he says disappointed. The men step back, but one of them still holds Regina's hands.

Regina looks at the man who keeps holding her. "What do you want?" she asks him.

"Nothing," he snaps and he pushes her away so hard that she falls on the ground. He walks away.

Regina slowly crawls back up. "If you want to hurt me to be able to forgive me, just go ahead." Regina says to the men.

The men are all surpised about Regina's words. They don't say a thing. They just stare at her.

"I don't care. If that's what it takes for you to forgive me. I'm right here."

"Why did you kill my daughter," one man snaps and he kicks her very hard in her stomach.

Regina sinks to the ground. "I was angry." she whispers. "It's no excuse, I know, but I was so angry."

"Why were you so angry?" the man says. The girl runs to Regina and helps her get up again, "don't do this to her..." she says to the man.

Regina coughs up a bit of blood. That kick in her stomach really hurt. She pulls up her dress so everyone can see the scar on her leg. "The King's servant did that to me, before I came here." she whispers.

The man take a closer look and now see more scars on her leg. "And why did he do that? Did you kill his family too?" the man snaps, the anger is still there.

Regina shakes her head. "No. The King told him to do that. Because I wasn't obedient enough." she whispers now. A tear runs down her face.

"You're husband did... That?" The man asks and he now also sees the scar on Regina's arm. "All those scars are because of him?"

Regina very softly nodds. She doesn't dare to look up now. Afraid she won't be believed.

The man looks at Regina. Her broken eyes say she tells the truth. "I'm sorry for you, my queen," the man says and he walks away, just out of nothing. The other two men laugh because of his weakness.

Regina looks at them. "What do you want from me?" she asks them.

"We want nothing from you, we just want to see you suffer." The man says. The girl walks to them, "you'll be no better than she was," she says. The man pushes her away and she falls on the ground.

"Stop!" Regina shouts out. She walks over to the two men. "I'll go with you so you can do whatever you want to me, but I can't let you hurt that girl. She didn't do anything wrong."

The two man walk to Regina again and on of them lays his hands on her. He takes her to his house. The girl quickly runs away.

When they arrive in the house of that man, Regina looks up at both of them. She patiently waits.

"That servant you talked about," the man says, "what did he do?" He takes some knifes out of his pocket and lays them on the table until he has a big collection.

Regina just looks at him. "He liked to hurt me." she softly whispers then. "With his knife. He liked to cut me with it."

"He had a good taste of hurting," the man says and without hesitation he brings down a big knife and makes a big cut in Regina's arm.

Regina softly moans of pain. She takes a few steps back, away from them.

"You're running away?" the man asks and he hits her again, but then he hears footsteps. "Stop it!" the girl shouts, but this time she's not alone. A whole group of people stand behind her. "Just stop, this makes you evil too." The group comes closer and the man lays his knife down.

Regina sighs with relief. Her arm hurts and she loses a lot of blood. Her face looks paler than before. "Thank you." she whispers to the girl. "I don't deserve this."

"You do," she says and she turns around. One of the people comes to Regina to clean and bandage her wound. He doesn't say a thing, but makes sure she doesn't lose any blood anymore. Someone else gets her some water.

"Thank you." Regina whispers to every person who helps her. "Thank you." she then whispers again to the young girl.

"You're welcome," the girl whispers, "we want to give you a chance..." She smiles and looks at the ground, "well at least the people who are standing here want that..."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you. I want to prove there's good in me too."

"You already did," the girl says, "you came here again for your daughter, you care about her...". The girl walks away and so do the other people, only one woman stays an looks at Regina from a distance.

Regina looks up at that woman. "Is there something you want to ask me?" she softly asks.

"Do you know the kings assistants by name?" she asks carefully.

"Why? Does that matter?" Regina asks with a soft tone in her voice.

"Well, my husband... John..." she says softly, "he never came home after you came to the palace and I thought maybe you know if he's... Okay...".

"John..." Regina remembers him. She softly smiles at the woman. "He was always very kind to me. I will find out what happened to him, I promise you." Regina nodds to the woman and walks outside. She enters the school and enjoys seeing Snow White so happy.

Snow waves to Regina and smiles. She loves the school and the people here. The other students don't ignore her anymore... The teacher changed their minds and Snow was so grateful for that. They run outside... The lunch break just started.

Regina walks over to the teacher. "How is Snow doing in your class?" she softly asks her.

"She is doing fine," the teacher says, "she is an excellent student, but the teachers in the palace are much more educated than I am, so I already expected that," she smiles, "and it's going better in the group, they still don't fully accept her."

"I don't understand." Regina looks up at the teacher again. "She's such a sweet girl. How can anyone not like her?" Regina now looks away. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

"It's not, well not completely," the teacher says, "they are just afraid, because of her position. They are just villagers and she is the daughter of a queen."

"She's just a ten year old girl who wants to make some friends. She doesn't see herself as a Princess and neither do I. I've never asked to be Queen of this Kingdom, I was forced into that marriage. Snow was forced to live with the King and me. She was just a baby who didn't had any say in the matter." Regina keeps on rambling.

"I know," the teacher says, "but that doesn't change the fact that they are below her. If you only look at their clothes, those are so different... They are afraid to make them dirty and then think of hurting the daughter of a queen, they're just a bit scared."

"What do you suggest I can do about that? I can't let her wear other clothes. But I don't care if they get dirty or even broken. Snow doesn't care either. She just want to make friends and be a typical ten year old. I never got to be one and I won't make the same mistake as my mother once did."

"Maybe we need to give it some time," the teacher says, "I think they will get used to it and they will see she is just the same kind of child as they are," she grins.

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you. I do hope so. Being patient isn't exactly my strongest quality but I am learning." Regina softly giggles. "Listen... Can I let Snow be here while I do some work for the Kingdom? I will pick her up when your class is over. Is that alright with you?" Regina looks up at the teacher and looks her deep into her eyes. "Can you make sure she's safe under your protection while I'm gone for a while?"

"Of course, my queen," the teacher says with a smile, "take your time and... Don't worry about her making friends, she'll be fine." The teacher walks with Regina to Snow White. As Snow sees her mom, she runs to her. Some other kids follow her. "What happened to your arm?" Snow asks.

"It's nothing, dear. I scratched myself. You know how clumsy I get sometimes." Regina smiles at Snow. "I have to go for a while, but if you want to, you can stay here. The teacher will look out for you. Is that alright?"

Snow White laughs, "yes that's okay," she says, "but why do you have to go?"

"I have some work to do for the Kingdom, Snow." Regina softly smiles. "But I will pick you up after the class is done, alright?" Regina looks at the clothes Snow is wearing. They are dirty from playing soccer. "Don't worry about your clothes." Regina then smiles, making sure the other kids can hear her. "You're ten years old. You should have fun and play. Dirty clothes come with that." Regina waves at the other children and gives Snow a kiss on her cheek. She then gets into the coach, telling the guards to go back to the Castle. She herself rides, alone, to Robin's cabin in the Forest.

Robin is out hunting. Again he doesn't have much to eat, but he stays positive. He walks back to his cabin and sees Regina sitting in front of his door. "Hey," he says to Regina as he sees her, "how long are you here already?" he asks, "I'm sorry, I was hunting," he opens the door and walks with her inside.

"Not long. A couple of minutes actually." Regina softly smiles at him. "So... Snow is back at the school in that village I told you about."

"And how is she doing?" Robin says as he puts out his jacket and stores away his bow.

"I think she likes being there. Being with kids her own age. Some villagers even want to give me a second chance." Regina's eyes sparkle with happiness and hopefulness.

"That's good," Robin says and he means it. He is really happy to see Regina like this. "I knew you could do it," he adds with a smile.

"You did, didn't you?" Regina giggles. "I just... I just wanted to tell you this." she then softly adds. She looks up at him. She notices they stand closely together.

"Well you came all the way here just to tell me that," he says with a grin, "well I feel honored." Her standing so close to him makes him smile.

"I consider you my friend." Regina whispers while looking him deep into his eyes. "Is that alright with you?"

"That's perfect," he says on the same tone and he looks back at her.

Regina takes a step towards him. Her hand touches his. "Or... Do you want to be something else?" she whispers to him.

Robin smiles when her hand touches his, "can I be more than one thing?" he whispers and he looks at Regina. He softly takes her hand and squeezes it a little.

"If you want to?" Regina takes another step closer to him.

Robin softly takes her other hand, "yes," he says.

"What do you want to be then?" Regina asks him, very soft whispering. They now stand almost body to body. She looks him in the eyes.

"I think you know that very well, my queen," he says and he now wraps his arms around her, letting her head rest on his chest.

Regina softly smiles. "Why do you like me?" she softly asks him.

"I don't know," he answers honestly as he holds her, "does that matter?"

"Not really." Regina's face is now closely to his.

"And what about you?" Robin whispers, "do you like me?"

Regina nodds. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't like you." she smiles at him. She stares him in his eyes.

Robin grins and now dares to hug her tightly. He carefully kisses her on her cheek.

Regina giggles and now gives him a soft kiss on his lips. She looks at him afterwards.

Robin raises his eyebrows and smiles. He kisses her again, a more daring kiss this time.

Regina kisses him back. She leads his hand to the back of her dress, to the zipper.

Robin doesn't put the zipper down, instead he just lays his arms on her back and kisses her. His mind is spinning, but he... Likes it.

Regina's heart starts to beat faster. She likes this man. Very much. She lets her hands slip underneath his shirt. She gently strokes his chest.

Robin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He hopes she can't feel his heart beating, because it's beats incredibly fast. Her touch makes him feel happy.

"Your heart beats fast." Regina smiles at him. "Are you nervous?" She leads his hand back to the zipper of her dress.

This time he pulls the zipper down and lets the dress slip of her shoulders. Her skin seems to burn and he feels her heart beating fast too. He smiles and lets his hands softly go over her skin. "No I'm not," he whispers then, "are you?"

"No." Regina softly whispers. "I'm not nervous." She looks at him when he looks at her body. "Too fat?" she asks with hesitation in her voice.

"Too fat?" Robin says with sigh. He smiles, "perfect," he whispers in her ear, "your body can't be something else than perfect, Regina, every body is perfect... Including yours."

"Really? You mean that?" Regina sighs with relief.

Robin grins, "of course I do," he says, "never let anyone tell you it isn't, okay? Because that person is lying, and if I see the look in your eyes I can see you met a lot of those liars...".

Regina softly nodds. "I have. Do you... Do you want to see the Castle one day?"

"Yeah," Robin says, "I think that will be nice, but only if you want it,"

"I would really like that." Regina smiles. "Tomorrow? Is that alright with you?" Regina giggles of enthusiasm.

Robin starts to laugh, "Well, hunting can wait I think," he says and he lifts Regina up and turns around. He can't let it...

Regina laughs. She likes that. She kisses him while he holds her in the air. She looks him deep into his eyes. She then pushes out his shirt.

He kisses her back and he carries her upstairs to the bedroom. He holds her tightly and with a laugh he lets her fall on the bed.

Regina giggles. She looks at him when he lays beside her on the bed. She draws figures on his chest. "I like this." she smiles at him.

"I'm glad you do," he whispers, "I like it too." He lays his hand on her hand and follows it while it moves over his chest.

Regina softly smiles at him. "You can do that too. With me. If you want." she whispers to him.

He smiles and moves his hand and lets it go over Regina's stomach and then to her back. He pulls her close to him and kisses her. This time a real kiss, maybe even a bit violent.

Regina doesn't mind. She kisses him back. She moans of pleasure. She turns to her back and pulls Robin above her. "Go on." she whispers.

"Are you sure?" he whispers, while he kisses her. He undresses himself completely and helps Regina to do the same.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Regina whispers. She does want this but she can't help but feel a little bit afraid. Is it going to hurt, like every time with the King?

Robin moves slowly. His heart beats faster than ever and he is constantly smiling. He looks Regina deep in her eyes.

Regina's body reacts to the soft touches of Robin. She likes it. "Go on." she whispers again. She enjoys this moment with Robin. Afterwards she lays in his arms. "Do you like children?" she asks him.

When Robin hears Regina's words he blacks out. He closes his eyes and sees someting that looks like some kind of flashback, like all this happened before, but then slightly different. He breathes heavily and lies down beside Regina. "I'm sorry," he whispers, but he still can't get his mind in control again.

"No... No, I'm sorry. Sorry." Regina whispers. "I shouldn't have asked that. I'm sorry." Regina gets out of bed and puts on her dress. "I should go." she whispers.

"No, no, It's not your fault," Robin says, "it just felt like someone said the exact same thing to me before... But I can't remember." He sits up straight, but his legs won't move, "please Regina,".

"I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Regina whispers.

"It my fault, it wasn't a weird question," he geta himself out of the bed and walks to Regina, "and my answer is yes, I love children." he softly says and he takes a deel breath.

Regina looks down when she hears that.

Robin lets Regina sit on the side of the bed and he sits down next to her. "What's it?" Robin says, while he lays his arm around her.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Regina whispers. "Do you want to have children of your own someday?" She asks this without looking at him.

"I would love that," he says, but Robin has to close his eyes again. He sees a himself with a woman and a child. It hurts in some way and his body starts to shake.

While Robin holds his eyes closed, Regina waves with her hand over his forehead without him noticing it. She takes away the last memories he, unconsciously, has of Marian and his son. She then looks at him while he opens his eyes again. "Are you alright?" she whispers.

His hands still shake, but the flashbacks are gone. He doesn't even remember what he saw anymore. He doesn't say a thing.

"Are you alright, Robin?" Regina repeats her question to him.

Robin stares at the window, not gearing Regina's question. He hears a sitent voice, but he can't really figure out the words someone is saying. It's like the world around him disappeared.

"Robin?" Regina touches his chest. "Are you alright?"

Robin still doesn't react. He feels empty inside and can't find the control over his mind again. He shakes his head and closes his eyes.

Regina sighs. She knows there is only one way out of this. Giving back his memories. With a wave of her hand she does that. She doesn't dare to look up at him.

Robin's body collapses, but after that he gains control again. He slowly looks up, anger has covered his face, together with the tears that roll down his cheeks, "what did you do?" he says, "how... How could you do such thing!" He picks up his clothes and dresses himself. He doesn't look at her, he will never look at her again! "Go!" he shouts.

"Robin... Robin, please. Just let me explain." Regina whispers. She doesn't move an inch.

"You killed my wife, you made me kill my own son and you made me forget all about it!!" He says. He stays where he is, "how can you be so selfish, Regina!"

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. He... He made me do it." Regina whispers. "It was the only way to get out of that life. To stop the King from hurting me." She keeps talking with a very, very soft voice.

"You make other people suffer for your own happiness!" Robin says. He now does look at her with fire in his eyes, "I can never life a normal live again! I'll always feel my son in my hands! And I thought you loved me, I really thought that..." More and more tears drip on the ground.

"I do love you, Robin. Please... Please, just give me a chance." Regina looks down to the ground. Tears run down her face too. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she keeps repeating.

"Go away!" Robin says, "I never want to see you again!"

"Please..." Regina begs one more time. But when she looks up at him she knows it's useless. "I'm so sorry." she whispers again. She poofs herself away to the village where she left Snow. She walks into the school and tells Snow to come with her.

Robin crashes down in his bed... Not knowing if he will ever be the same again.

"No mommy, I don't want to go," Snow White says. Her mother comes so suddenly she can't finish the game they're playing...

"Snow!" Regina snaps at the little girl. "We have to go and I'm not asking again." Regina says with a strict voice.

Snow White gives her mother an angry look, but she stands up and says goodbye go her new friends. She tells them she will come back soon and walks to the coach, not saying a word to her mother.

Regina doesn't say a word either. In silence they drive back to the Royal Castle. Regina tells Lady Tremaine to look after Snow White and then goes to her own bedroom where she locks herself up and cries herself to sleep. The next day Regina tells Snow White that Lady Tremaine will be taking care of her today.

"But why," Snow White says with a lot of sadness in her voice. Tears show up in her eyes, she doesn't want to fight with her mother. "Did I do something bad to you?"

"No, dear. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just very busy today but tomorrow I'm all yours. What do you think about that?" Regina picks up Snow White and spins her around in the air.

Snow White smiles as her mother turns around, "promise?" she says.

"I promise!" Regina giggles. "You just figure out what you want to do tomorrow, alright?" Regina gives Snow a big, big hug and a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, my sweet, sweet daughter." she smiles at her. Regina then walks outside of the Castle and poofs herself to Robin's cabin in the Forest.

Robin isn't in his cabin. He is out hunting and looking for food. Killing animals has become harder because of what happened. His hands shake when he tries. He drops his bow on a safe spot and just walks, walks, walks....

Regina patiently waits for Robin to come home. She waits for him on the bench before his house.

When Robin finally goes home, he sees Regina sitting in front of his house. He just stays on a distance... Looking at her.

Regina keeps on waiting. She knows Robin is watching her, but she doesn't let him know that. She wants him to come to her when he's ready for it.

Robin just sits down, waiting for Regina to leave. He doesn't want to talk to her, his anger is too big.

Regina doesn't leave. It starts to rain and she gets soaking wet, but she doesn't use magic to keep her dry and warm. She just keeps on sitting on that bench in front of Robin's house.

Robin stays where he is, sitting on the wet ground. He feels the cold reach his skin through his clothes, but doesn't care. He looks at her for a moment, but than turns his head away again.

Regina also stays where she is. She's not going to give up on him. She needs him to give her a chance. Because if he doesn't... Then who will? And she loves him. She can't help but love him.

Robin stands up and walks to his house. He walks past Regina and before he closes the door he finally says someyhing, "I told you I didn't want to see you again."

Regina keeps on sitting on the bench. She doesn't care that it keeps on raining and that she's colder than ever. She needs to talk to him and she needs him to invite her inside his house. She doesn't go away before he does that.

Robin closes the door behind him. He starts to make tea and while he waits for the water to be hot enough he just sits on the table. He wants Regina to go. He know she is still outside his door, "go Regina!" he shouts.

Regina doesn't answer him. She just keeps on sitting on the bench. She softly coughs. She doesn't want him to hear that.

Robin does hear Regina cough. "You'll catch a cold if you stay," Robin shouts, "so please leave!" He walks to he kitchen again.

Regina doesn't care if she gets sick or not. She just wants him to give her a chance.

Robin fills two mugs with tea and sets them on the table. He opens the front door. "Come in," he says with a sigh.

"Thank you." Regina softly whispers. She slowly enters his house but doesn't sit down. She waits for him to invite her.

"You can sit down, of you want," Robin says. He doesn't look her in her eyes. "The tea is for you... To warm you up." He picks up a blanket and wraps it around her, but there is no love in his actions, only kindness.

"Thank you." Regina softly whispers. She doesn't dare to look at him, afraid to see the anger and hatred in his eyes. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for what I did." Regina whispers.

"I know that," Robin says, "but that isn't going to change a thing. You crossed the line..."

"I know." Regina can only whisper. "I'll do anything to make up for it."

"You can't," Robin says, "I'm sorry, but you..." he almost starts to cry, "do you remember you asked me if there was something worse than killing? You really thought killing was he worst thing you could do, but this, my queen, is far worse."

Regina looks him in the eye. "So there is no way you can ever forgive me?" she asks him, expecting an honest answer.

Robin keeps silent. Then he looks at her and their eyes meet. "I wish I could," he says.

Regina nodds. "I understand." she softly whispers. "I... I won't bother you ever again. Thank you for the tea." Regina stands up and nodds to Robin. She then starts to walk out of the door.

"It's just too soon," Robin says and he looks away again. He stays where he is and the anger comes back, "I can forgive the killing, I can even forgive you letting me kill my own son. But making me forget all about it and acting like nothing ever happened... That was the part that broke me...".

Regina softly nodds again. "I understand." she whispers. She then leaves the house and poofs away. She re-appears in the Castle of Rumplestiltskin.

"Having trouble with love, dearie?" Rumple says and he turns towards Regina, "what do you want?"

"I want to get a chance with Robin." Regina snaps at Rumplestiltskin.

"I see..." he says, "and what are you planning to do to accomplish that, if I may ask," he smiles and walks to Regina.

"That's where I need your help." Regina sighs. "Do you know how I can achieve that without him knowing about any of it?"

"Using magic on him again?" he says, "I'm sure he will like that when he finds out... The question is how far are you willing to go? Magic always comes with a price!"

"As far as it takes!" Regina snaps again. She's desperate and although she knows Rumplestiltskin loves her being desperate, she can't deny it. She truly wants to have a chance with Robin. "What do you have for me?" she asks him.

Rumple lets a potion appear in his hand. "Add the dust of a crushed heart, but not just any heart. The heart of a creature that already forgave you... Then Robin will forgive you too. You kind of switch the forgiveness," Rumple grins and he reaches out the potion. "What do you say?"

"I don't like it. I won't sacrifice someone else to make Robin forgive me. There has to be another way." Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin. "You once told me about another world..." she whispers.

"O yes dearie, there is, but if you use that... Let's say... Curse, he'll forget everything, he'll forget who you are, and all the good things you've done. But yeah. It also makes him forget the bad things." He sighs, "but the price for that one is even higher!"

"What is it?" Regina asks him.

"The heart of the thing you love most," he says with a grin.

Regina just looks at him. "And who might that be?"

"I think you know that yourself," rumple says, "do you want it or not?"

"Will it work on everyone? Not just Robin but on the whole Kingdom? Can I give them the memories I want?"

"Well that's up to you," Rumple says, "you send them to another world, a world in which no one will remember anything about their time here, really nothing!"

"Maybe one day. I have to give him a chance to forgive me out of his own. Thank you, Rumple. If there is anything I can do for you, you know where to find me." Regina poofs away to Robin's cabin. Again she waits for him to come home.

Robin comes home just before dark. He isn't alone, a man is walking next to him. They talk about some trade and Robin doesn't notice Regina, his mind is too focused on the deal, because otherwise he will have nothing to eat... Again.

Regina sees Robin is really focused and that this is a big deal so she doesn't interrupt him. She makes sure she's as silent as she can be.

When Robin and the man come closer to the house, Robin sees Regina. He slips out of his focus and doesn't hear what the man says. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Robin says to the man. "Are you even listening?" the man asks then. Robin gives Regina a angry look. "Of course I am," he says.

Regina quickly looks down. She hopes she doesn't ruin this for Robin. She stares at the ground until Robin and the man say goodbye and Robin walks over to her. She then looks up at him.

Robin sighs, "you're here again..." He says while he unlocks the door, "I thought I was very clear last time," he adds, but he lets her inside.

Regina softly follows him inside his house. "You were." she whispers. "I don't know why I'm here again today. I just want to make sure you know how sorry I am."

"I know you are," he says while he starts to make a fire.

"And that I would do anything to make it up to you." Regina now whispers.

"You will?" Robin says. The fire doesn't work. He sits down and sighs, "why?"

"Because I want you to give me a chance. A chance to prove I really am changing." Regina whispers.

Robin shakes his head and looks at her. "It's hard to do that..." Robin says, "after what you did. I know you're changing, but you didn't give me my memories back, because you wanted to, you did it because it was the only way to get me back... That's not changing, Regina."

"I didn't want you to know how horrible I used to be, that's true." Regina whispers. "I'm so sorry, Robin." A tear runs down her face.

"I know, Regina," Robin says, "but... I just can't believe you did this to me, I had a family, I loved them and I was happy...". He sees Regina's sad eyes. He still likes her in some way and he hates himself because of it.

"I know." Regina softly answers. She looks down to the ground. "I wanted to be happy too. But I did it the wrong way. I'm so sorry." Regina cries softly now.

"Yes you did," Robin says, "you took my happiness to make yourself happy, and that... That breaks me everytime I see you," he feels tears coming up as he sees Regina is crying.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers. She doesn't want to face him any longer and runs out of his cabin to the Forest. She knows she should be figuring out where John is, the man of that woman in the village, but she doesn't feel like it. She just wants to be alone now. It has started raining again but she doesn't notice it. She sits down beneath a tree and gets soaking wet.

Regina leaves and Robin stays on his couch. He knows she is somewhere alone in the forest now. When it starts raining, he hopes she proofed herself to the palaces... He really hopes it.  
After a while he can't handle the idea of Regina being there alone in the cold weather and rain. After all he realizes he still cares about her. He steps outside and starts walking. He is completely wet after a while, but he doesn't go back. "Regina?!" he shouts.

Regina hears Robin shouting her name, but she doesn't answer him. She's tired. She just wants to sleep. She knows she can never make up for what she did.

"Regina come on!" Robin shouts, "I know you're here somewhere!" He walks on and then sees Regina under a big tree. She is just as wet as him and doesn't look at him. "Regina..." Robin says, "don't do this...".

"Leave me alone. I can't face you." Regina whispers softly.

"O Yes, first you come to my house and then you don't want to see me?" Robin says, "fine...". He looks a last time at her and then he starts to walk away from her.

Regina keeps laying down on the tree. She has started crying but her tears and the raindrops on her face mingle with one another. "I'm so sorry." She makes sure Robin hears that. "I didn't want to hurt you or your wife or your son. He made me do it so I could get out of that life with the King."

"I understand why you did it," he says, "and I can forgive you, I really do," he stands with his back to Regina, "but killing them was not everything... And that's what hurts me so much." He look at her now, "but I'll try to forgive you for that too... Because I realized I still care about you...".

Regina just looks up at him and remains silent. He did not just say that. Or did he?

He softly smiles and turns around again. He walks away to his house. He knows he won't have a fire today. The wood is all wet... But he doesn't care... he just walks on and on and on, not caring about what will come next.

Regina softly follows him. She notices the cold in his house. "Would you like to come with me to the Castle? It's warm there."

"That's very kind of you, but no... I think I'll stay here and... Just... Just go to bed..." Robin says with a sigh. He can't find the right words to say.

"Robin, please. You will freeze to death if you stay here." Regina softly whispers.

"I got used to it after all those years, Regina," Robin says, "it's the same every year... I'll be fine."

"I don't want you to be alone here, in this cold. It's almost winter and you will freeze to death. Robin, please, let me help."

"It's not necessary, Regina,"I've lived in the forest my whole life, every winter is cold, every winter me and... Marian almost starved, but we survived, so I'm pretty sure I can handle it..." He wants to walk upstairs. The word 'alone' keeps going through his mind...

"I'm not going to keep on begging. You know what's best for yourself." Regina softly whispers. She turns around and starts to walk away.

"Wai- " Robin mumbles, "no... You're right," he walks upstairs and before he reaches his room he whispers "good night" and closes the door behind him.

Regina decides to stay downstairs. She knows Lady Tremaine is taking care of Snow White. Tomorrow she will spend the day with her daughter, but tonight she can stay here to experience the winter in a typical cabin in the Forest... A cabin where most villagers live in. She doesn't tell Robin this. He's in his bedroom upstairs. She lays down on the couch downstairs. In the middle of the night she wakes up from the cold. It's really, really ice cold in Robin's house.

Robin wakes up from the cold. This always happens... It's not that bad... He gets up to take a little walk, just to warm himself up and to look if he can find some extra blankets downstairs.   
He walks through the door and sees something move. He grabs his bow and arrow and points it at the figure. He can't see anything, not even a shadow, but he knows someone is there, he feels it.

"Robin?" Regina whispers. She heard him aiming his bow and arrow at her, but she doesn't care. If he shoots, she knows she'll die, but what's the point in living if it's not with him?

"Regina?" Robin says and he lowers his bow, "what are you doing here! I almost shoot you!"   
His heart beats very fast, she really frightened him.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "I didn't want to leave you alone and I also didn't want you to be mad at me for staying here so I just... I just stayed." She looks up at him.

"You scared me..." He says still breathing really fast. He lays his bow down on the table. "Thanks for staying, but you should go. Your family is in the palace... And besides that it's warm there...".

"I can say the same to you. It's warm in the Castle. You woke up from the cold, didn't you?" Regina looks up at Robin. "Why don't you let me help you?"

"Because I don't need your help," Robin says, "I wake up every night from the cold, everyone who lives here does... As I said, it's part of my life..."

"It doesn't have to be." Regina whispers while looking up at him again.

"I know," Robin says and he looks at his hands, "I know but... I'm just don't deserve to go to the palace... This is where I belong."

"You of all people deserve to go with me, after what I did to you. Please, give me a chance to make a little bit up for it."

"I just can't, I'm sorry," Robin says and he walks upstairs with tears in his eyes.

"Why not? What's the real reason?" Regina asks him, now with a more strict tone in her voice.

"I hate the palace," Robin says and he quickly closes the door.

"You're not the only one who hates that place!" Regina snaps at him, through the closed door.

"Well then you understand why I don't want to be there!" Robin says back with a calm voice, but he knows he wants to go there, only to be with Regina... But he can't, not after what she did.

Regina goes back downstairs and lays back down on the couch. In the morning she wakes up when Robin walks down the stairs.

Robin doesn't look at Regina. "Good morning..." He picks up his jacket and his bow, "I'm sorry I have no food anymore... You should go home to eat breakfast..." he adds and goes outside. He walks and hopes he will have someting to trade today, but winter is coming and there is not much he can get...

By the time Robin gets back, Regina has put food on the table, a delicious breakfast. "Surprise." she whispers when Robin gets back with empty hands.

Robin isn't really happy, he doesn't want her to do this for him. He can take care of himself. But he is really hungry... "Thank you..." he whispers, "but I really can't accept this." He turns his face away and feels tears coming up.

"Robin, just sit down and eat. I can see you're hungry and you can't hunt on an empty stomach. Just eat something!"

"No I don't want it, Regina!" Robin shouts. He breathes heavily and he feels exhausted.

"Fine! I don't care any more!" Regina poofs away with just a wave of her hand. She lets the food stand on the table though. She really hopes he eats something now she's gone. Regina re-appears in the Royal Castle. She walks towards one of the servants. "Excuse me. Do you know a guard named John? Do you know where I can find him?"

Robin gives the food to the other people who live in a village very close to his house. He doesn't eat a thing...

"I do, my queen" the servant says and makes a bow, "the last time a saw him the king took him to the prisons...".

"Thank you." Regina nodds to the servant with a soft smile on her face. "Can you take me there? And can you tell me who else is in the prisons and why?" Regina follows the servant to the prison cells and listens to him.

The servant tells Regina everything he knows about the prisoners, thieves, killers and just haters. "This is what the king told me, my queen, is there something else you want to know? John is in one of the special prisons..."

"Release the haters. I'll worry about the rest of them later. Show me the special prisons. What are those and why is John there?"

"Those are the one's that the king wanted to punish more than others, because they betrayed him in some way." The servant says clearly. They enter the dark prisons, which are cold an dirty.

"Who else is here beside John?" Regina wants to know.

"I don't know, my queen. John was my friend so I know why he hot here, but the rest... The king wanted to keep it a secret, but you can ask John himself, maybe he knows more."

"John?" Regina walks towards one of the prison cells and lets one of the guards open the door. "John?" she asks while entering the cell.

"Regina," John says surprised, "what are you doing here?" He asks full of hope.

"You're free to go. The King has died. Didn't you know that?" Regina asks him.

"I didn't know that," he says, "what happened to him?" he says. He coughs and stands up. He didn't walk very much in here so he walks very slowly.

"Are you alright?" Regina asks him. "The King was poisoned by one of the servants. I'm sorry." She looks John straight in his eyes. "Who else is down here?" she asks him.

"Most of the people here were the kings assistents once," John says, "and there is one girl down here. I've always wondered why she is down here. And these sells are also for victims of magic... People who have gone completely crazy because of it. That's all I know."

"Thank you, John. You're free to go. Please, say hi to your wife from me." Regina smiles at him and then waves her hand to poof him to his village. Regina then opens the next cell door. "Hello?" she asks softly.

No one responses. A girl is sitting in the corner of the cel. She looks up as the door opens.

"Hello?" Regina asks again to the girl. "Who are you? Why are you down here?"

The girl still says nothing. She is afraid nothing will come out of her mouth when she speaks, she didn't talk for years... She stands up slowly.

"Can you talk?" Regina looks at the girl. She takes a step closer towards her. "It's alright. The King is dead. He can't hurt you. You can trust me. Why are you down here?" Regina repeats her question.

"I... I...," she says, trying to get words out. Her voice is rough and soft, "I... Am... Be-"

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "Take your time." She tries to make the girl more relaxed.

The girl takes a deep breath. The queen is calming her down and she tries again, "belle..." she whispers, "I'm belle." Was the king really dead? She is sure this was just on of his tricks. She walks back to great as much space between her and Regina as possible.

Regina lets Belle do that. She just keeps standing where she is, calm. "Why are you down here? Why did the King lock you down here?" Regina wants to know.

"I was... in love with... with someone he hated," Belle says. Her voice is coming back and she likes to talk again, "I... wanted ... to help him, but the king got me before I... could."

"You don't have to be afraid any longer. The King is dead and you are free to go." Regina softly smiles at the girl. "Do you have somewhere to go or do you want to stay in the Castle for a while?"

"I've nothing, my queen," Belle says, "I don't know where to go..."

"Please. It's Regina." Regina smiles at the girl. "You can stay here as long as you want. Not down here, of course, you can stay in one of the many guest rooms. Would you like that?"

"Yes... Regina, I would love that," she says, but she still isn't sure if the queen really means it. She has been tricked so many times by now, she doesn't trust anyone anymore. "Are you sure?" Belle whispers.

Regina smiles and nodds. "I am. I'm really sure." She lets one of her servants take Belle to the guest room of her choice and lets the cook make a big lunch for the girl. She looks starved. Regina then opens the next cell door in the cold prison. "Hello?" she softly asks.

"Go away," a man's voice shouts.

"Who are you? Why are you down here?" Regina wants to know.

"I said go away, I don't want food!" The man shouts again, but when he looks up and sees the queen. He immediately stands up, "I'm so sorry, my queen," he says, "I didn't mean it." He makes a deep bow and keeps his head down.

"It's alright. I'm not here to bring you food. I'm here to invite you to the dinner table later today. Would you like that?"

"No, my queen," the man says clearly.

"Can I ask you why not?" Regina wants to know.

"I haven't eaten in days and I do that for a reason," the man says, "there is nothing left for me, my queen, I want to die here...".

"Why? Why would you want to die here? The King is dead. You can be free again." Regina doesn't understand. She takes a step closer towards the man. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Like I said, there is nothing left for me," the man snaps, "I don't have a place to go to, of course I've not!"

"What happened then?" Regina wants to know.

"I choose the king over my family!" The man says, "everyone hates me...".

"You didn't have a choice back then, did you?" Regina softly sighs. "Well, I'm giving you a choice right now. You can stay here, in the Castle, and be one of my servants, or you can try to go back home."

"I don't want that, my queen," the man says more softly now, "I can't be happy anymore... I'm sorry, I'm sure you have enough servants." He smiles a little.

"I do. I just don't want to sent you out in the Kingdom with no place to go." Regina softly smiles back. "Why don't you come to dinner and decide afterwards? You can stay in the Castle as a guest, for a while, if you'd like that?"

"Why would you do that?" he says, "why are you so kind?"

"Because, despite my behaviour the last couple of years, I am a kind woman." Regina giggles. "I want to make up for what the King did to you."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, but I'll try," the man says and he walks towards the queen.

Regina nodds. "I would appreciate that." She smiles at him. "You're free to go. I'll let one of my servants take you to a guest room of your choice. Please, feel free to come to dinner tonight."

"Okay," the man only says and he lets the servants take him to a room.

The man in the next room wakes up as he hears a voice. The queens voice. He gets really really scared.

"Hello? Who are you?" Regina had opened the next door and walked inside. She looks down at a man who looks really scared of her. "You don't have to be afraid of me. Who are you and why are you down here?"

The mans eyes grow big and he turns around and says nothing. He breathes heavily and he gets some words out. "No, no no no no," he whispers while he hides his face in his hands.

"It's alright. You don't have to be afraid of me. I'm here to help you." Regina takes a step closer towards the man. "Why did the King lock you up down here?"

"I still am," the man whispers, "please I'm sorry, I'm very sorry, don't hurt me please." He still doesn't dare to look at her.

"I won't hurt you. I'm not going to hurt you. Please, tell me why the King locked you up down here. I want to help you."

"O if you hear it you don't want to help me anymore," the man whispers.

"I'm sure I will. Just tell me, please." Regina keeps calm and speaks with a soft voice.

"I fell in love with you," the man whispers.

"You... You did what?" Regina whispers. "But... But you don't know me. How can you fall in love with me if you don't know me?" She wants to understand. Her voice doesn't sound angry, just confused.

"You don't have to know someone to fall in love," the man says, "I saw you come and go everyday, I watched you laugh and cry, it was like my heart was spinning and I was really happy, until the king discovered I was starting at you all the time and he punished me. He said he would punish you too because of me..." the man says, "now that you know everything, just kill me quickly okay... I'm sorry."

Regina softly smiles at him. "I'm not going to kill you for falling in love with me, you silly." She giggles. "On the contrary. The King is dead. I want to invite you for dinner tonight, if you'd like that?"

"What?" the man whispers and he finally looks at her, "you're inviting... me... for dinner?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, I am. You and the other people who were down here. Do you want to come?"

"Yes of course," the man says, when he sees the queen smiling he smiles too, "thank you, my queen". He really wants to hug the queen, but he only walks slowly to her. His love is not over yet...

Regina looks at him when he walks over to her. She wants to, but not because she loves him. She wants to feel someone close to her. She looks at him.

The man looks at Regina too. She stands still and doesn't move. "Thanks again, my queen," he says, not knowing what to do with his burning heart and shaking hands.

"Please. It's Regina." Regina takes a step aside to let the man pass. "One of my servants will take you to a guest room where you can get ready. After the dinner, you're free to go to your family." Regina smiles at him.

The man smiles, "I'll be there, Regina," he says. Her name is the most beautiful thing he ever heard and his cheeks start to glow. He walks away, trying not to look back...

Regina softly smiles. She walks over to the last door. She opens it with the guard's key and slowly walks inside. "Hello?" she asks once again.

A man lies on the ground. He doesn't move and he almost doesn't breathe...

"Are you alright?" Regina runs over to him and starts to heal him with her magic. After a few minutes she notices he breathes easier. "Are you alright?" she asks him again.

"I think I am," the man says. He coughs and tries to sit up. He is surprised when he succeeds. He has lain on the ground for days. "What did you do, my queen," he says and he makes a bow with his head.

"I used my magic to heal you. I'm sorry I didn't ask you first, but you didn't seem well. I couldn't let you die." Regina looks at the man. "Why did the King lock you up down here?"

"I don't know to be honest," he says, "but I guess I deserved it... The king is always right."

"Not anymore. The King is dead. You are free to go. I would like to invite you to dinner this night and afterwards you are free to go. Or you can go now, to your family, if you want that?"

"You are really letting me go?" the man says, "thank you, I would love to go to my family, but I don't know where they are...".

"I can find them for you. Do you want us to do that now?" Regina smiles at him.

"I understand of you have other things to do than finding the family of a prisoner," he says with a smile.

"I'm happy to help. You're not a prisoner any longer. You're a free man." Regina poofs them both to one of the villages. "Is this where you live?" She keeps poofing them to villages until they arrive at one where he recognises people.

"Yes..." he says, "I recognize those people, I recognize the houses... That... That's my son...." He points at a boy and starts to cry. He hasn't seen him for a long time, but he still recognizes him. He will always recognize him.

"Go. You're a free man." Regina smiles at him. She notices the villagers looking at her with doubt in their eyes.

"Thank you, my queen," the man whispers. He sees his wife too and walks to them. When the woman sees him she runs and hugs him. She almost makes him fall and she starts to cry. They both feel so lucky. 

The villagers look from the man and woman to Regina and back. They are surprised...

"Like I said... You're a free man from now on. I want to apologise for my husband's behaviour. If there is anything I can do to help you, please... Come see me at the Royal Castle. My door will always be open for everyone of you." Regina nodds and poofs away, back to her Castle. She joins Snow White and Belle for lunch. She explains what she did in the morning and tells Snow there will be a couple of extra guests at dinner. "Do you like that?" Regina smiles at Snow.

"O yes!!" Snow says, "who put them their in the prisons?" She is exited to meet new people again, maybe they even want to talk to her and maybe they have children too! "Will they bring their families too?" She asks.

"The guards of your father did that, dear. But now your father is gone, I can set them free. That's good, isn't it?" Regina smiles at the little girl. "They won't bring their families tonight, but maybe some other time. Would you like that?" Regina smiles when she sees Snow all that excited.

"Yes! Maybe they have children," snow says and she calms down a bit. "And yes I love that you free them," she smiles.

The three of them have a lovely lunch together. Afterwards Regina asks Snow if she wants to go back to that school for the afternoon or if she wants to do something else.

"I would love that," Snow White softly says and she smiles, "but I'll be home before dinner, right? I don't want to miss any of it!"

"Of course you are! You will be back far before dinner because I know you like to play that ball game with the other kids and it will make you all dirty and all, so you will have to take a bath before dinner. Does that sound good to you?" Regina giggles. She let one of her servants take her and Snow White to the village with the school.

When Snow White waves and leaves the room, Belle walks to Regina, "you have a lovely daughter, Regina," she says with a smile, "she really loves you."

"Thank you, Belle. I really love her too." Regina smiles at Belle. "Please, make yourself at home. We will talk later, alright?" Regina then leaves with Snow White to the village with the school.

"Yes of course, my queen," she says and she walks away.

"Please, Belle. It's Regina." Regina smiles at Belle. She then leaves with Snow White to the village with the school. She waves goodbye to Snow and promises her to pick her up in time. Regina nodds to the villagers. She lets the coach with the guards behind in the village, after telling them to not hurt anyone and just look out after Snow White. Regina takes the horse and frees it from the coach. She then rides away with it to Robin's cabin. She knocks on the door.

Robin opens the door, but he already knows who's there. "Regina, hi," he says with a smile, he blocks the door and doesn't let her in.

"Robin." Regina softly nodds. "I was wondering how you were doing after tonight. Did you have something to eat this morning?" Regina notices he isn't going to let her come inside his house. She just keeps standing in front of him, waiting for his answer. She looks at him with soft eyes.

Robin walks slowly to Regina. He takes a deep breath and then he kisses her. A deep, but gentle kiss. His hands touch her cheeks and although it's almost freezing outside, he feels warm. He slowly pulls back and looks into her eyes.

Regina kisses him back, softly. When Robin pulls back, she looks up at him. She doesn't dare to say a thing, afraid to ruin this moment.

"I'm afraid I still love you," Robin whispers while he takes her in his arms.

"How can you still love me after everything I did to you?" Regina whispers to him.

"I asked myself that so many times," he says with a sigh, "and every time again I wonder why my heart doesn't say the same as my mind."

"You can't love me." Regina takes a step back. "You just... You just can't. You should hate me."

"I do hate you," Robin says, "but that doesn't mean I can't love you at the same time...".

Regina shakes her head. "No. You have to chose. I can't be with you knowing you hate me at the same time. I just can't." Regina whispers.

"It's okay," Robin says, "I don't expect you to get it and I don't expect you to stay with me. Maybe it's even better if we just stop being together." He smiles and looks at the ground.

Regina softly nodds. A tear runs down her face. "Maybe it is." she whispers. But she doesn't move to go away. She just stares at the ground.

"Well, is it time to say goodbye then?" Robin whispers.

Regina turns around and starts to cry now. She doesn't want to say goodbye. She wants to be with him. But she can't knowing he hates her too.

Robin walks to her and wraps his arms around her. He doesn't say a thing, he only feels. Seeing Regina cry hurts him so much, but it also means she cares about him...

"I don't want to say goodbye." Regina whispers. "But I don't want to see you hate me either. I... I don't know what to do." She can't stop crying.

"I don't want to say goodbye either," Robin says, still holding her, "but... It's your choice," he feels tears coming up. "Maybe time will fix things...".

Regina doesn't turn around. She doesn't want to see the hate on his face and in his eyes. "Do you think you will ever be able to forgive me?" she whispers to him.

"Yes," he only says and he closes his eyes, "yes I will."

Regina turns back around to face Robin. She doesn't look up at him. "Are you sure?" she asks him again.

Robin stays silent and looks back at her. He takes a deep breath before he speaks. "Why would I lie to you?" He let's her go and starts to walk back to his house.

"I don't think you're lieing. I'm just asking you if you're sure about that. Because..." Regina takes a deep breath. "Because I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." she then whispers.

"I'm sure," Robin says, "I do believe you've changed... Don't worry okay? I'll be all right and so will you."

Regina finally looks up at him. "Alright." she whispers. She takes a step toward him and gives him a soft kiss on his lips. "I have visited a couple of prisoners in the Royal Castle. People who were locked up by the King. I've set them free. They didn't deserve to be there." Regina looks up at Robin. "Some of them are attending dinner tonight. Will you... Do you want to come too?"

Robin looks away, he know he wants it... "Yeah," he says after a while, "I would love that."

"Really?" Regina's face suddenly lights up with a big smile. "I will send the coach to pick you up at 5PM. Is that alright?"

"Me in a coach...?" he asks with a grin, "is that the only way?" He looks away, "okay fine..." He smiles.

Regina giggles. "If you want I can take you with me on the horse. I have to pick up Snow White in one of the villages soon. The three of us can ride to the Castle in the coach then. What do you say?" Regina smiles at him.

"Better," he says with a laugh, "if that's all right with you,”

"It is." Regina giggles again. She sits on the horse and helps Robin on it. They drive off together to the village to pick up Snow. Regina lets the guards attach the horse back to the coach while she and Robin wait at the school for Snow White to come out.

They sit down on the bench next to the school and Robin just strokes Regina's hair until Snow White comes out. He inspects them from a distance.

Regina walks towards Snow White and picks her up in her arms and swings her in the round when Snow jumps into her mother's arms. "I've brought someone with me. His name is Robin. Would you like it if he joins us for dinner too?" Regina smiles at Snow.

"Yes that's okay," snow says with a smile. She carefully waves at him and he waves back.

"Is it alright too if he drives with us back to the Castle?" Regina asks Snow, now more carefully.

"Yes of course," Snow says, "how can he come there otherwise," she grins and lays her head on her mothers shoulder. Regina is still holding her up.

"Let's go then." Regina smiles. She carries Snow towards the coach and lets her step in before her and Robin. When the three of them sit down in the coach, Regina tells the guards to drive them to the Royal Castle. When they arrive there, Lady Tremaine takes over Snow White to give her a bath before dinner. "See you at dinner, dear." Regina gives Snow a kiss on her forehead. When Lady Tremaine and Snow White take off, Regina turns back around to Robin. "So... This is my place." She giggles.

"It looks... Beautiful," he says, "a bit overwhelming but beautiful," he smiles and looks around.

"Thank you." Regina softly smiles. "Do you want to take a bath too?" she then asks him.

Robin looks at his dirty clothes. He likes to be dirty, but he knows he is in the palace now, "yes that's all right," he says with a smile.

Regina leads him to one of the guest rooms. "If you want to put on some other clothes, you can find them in that chest over there." Regina points in the correct direction. "But you don't have to change if you don't want to. I love you just the way you are." She giggles again. "I'll take a bath too. Shall I pick you up in an hour here?" she suggests.

"Well milady, that would be just perfect," he says with a high voice and he makes a bow. He walks into the bathroom and cleans himself with warm water. He hasn't felt so warm for a long time and he enjoys it. He never had enough water at home to make a bath, not even a cold bath... Finally clean, he steps out and dries his body. He walks to the chest and picks a very neat black suit and puts it on. He just walks around and inspects the paintings until Regina comes back to get him.

Regina knocks on the door before she enters. "Are you r..". Regina doesn't finish her sentence. She just stares at Robin. He already looked handsome in his hunting clothes, but now, wearing this black suit... He looks very, very, very handsome. She just stares at him. She herself is wearing a light dress and a tight corset. She didn't want to look fat.

Robin sees Regina is staring at him, so he stares back, "You look amazing, beside the fact that dress doesn't seem very comfortable... Are you wearing a corset for me?" he says and he walks to her, laying his hands on her hips.

Regina doesn't like being touched on her hips. Not by anyone. She slowly takes a step back. "Don't touch me there." she whispers. "I... I don't like it. I'm sorry." She looks down, afraid to have hurt him in some way.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" Robin says and he looks down. He sighs and looks up at Regina. Her waist is really thin... It makes him shiver. "Are you wearing that corset for me?" He whispers again.

"Yes." Regina softly whispers. She looks up at him. "Don't you like it?" she asks him.

"No, I don't," he says, "I can see it hurts you... So if you want do do something for me, please, put it and wear someting comfortable, something you like to wear." He doesn't go to her, he just looks at her from a distance.

Regina turns her back towards Robin. "Will you help me get the corset off then?" She giggles when she looks over her shoulder to him. "Please?" She smiles.

Robin smiles, "are you sure," he whispers, still remembering her stepping back a moment ago, but he walks to her. He carefully puts down her zipper and lets the dress slip from her shoulders. He starts to untie the corset.

Regina takes a deep breath the moment she's able to do that, the moment Robin takes the corset off her body. "Thank you." she softly smiles at him. She turns around towards him. She hasn't put her dress back on.

Robin smiles and steps towards her. He kisses her. He holds his hands on her warm cheeks, not daring to touch her body, too afraid she will step back...

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "Just don't... Not... " She looks him deep into his eyes. "Not my hips. Please." She softly kisses him. Her hands stroke his chest beneath his suit.

"okay," Robin whispers. He wants to know why, but he doesn't want to ask it. he feels her soft hands on his body and smiles.

"We have a little while before dinner." Regina smiles at Robin. She pushes him onto the bed in this guest room and lays herself beside him. She looks up at him and bites her bottom lip. She's a bit nervous, but not afraid.

Robin closes his eyes as they lie on the bed, but he immediately opens them again when he sees Marian. Regina's touch feels like hers and he freezes for a moment. Then he relaxes again and kisses Regina, gently but passionate.

Regina kisses him back. She now lays very closely against him. She looks up at him when he touches her hips again, this time by accident.

Robin pulls his hands back, "sorry," he whispers and moves his hands up. He lets her take of his black jacket and shirt, while he kisses her.

"It's just..." Regina whispers while looking up at him. She then lets him look closely at her hips. Small scars are lightly visible when you take a closer look at them. "His nails." Regina whispers softly. She doesn't dare to look up at Robin.

"He hurt you very much, didn't he," Robin whispers. He softly follows the scars from her hips to her stomach.

"Yes. Yes, he did." Regina whispers. "Snow... Snow doesn't know that. She doesn't have to know. I want her to remember her father in a good way." Regina looks away. "Even if I never will." she whispers.

"Yeah..." he whispers, "I would have done that too I think... Not that I think it's good to hide the truth from her, but you have to protect her... The world is already cruel enough..." He takes a deep breath and doesn't look into Regina's eyes...

"Did I say something wrong?" Regina asks him with a very soft voice.

"You didn't..." he says, "you just..." he sighs, and now does look at her, "you're just hiding the truth again, just like you did with me... But I understand, she is just a child."

Regina nodds. "She doesn't need to know how her father really was. He was always a good father to her, a loving father. She needs to remember that side of him." Regina looks up at Robin. She leads his hands towards her hips. "Just like I need to remember you as a kind man." she softly smiles.

"You do?" he says with a grin. He feels Regina leading his hands to her hips, but instead of letting her reach them he grabs her hand and squeezes it a little.

Regina softly smiles at him. "I don't want to go to dinner. I want to stay here with you." she whispers.

"Me too," he whispers and he kisses her cheek, "but you can't leave your guests." He sits up with his back against the back of the bed.

Regina follows his example. She looks up at him. "Let's get this over with." she giggles. She and Robin get dressed again. She doesn't put on her corset this time and she feels much more comfortable in her dress now. She softly smiles at him again. She leads him to the great dining hall, where she sits down next to Snow and points Robin his seat: next to her at the head table. She stands up and greets her guests.

The guests applaud and now when Regina is finished. They all seem very happy. Belle just fakes a smile and tries to eat something. Snow White talks to some kind strangers and Robin enjoys his meal while watching at Regina while she smiles.

Regina doesn't eat much, but at least she now eats more than she ever did when the King was still alive. She softly smiles at Belle when she sees that girl looking over at her. She knows Belle is faking a smile. Regina can recognise a fake smile from miles away. She decides to talk to Belle the next day. When dinner is finished, Regina greets all of her guests, one by one. They come over at her table to say goodnight.

The guest leave after greeting the queen, they go their home or to their room and prepare themselves for the night. Robin waits outside until Regina is finished, he sits down on a couch that looks really expensive. Snow hugs her mom when everyone is gone and smiles.

"Did you like it tonight?" Regina asks Snow.

"Yes, I did," Snow says and she smiles, but after a while she adds, "but I like it better when I'm just with you.”

Regina smiles at her. "We can do that again soon, alright, dear? Let's go to sleep now. You look very tired." Regina picks up Snow and carries her to her bed. She reads her a short bedtime story and by the time Regina is finished, Snow has fallen asleep. Regina stares at her for a little while. She really, really loves this girl. She gives her a kiss on the forehead and then walks back downstairs, towards Robin. "Hi there." she smiles at him. "Did you enjoy tonight?"

"I did," Robin says, and he takes her arm, "It's different... But it was good." They walk together to Regina's bedroom. "Did you enjoy tonight?" he asks.

"For the first time in a very long time I enjoyed my night." Regina smiles at him. "Thank you for being here with me. I really like that." They enter Regina's bedroom. She looks up at him. "Do you.. Do you want to stay the night?" she whispers.

"Good, I loved to be with you too" he says and he smiles at her, "I would love to stay," he says. He doesn't know what he would to do if he would be home and alone, without her. He only knows he would miss her too much.

Regina's face lights up again with a big smile. "This day just keeps getting better and better." She giggles. She lets Robin unzip her dress. She lets it fall to the ground and steps out of it. She looks up at him. "Are you going to sleep in that suit?" She giggles again.

"What do you think," he says with a laugh and he kisses her. They are both smiling and that makes I very hard. Soon they fall on the bed, laughing, and Regina starts to undress him. He lets her.

Regina lays closely against Robin when she has completely undressed him. She draws figures on his chest while looking up at him. She gives him her most beautiful smile. "I'm glad you're staying." she softly says to him.

"I'm glad you asked me to stay," Robin whispers back. His hand follows her's. Her nails are making little scratches on his chest and he likes it.

Regina softly kisses Robin. She lays on her back and pulls him above her. "Go on." she whispers. "I want to feel you close to me."

Robin smiles and does what she says. He makes her follow his movements and kisses her again and again.

Regina enjoys this so very much. She makes soft sounds of pleasure. She closes her eyes to enjoy it even more, but being this close with a man in this bed... This bed of the King. She can't keep the memories out of her mind. Flashbacks run through her mind. She softly, very softly, moans of fear. She doesn't dare to open her eyes, afraid to see the King and not Robin with her.

Robin feels Regina freeze and lays her gently next to him. He turns to his side, his eyes focused on her, and takes her hands. "It's me," he whispers.

Regina hears a voice but she doesn't recognise it as Robin's voice. She hears the King talking to her. "I'll be a good girl. I'm so sorry." Regina mumbles. She still doesn't dare to open her eyes. "I'll be good. Please, don't hurt me. I'll be good. I'll be good. I'll be good." Regina keeps whispering.

"Regina look at me," Robin says, "I'm Robin, please open your eyes." He squeezes her hands a little as to say, you're safe with me. "Regina, I'm not going to hurt you," he whispers.

Regina opens her eyes and looks into the beautiful eyes of Robin. "R.Robin. I'm... I'm sorry." she whispers. She looks around the room, scared as a little girl of the darkness. "We are alone, just you and I. Right?" She looks up at Robin.

"Yes we are alone... Just you and I," Robin repeats and lays his hand on Regina's cheek, "I'll protect you I promise." He takes her in his arms.

"No!" Regina suddenly shouts out. "No, don't hurt me! Please, I'll be good, I promise!" She looks up at Robin with fear in her eyes. Him holding her in his arms reminds her of the times the King held her against his body to let his servant hurt her. "I'll be good." Regina now whispers.

Robin lets her go. He feels she is shaking. "I won't hurt you Regina, I promise, please keep you're eyes focused on mine and take a deep breath. You're here with me, not with him. You'll be absolutely fine...". He looks her into her eyes and lays his hand under her chin to make sure she looks at him too.

"R.Robin?" Regina asks him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Can we... Can we go to the guest room from earlier tonight? I'm scared here. I... I see him everywhere. Please? Do you mind?" Regina looks up at Robin with eyes full of hope.

"That's alright. If you want that, we'll go there" he says. He stands up and stretches his arms out for Regina.

Regina takes his hand and follows him to the guest room. They lay next to one another in bed. Regina looks up at him, exhausted from fighting off her demon, the King. "Thank you. I'm so sorry for what happened." Regina whispers to him.

"Don't be, it's all right," Robin says, "I understand it's hard to ignore him, after everything he did to you...". Robin takes a deep breath, "just try to sleep, I'll be here."

"You are." Regina softly smiles at him. "I'm glad you are." She looks up at him and looks him deep into his eyes. "I love you." she whispers to him. She then closes her eyes and falls asleep.

Robin falls asleep next to her. His arms lie around her body, as if it keeps the dark away from her.


	9. Cora

Years pass by. Regina and Robin keep seeing each other and their love keeps growing and growing. Regina couldn't be happier. Snow White is turning into a beautiful young lady. The Kingdom loves her and Regina as well. Regina has done more good deeds than any King or Queen before her. But the time comes when Snow White is almost 18 years old... Old enough to take over Regina's Crown; the Crown that is actually for Snow White. Regina knows that but she likes to be Queen. She never thought that would happen but she really likes being Queen. Being loved by the people of her Kingdom. But she also knows there are still a lot of people who hate her for what she has done in the past. People who can't forgive Regina, no matter how hard they try. Snow White is the rightful heir. But Regina isn't planning on giving up her Crown.

In the years before she turns eighteen, Snow White still often goes to the village. She has visited many villages by now, almost every village in the kingdom. Knowing that she will be queen she tries to get a good relationship with her people. Regina still goes our with Robin. Snow White doesn't really like him, because it's feels like Regina loves him more than she loves her. She never tells her mother of course. 

Robin comes to the palace very often and sometimes Regina comes to his place. They have a lovely time together and after all those years Robin forgave Regina for what she did to him. He loves her to much to not do that, but on his lonely days and in his lonely nights he still thinks of Marian and his son. How happy they were.

"Mom!" Snow White yells from her room.

Regina quickly walks towards Snow's bedroom. "Yes, dear?" she asks her. "What's going on?" Regina softly smiles at her daughter.

"The dresser just brought me the sketches of my birthday dresses," Snow says, "and that means my birthday comes really close now..." She looks in the mirror, making a braid in her hear. "I'm afraid..." she whispers.

"Why are you afraid, dear? Nothing will change, now, will it?" Regina smiles confidently at her daughter.

"Being the queen is not the same as being the daughter of a queen, mom..." Snow sighs, while she flips through the pages of the sketchbook.

"I will stay Queen, Snow, didn't anyone tell you? You don't have to worry about being Queen." Regina's smile doesn't leave her face.

"No..." Snow White says stunned and she turns away from the mirror, looking at her mom, "everyone talks about it... Every villager I see wishes me luck and when dad was still alive, he reminded me of this every day." Snow White doesn't understand what her mother is doing.   
"He said I would be a wonderful queen.”

"You will be, dear, when I'm no longer here." Regina smiles at Snow White. "So you don't have to worry about a thing. Alright?"

"That's not true..." Snow says, "all teachers and book told me I would be queen when I was eighteen, you even talked about this with dad, don't you remember?"

"I remember, but that was when your father was still alive and he was the King. He wanted to make you Queen when you would be 18 years old. But now I am the Queen and I decide something else." Regina feels she's getting angry. "And that's the last thing I want to hear about it. Do you understand me?" Regina asks with a strict voice.

"No I don't understand!" Snow shouts, "it's not fair!"

"Snow White!" Regina snaps back. "You're a Princess. You should know by now what that includes. You have to contain yourself. Such outbursts aren't tolerated by the Kingdom and you know that. Now, don't make me say that again." Regina looks at her daughter with anger in her eyes. She's not taking the Crown away from her.

Snow White gets really angry now, she wants to scream but her mothers words make that she doesn't. She walks to her mother, "you can't say that to me," Snow snaps, "you killed and tortured people when you were queen, you made parents kill their own children!!! THOSE outbursts were tolerated...!"

"No, Snow, they weren't. And the Kingdom has forgiven me for what I did in the past. Since then I have only done good things and you know that. It's not fair of you to bring that up again." Regina turns around and walks away, leaving Snow White behind to think about her words. Before she leaves the room, Regina turns around to Snow White. "I will stay Queen until I'm done with it." She then leaves Snow's room and walks over to her bedroom, where Robin is still sleeping.

Snow starts to cry when her mother leaves the room. How could she!

Robin wakes up when Regina opens the door. "Good morning," he whispers, "where have you been." He smiles and sits up.

"Good morning." Regina smiles. She gives Robin a kiss. After years being together Regina is finally able to sleep with Robin in her own bedroom. "Can you believe that girl? She thinks that, just because she turns 18, she will become Queen. I won't let her. She's too young."

Robin looks at Regina. "But she is the rightful heir, Regina," Robin says surprised, "she has the right to sit on the throne..."

"I couldn't care less, Robin. I had to marry the King even if I didn't want it. He's gone and I'm enjoying being Queen. I don't want to give up my Crown. I like being Queen, I like being able to do good things for the Kingdom and all of the villagers." Regina looks up at Robin. "She doesn't deserve the throne. She hasn't earned it. You have no idea what I had to do to earn it."

"Well, I'm sorry, but that sounds as something your mother would say..." Robin says. He doesn't like this, "you can't hold the throne away from her, Regina, she will be a good queen, just like you."

"No, she won't. She doesn't know a thing about ruling a Kingdom. She has to earn it. My mother gave me no other choice than to marry the King. I hated him. I hated him!" Regina starts screaming. She can't stand the idea that Snow White will sit on HER throne, wear HER crown, just like that. Without earning it.

"You can't take it away from her, Regina!" Robin says. He walks to her. "Teaches have prepared her for this for so many years. I know you hated him, but you're doing the same now! You're holding your daughter away from something she wants AND deserves!"

"She doesn't deserve it!" Regina shouts. She now starts to cry. She hasn't worked so hard the last couple of years to lose it all now. "If someone deserves to be Queen, it's ME!" Regina sinks down to the ground and cries like she hasn't done in years. "He hurted me so bad. I can't forget it. I keep thinking about it. I keep seeing it in front of my eyes."

"I'm sorry Regina. You do deserve to be queen, you really do, but she deserves it as well. The people expect Snow White to be queen, that's how it's supposed to be." Robin sighs and takes Regina's hands. He lifts her up and lets her cry on his shoulder. "You'll be all right without the crown, you still can make decisions. Snow White trust you." He strokes her back and kisses her tears away.

"I'm not giving up my Crown. I won't. I deserve to be Queen. She's just a child. She won't be able to make the hard decisions." Regina looks up at Robin. "I'll stay Queen. She can't be Queen unless I step down from the throne or die. And neither one is going to happen. She can be Queen when she's ready for it. Her teachers may have taught her, but they don't know the first thing of being Queen. I'll teach her." Regina looks up at Robin again. "How does that sound to you?" she asks him.

"You can't," Robin says, "the people expect her to be queen, how will you explain this to them? You just came to the part that they have forgiven you, if you make a bad move now, they will lose their fate in you..."

"We will see about that. I am the Queen and I will stay the Queen." Regina looks at Robin. "And you can't change my mind about that." She softly smiles at him. "It's almost time for breakfast. Are you coming?"

"Do what you want, but you know there will be consequences... you will lose people, Regina..." he says, "and yeah I'm coming,"

Regina nodds. "Alright. I'll see you there then." She gives him a kiss on his lips and walks downstairs to the main hall for breakfast. A lot of people are there, like every single day. Everyone bows for the Queen. Regina smiles and takes a seat at her table. Snow White is already there.

Snow White doesn't look at her mother. She is not planning to say a word to her, so she just looks in front of her with anger in her eyes.

"Snow, you know you need to behave in front of our guests." Regina softly smiles at her daughter. "If you want to be Queen one day, you will need to learn to control yourself."

Snow White doesn't react. She tries to act like normal, but then just ignoring her mother. When Robin walks in she looks away and becomes even more angry.

"Snow. Remember what I just told you." Regina warns her. How lovely it would be to trigger her so much to make her explode in front of the guests. Regina can't help but feel very tempted. "In a few years you will be Queen. You have to learn how to behave in public and how not to be influenced by your emotions." Regina softly smiles at Snow White.

"I'm not feeling well, I'm so sorry," she says softly, but so the guest can hear her. They all bow for her when she stands up. She holds her hand on her stomach and nods, "thank you all,"   
The quest all smile at her and wish her the best. Snow leaves and doesn't look at her mother.

Regina can't help but feel something she hasn't felt in 8 years: hatred. She can clearly see the King in Snow White. In her eyes, in her face, in her behaviour. Regina starts to hate this girl. She was adorable and fun when she was 10 years old but now... No matter how hard Regina has tried to raise her as her own... She now sees Snow will always be her father's child. When breakfast is done, Regina greets her guests and storms inside Snow's bedroom. "What the hell were you thinking?" she snaps at the girl.

Snow White doesn't say a thing she just lies on her bed with her face to the ceiling. He breathes calmly with her hands folded on her belly. She ignores her mother and closes her eyes.

"Will you stop ignoring me?!" Regina now shouts at her daughter. No. Not her daughter. His daughter. Without really wanting it Regina uses her magic on Snow White. She lifts the girl up with just a wave of her hand and starts to choke her a little bit. "What part of my explanation at the table didn't you understand?" Regina snaps at Snow. "You need to learn how to BEHAVE!"

Snow White gasps for air, "mom?" she says with a rough and soft voice, "what... what are you doing?" She moves her hands to her throat, "please stop!"

Regina startles when she hears Snow's voice. She quickly lets her go. "Snow... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what got into me." Regina runs over to her daughter and takes her into her arms. "I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me? I won't ever do that again. I'm not turning into my mother."

Snow White hugs her mom and she starts to cry, her mother scared her so much. She lets her head rest on her mothers shoulder, "of course I can," she says with tears streaming over her cheeks, "you'll never be like her."

"I really am sorry, dear." A tear runs down Regina's face. "I don't want to become like my mother, Snow. I'm so sorry." Regina doesn't let Snow go.

"You won't," Snow says, but her tears don't stop, "you really scared me..." she whispers.

"I know, I'm sorry. I scared myself pretty hard too." Regina smiles softly at her daughter. "I promise I will never do that again to you."

Snow White smiles. She just wants to stand like this forever, forgetting all the queen-things and be happy. "I'm sorry I was so rude at breakfast," she whispers, "I was very angry..."

"It's alright, dear. It's alright." Regina smiles. She looks up at her daughter. "Let's think about something else. You need to get ready for you last lessons with your teacher and I have some work to do for the Kingdom. I'll see you at dinner, alright?"

Snow White wants to say no, she really wants ot, but she takes a deep breath and answers with a simple 'yes'. She smiles and walks together with her mother out of the room.

"Thank you, dear." Regina smiles at her daughter. She says goodbye for now and enters her own bedroom. "Hi there." she smiles when she notices Robin waiting for her.

"Hi," Robin says, "you look different," he says when he looks at her. "How is Snow?"

"Better. She's off to her final lesson with the teacher. I have some work to do for the Kingdom." Regina walks over to Robin with a soft smile on her face. "Maybe you can help me with that?" She turns around and puts her long hair over one shoulder, that way revealing the zipper of her dress.

"Help you with what," he grins, "undressing you?"

"If we consider that 'working for the Kingdom', then... Yes." Regina softly giggles. She takes a step closer towards him with her back, now standing very close before him. She looks at him, over her shoulder, with her big brown eyes.

Robin looks into her eyes and smiles, "Well then," he says with a grin, her brown eyes starting at make him feel warm inside. He puts down her zipper and lays his hands on her back.

Regina likes feeling his warm hands on her skin. She turns towards him. Her dress falls down her body onto the ground. She looks up at Robin. "Go on." she whispers.

Robin laughs and carries her to the bed. He carefully touches Regina's body, while he lets her undress him too.

Regina lays closely against Robin when they are both undressed. She looks him deep in his eyes while pulling him above her. She knows there are still some scars visible from what the King did to her all those years ago.

Robin smiles and follows her scars all over her body. He softly lets his fingers touch her uneven skin and thinks of everything she has been through. "You still can't let him go, do you?" he whispers.

Regina's face turns pale. Was it that obvious she was thinking about that time? She starts to breath a bit faster. She can't talk about that right now, not when Robin lays above her body, keeping her down onto the bed. She knows he won't hurt her, but thinking about the King and experiencing this feeling of not being able to move.. Freezes her.

Robin mentions Regina freezes and he knows he was right, the king is still in her mind and maybe even in her heart. He lays down beside her and softly touches her cheek, "it's okay," he whispers.

Regina doesn't notice Robin any longer. Just like that she has slipped into one of her old surviving techniques: separating her mind from her body, from the unescapable situation her body is in. At least that's what she thinks. She can't see Robin any longer and she doesn't realise she isn't in any dangerous situation.

Regina's eyes become more empty than before. Robin moves her shoulder and tries to make her look at him, but she doesn't seem to notice him, "Regina!" he whispers and starts to get worried, "Regina come back to me.”

"S.c.ars..." Regina softly tries to whisper. "S.c.a.r..ss..."

"What do you mean? I won't touch them again I promise," Robin whispers, now really frightened, "please come back.”

Very slowly Regina looks up at Robin. Her eyes are still empty but a tiny spark shines through it. "P.lease." she whispers. "S.t.Stay..."

"I will," Robin whispers back. He sees a sparkle in Regina's eyes, but he doubts it's real. He just want her to come back so badly. He holds her hands and makes sure she keeps looking him in his eyes.

Very, very slowly Regina's body relaxes. Her eyes soften again. She very softly moans. "I'm tired." she whispers. It's a lie. She's not tired. She's exhausted. Her face looks pale and she breaths superficially. She curls up into Robin's arms. "Sorry. I'm sorry." she then softly whispers. "I hate him. I hate him." Regina keeps repeating those three words, very softly.

"I know," Robin says, "but he's gone now, you're safe..." He lets his hands go through Regina's hair and he holds her close. He keeps holding her when she falls asleep and even after that.   
His body wants to sleep, but his mind keeps him awake.

Regina sleeps for a long time. She sleeps through diner and wakes up in the middle of the night. Confused she looks around her. A small night light is burning in one of the corners of the room. She notices Robin is looking at her. She looks up into his beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry." Regina softly whispers. "I didn't mean to slip away like that." She closes her eyes for a short time. "It keeps haunting me. He keeps haunting me. What he did. What he let them do to me." Regina looks up at Robin again. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"It's okay, don't worry," Robin whispers, and he softly touches her cheek, "maybe you can talk about it, instead of keeping it in all the time." He keeps looking into her eyes. Her eyes hurt him, they show so much pain. "Maybe it can help you to let him go..."

Regina looks at Robin. She slowly nodds. "I... I don't know where to start." she whispers. "I never asked to be Queen. But my mother... She didn't listen. She wanted to give me the life she always wanted but never got." Regina looks away from Robin now. "The King... He... He didn't take no for an answer." She closes her eyes for a second. "He always hurt me. Especially in bed. I never wanted to... But every night he did. It hurt so bad."

"I'm so sorry," Robin whispers, "we need to find a way so you can let him go, to realize that you're free now and that you can be happy." Robin smiles and takes her hands, "you can get through this, Regina, and I'll help you..."

Regina closes her eyes again. She keeps on talking. She leads Robin's hands towards her hips and the scars on it. "He liked to keep them bleeding." Regina softly whispers. "He didn't let the wounds heal."

Robin keeps silent and lets Regina move his hands to her hips. He feels the scars and closes his eyes too. He gets frightened when he imagines what the king had to do to keep the wounds bleeding. He opens his eyes again and listens to Regina's words.

Regina keeps her eyes closed. She sees things that happened in the past. She softly moans of fear. She starts to breath faster and her heart beats in her chest. She lays closer against Robin to get away from the other hands on her body, the hands of the assistant. "I can feel them. Now. It hurts so bad." Regina softly whispers.

"It's me, try to focus on me." Robin whispers. He holds her closes and moves his hands slowly, carefully touching her. He feels her heart beating fast.

Regina moans of pain when she feels hands touching her, although those are Robin's hands. She looks at him in fear. "I don't want to be scared of you again. I've worked so hard to not be afraid any more." she whispers. In the corner of her eye she notices a movement in the room. "Did you see that?" she whispers to Robin.

"I didn't see a thing," Robin says and he lets Regina go. He doesn't want to hurt her this way. She is still scared and he is pretty sure the movement was just an illusion, "try to relax, Regina..."

Regina can't get out of reliving that moment when the King's assistant cut her while the King himself held her arms at her back and kissed her in her neck. Regina doesn't let Robin go. "Stay. Please, don't leave me alone with them. They are back to kill me. Please, Robin, please, stay." Regina begs.

"I'll stay, I promise," Robin says, "focus on me again okay? They are not real, they won't come back." He speaks calmly and tries to keep calm for her.

Regina calms down when she hears Robin's calm voice. Her body relaxes once again until she notices the same movement. "There! Did you see that?"

Robin looks in the same direction as Regina, but doesn't see a thing, "I'm sorry, I don't," he whispers, "calm down, maybe it's only an illusion, Regina.” He takes a deep breath and says Regina to do the same.

Regina follows Robin's example. She feels her heartbeat slowing down a bit. She starts to see more clear again. She looks up at Robin. "They're gone." She sighs with relief and lays down in his arms. "Thank you. Thank you." She now softly cries. She's exhausted from fighting off her old demons. She leads Robin's hands towards her hips again. "I want to feel you. Not them. Please." She softly kisses him.

Robin moves his hands to Regina's hips and holds them their. "That's good," Robin whispers and he feels very relieved. Then he moves his hands to Regina's stomach. He pulls her towards him and lets her cry in his arms.

When Regina is done crying she feels relieved. "Thank you." she softly whispers. "Thank you for staying and for not being afraid."

"For you I would do everything" he says with a smile, "I'll always stay." He kisses her on her cheek.

Regina softly kisses him on his lips. She lets her tongue slip into his mouth. She pulls him above her again. "Go on." she smiles now.

Robin kisses her back doesn't go on... He doesn't want Regina to slip away again. "Are you really sure about this," he whispers, "maybe you should rest, you look exhausted." He kisses her again, softer this time.

"No, I'm sure." Regina whispers back to him. "Go on." She looks Robin deep into his eyes. "I'm sure." she softly repeats.

Robin goes on, but he moves slowly and carefully and keeps his eyes focused on Regina. He smiles when he sees Regina's beautiful brown eyes again, now full of life...

Regina moans of pleasure. But she's tired, exhausted, and it takes a lot of her not to slip away.

After a while Robin lies down next to Regina again and lets his hand go through her hand. "You should try to sleep again," he whispers and he softly kisses her on her forehead.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Regina whispers back. She lays closely to Robin when she falls asleep again. When she wakes up the next morning she feels very sick.

Robin is already awake. Before Regina woke up he took a shower and dressed himself. He had been thinking about what happened last night, Regina had never been like this before. He knew she couldn't let the king go, but as extreme as last night never happened before... The staying-Queen-thing must have triggered something.

Regina coughs and notices some blood on her hand. She feels afraid because Robin isn't anywhere in the room with her. Again she sees movement in one of the corners. "Who's there?" she softly asks.

Robin walks into the room again from the bathroom when Regina asks who's there. "It's just me," he says and he walks to her, she looks frightened...

"No. I mean, yes, it's you, but someone else is here. I just saw it." Regina points to the corner where she saw the movement but there is no one to be seen.

"Is it... Just like last night?" Robin asks as he walks to her, "what do you see?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I saw." Regina stares at the corner again. "I'm sure I saw something, someone, moving over there."

Robin sits down on the side of the bed and stares at the corner, "tell me when you see something," he whispers.

It stays silent for a couple of minutes. Then Regina sees another fast movement in the corner. "There! Did you see it?" She looks up at Robin with eyes full of hope.

Robin sighs and looks to the ground, "no, Regina," he whispers and he looks back up. He grabs her hand and squeezes it a little, "I'm sorry.”

Regina just stares at him. "You're lieing. Someone IS there." she whispers.

"I didn't see someone, Regina," Robin says, "I'm not lying..."

Regina doesn't answer him. She sits straight up in bed with her back against the head of the bed. She makes herself small by pulling up her knees against her chest. She keeps staring at the corner in the bedroom.

While Regina moves to the back of the bed, Robin stands up. He walks to the corner, "there really is nothing Regina, can you try to explain what you saw..." He walks on.

"I saw someone. Vincent." Regina whispers. She looks up at Robin. "My scars. He made them. He's here. I know he is. Please, come back, he will hurt you." Regina sounds terrified.

Then someone steps into the light. It really is Vincent, but Regina is the only one who can see and hear him. "Made a deal with the dark one," Vincent grins, "and he picks up his knife." Robin walks on to the corner, closer and closer to Vincent.

"Robin! Don't you see him? He really is here! He's standing right in front of you!" Regina shouts out. "He's got a knife! Please, come back to me!" Regina looks up at Vincent. "Don't hurt him. Please."

"Regina there is no one!" Robin says. He walks on, ignoring Regina's commands. He wants to show her it isn't real...

"oTo late," Vincent says and he brings his knife down into Robins chest. Robin collapses. His body now lays motionless on the ground and he breathes heavily, "Regina.." he brings out with a soft voice.

"NO!" Regina runs over to Robin and starts to heal him. "Stay with me." she softly whispers. "Please, just stay with me." It takes her a couple of minutes to heal him. He doesn't wake up, not yet. His body has to recover from this injury. Regina looks up at Vincent, who's standing next to her with a smile on his face. "Why? Why are you here and why do you want to hurt Robin?"

"I don't want to hurt Robin," Vincent says and he pushes Regina to the wall, "I want to hurt YOU!" he grins, "I remember we had a lot of fun together.” His smile grows bigger, "you remember that too?"

"The King is dead. Why are you here? You were banished from this Kingdom!" Regina snaps at him.

"That's exactly why I'm here," he says, "you ruined my life and killed the king," he winks and pushes her harder to the wall, enjoying the stunned look in Regina's eyes, "and you still haven't paid for that. Now is the time to have some fun again. I spend years to prepare every part of my revenge." He laughs.

"I... I didn't kill the King. He was poisoned by one of his servants." Regina softly whispers.

"Of course he was," Vincent snaps, "everyone believes that lie, don't they," he places his hand on Regina's cheek and moves his head close to hers. "But I know better..." he whispers in her ear.

"N.oo.." Regina whispers. "What do you want from me?" She notices her heart beats faster and she doesn't have her breathing under control. "Please." she whispers.

"All I want is to break you," he snaps, slamming her head against the wall, "you're going to tell your sweet Snow White and everyone in the land the truth about the death of the king, because if you don't, I'll kill everyone you love!"

Regina moans of pain. She has to hold Vincent in order to not fall down on the ground. "Please." she whispers. "I didn't kill him!"

"Don't lie to me!" he shouts and he grabs Regina's arm and pulls her to the bed. He lies down on top of her legs and grabs her hands, so she can't escape, she can't move and she can't protest.

Regina looks at him with fear in her eyes. "I didn't kill him." she whispers again.

"I say it one more time, my queen," Vincent says, "tell me the truth, or your Snow White will be killed. I can be there before you can even stand up!!"

"She's the daughter of your King. You won't kill her." Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "But yes. I have killed him. I hated him."

"You're right," Vincent grins, "I won't, don't you think the daughter of the king should know the truth? But I think it's time for that!"

"I'm not telling her. And she won't believe you. She can't even see you. Now get off of me, you're hurting me?"

"O am I! I don't want to hurt you, really if there's something I don't want... It's hurting you!" He now kisses her. He lets his tongue slip inside her, while he holds Regina's arms above her head, tied up in his hands.

Regina bites him in his tongue. She doesn't want this!

Vincent is shocked for a moment. He pulls his face back and tastes his own blood in his mouth, but this only made him more angry. He kisses her again, more violently... To let her taste his blood.

"Nooo." Regina mumbles in between two kisses. "Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Too late," he snaps and he goes on. After a long time he pulls back and he lets go of Regina's hands. He now grabs her hips and pushes his nails in her skin. "So will you tell your daughter now, or do I need to go on with this!"

"I'm not telling anyone anything!" Regina snaps at him.

Now he pushes his nails in her skin so hard that her scars start bleeding, "I'll make sure you'll tell it, that boy right there," he points at Robin, "I can still kill him!"

Regina moans of pain. "Nooo... Please, please!" she now begs. A tear falls down her cheek.

"I give you a choice," Vincent says, "but don't think this is the end, I've planned so much more! But if you tell Snow White about the king now, I'll leave you alone for one week.' He grins.

"NO!" Regina now screams at him. She feels she's losing blood and it makes her feel weak.

"YES!" He shouts back, just to make her feel desperate.

"No!" Regina shouts again. "Hurt me all you want but you will never get me to do that!"

"You're not the only one I can hurt," he says, "I can ruin your daughter's life in just one single day, and I'm going to do that, or you'll do it yourself... You can choose."

"Leave her alone!" Regina now gets really angry and wants to throw him off of her by using her magic but it's like Vincent is protected from her magic. "No..." Regina softly whispers. "Why would Rumple do this to me?" she wants to know.

"I'm not telling you," he says, "it doesn't matter, but what does matter is what I want. So make a choice and I'll be gone! Your ruin her or I ruin her even harder..." He lets his nails go up and now also picks up his knife again, "what do you say?"

Regina looks at his knife. "You leave her alone! She doesn't deserve this! She needs to remember her father as a kind and loving man. Why would you want to ruin her? She never did anything wrong!" Regina looks at Vincent again. "Do to me whatever you want. But leave her alone. She doesn't deserve this. The King wouldn't want you to do that and you know it."

"That's where you're wrong, this is not about the king, this is about you! He can stay the kind and loving man, but you will be the evil one, the one who killed the king because she wanted to claim the throne." he says with a grin and makes a small cut on her hip, "and do you know what she deserves? She deserves this. She deserves to know the truth about YOU!"

Regina moans of pain. Him cutting her on her hip really hurts. "Please..." she whispers. "I have worked so hard."

"I know, dear," Vincent says, "but that doesn't change a thing." 

"Regina?" Robin mumbles when he wakes up, "what's happening?" He tries to sit up.

"Please. Please." Regina now begs. She feels his hands beneath her sleeping clothes now. She looks up at him in fear. She doesn't hear Robin's voice.

"Regina, what's going on?" Robin says louder now. He doesn't see a thing only Regina who seems broken. Vincent moves his hands over Regina's body, letting his knife slip in his pocket again.

Regina moans of pleasure. Vincent still knows exactly where he needs to touch her to make her more willingly. She starts to undress him.

Robin stands up and walks to Regina. He grabs her shouders, "Regina look at me," he says, and he makes her look at him. Vincent goes on even heavier and grins.

After Vincent is completely undressed, he starts to undress Regina as well. Regina moans of pleasure. She looks him straight in his eyes. She doesn't seem to notice Robin any longer. She pulls Vincent above her when they are both completely undressed.

Robin can't reach Regina, and he starts to het desperate. There is nothing he can do... “Regina!" he shouts now and he shakes her shoulders, "come back!" Vincent kisses her and lets his hand go all over her body. His movements become faster.

Regina's face turns pale when she realises what is going to happen. Again. She moans of fear. "Please." she whispers. She startles when Robin shakes her shoulders. "R.Robin.. H.elp..." she begs.

"What can I do?" Robin says and he now gets her up. She seems heavier than before and her eyes are empty.

"He's... He's here. Vincent. He's really here." Regina whispers. Her voice sounds terrified. She shows Robin the cut on her hip, which is still bleeding. She looks at Vincent but he's gone. For now. Regina holds Robin tightly. "Please, don't let him come back." She now starts to cry. She's exhausted.

Robin takes Regina in his arms. He doesn't say a thing and moves his hands softly over her back. After a while he looks up, Regina's eyes are still full of tears, "you're safe now," he whispers. He lies down and lets Regina's head rest on his chest.

"No. He's going to come back. He doesn't stop until he has ruined everything I've worked so hard for." Regina doesn't stop crying. "It hurts so much." Regina leads Robin's hand to her hip. To the cut which keeps on bleeding.

"I'm here to protect you, Regina, I won't let him hurt you again," Robin whispers. He knows he can't be sure about that, but he'll do whatever it takes to protect Regina. He lets a servant come and tells him to get a towel and some bandage.

"It doesn't stop bleeding." Regina sounds terrified. "It doesn't stop!"

"Regina, please keep calm," Robin says and he carefully cleans the wound. Blood keeps flowing out of the wound... He looks at Regina, "you will be all right," he says with a sigh and he starts to bandage the wound.

"That knife was enchanted." Regina keeps being panicked and terrified. "The Dark One gave that to him! I need to talk to Rumplestiltskin, Robin! I need to talk to Rumplestilts..." But Regina can't finish her sentence.

Robin only looks at Regina. "What's happening?" he says calmly, he doesn't dare to move.

Rumplestiltskin has appeared in the bedroom after hearing his name being said out loud.

"Hello dearie," Rumple says. Robin quickly turns around, placing his body in front of Regina, so he can't hurt her. "You called me, your majesty..."

"Why did you help Vincent with this?" Regina wants to know.

"I'm not saying that, dearie," rumple says, "that ruins all the fun and besides that, it won't work if you know." He grins.

"Tell me!" Regina snaps at him. "Why would you help him destroying me?"

"I'm not helping him to destroy you... I would never do that," he says with a high laugh, "he helps me to... kind of... break you agian." Robin lays his hand on Regina's arm, "calm down," he whispers.

"Why would you have to break me?" Regina wants to know.

"Well you've grown a bit weak after all those years..."

"I'm not weak!" Regina snaps at him.

Rumple rolls with his eyes, "do you need me for something else?" he says, ignoring her statement.

"Why do you want me to break? Is it because of that Dark Curse you once told me about?" Regina wants to know.

"That's my business," Rumple says calmly, "so I guess you don't need me anymore, call me if you do...". He poofs away with a smile on his face.

Regina looks up at Robin. "I'm so tired." she whispers.

"That's okay," Robin says, "I'll stay with you, while you try to sleep."

"Really? Do you mean that?" Regina sighs with relief and lays very closely against him.

Robin smiles, "of course," he whispers and he lays her arms around her.

"Thank you." Regina softly smiles before falling asleep. When she wakes up it is past midday but she wants to get out of bed. She looks up at Robin who is looking at her. Regina smiles at him. "Vincent isn't here." she sighs with relief.

"No he isn't... How did you sleep?" Robin says and he smiles at her, "let me take a look at your wound." he whispers then.

"Yes, please." Regina softly smiles at him. "I'm not tired any more. I would like to see some villages today. To see what the people have to say about the future Queen. If they all want Snow White to be Queen, I won't stand in her way." Regina looks up at Robin. "I don't want to be like my mother." she whispers.

"You'll never be like her Regina," Robin says, while he looks at her. He removes the bandage from Regina's wound so he can bandage it again, but when he sees the wound he is shocked, "Regina, you're not going anywhere today...".

"What's going on?" Regina doesn't dare to look at the wound. "Robin, what is it?"

"It completely turned black... And..." Robin doesn't dare to touch the wound, but he takes a closer look and squeezes Regina's hand a bit when he sees it. "It... It glows..."

"Rumple!" Regina screams out loud.

"Hello again, dearie," Rumple says, "you called me?"

"How do you explain this?" Regina asks him while pointing at the wound on her hip.

"O that's not my work, dearie," Rumple says, "Vincent did that himself..."

"You're lieing! This is your work!" Regina snaps at him. "I can smell your magic all over the place!"

Rumple grins, "I gave him the ingredients yes, but he created that himself." He enjoys letting her in the dark.

"What is it?" Regina wants to know. "How do I fix it?"

"It will take away your magic, slowly and painful," Rumple says with a grin. He walks to Regina and Robin.

"How do I fix it, Rumple?"

"You can't fix it..." Rumple says, "you can only transfer it to another person," he smiles., "you'll die if you don't... It's the only way to get rid of it."

"Then give it to me, Robin whispers.

"No. I won't." Regina mumbles. "How do I transfer it?"

"You see that shine?" Rumple says, "let someone touch it... As simple as that."

"I need Vincent to touch it." Regina whispers to Robin.

"He created it..." Robin whispers back, "I don't think that will be easy... And do you really want to kill him?"

"Yes. If it's either him or me? Yes. I want him dead." Regina whispers. "Is that bad?"

"Maybe..." he says, "you're doing the same to him as he did to you...".

"What should I do then? Die?" Regina whispers.

"No transfer it to me," Robin says, "you're the queen, the people need you and one more victim and you will lose their fate in you, you can't let that happen... No one will notice I'm gone."

"I said NO!" Regina snaps at Robin. "I'm not losing you. You're a good man. Vincent isn't!"

Robin turns his head away and looks angry to the ground. "You can't even walk, Regina," Robin says, "do you think Vincent will come here willingly... Just to touch that? Of course not!"

"I'm not letting you die!" Regina snaps again. She looks up at Rumple. "You. You can help me. I can see in your eyes you know some other way. What will it take for you to help me?"

Rumple grins, "Evil is all I want dearie," he says and comes closer. 

Robin looks up at the man, Rumplestilskin. He won't let him hurt her, so he just lays his hand on Regina's cut, "I'm sorry he whispers while the wound on Regina's hip disappears and his fingers begin to turn black. He walks away and rumple makes that Regina can't leave.

"ROBIN!" Regina screams. "Why did you do that?!" Regina screams at him and at Rumplestiltskin. "Let me go! Rumple, please, help him! I'll do anything for you!"

"I can't let you die, Regina!" Robin says and he stays where he is. "What will you give me for the medicine?" Rumple asks.

"Anything! I'll do anything, Rumple, please!"

"Will you kill an entire village for me? By ripping the people's hearts out one by one?"

"Why do you want me to do that?" Regina whispers.

"I want you to embrace your darkness," Rumple says, "you seem to have lost it."

"Don't do it Regina!" Robin shouts, "don't give in..."

Regina poofs Rumplestiltskin and herself away to one of the farrest small villages. She kills everyone of them, one by one. "Now give me that potion to safe Robin!" she snaps at Rumple.

"Good," rumple says, "was it fun?" He grins and poofs the potion into his hand, but he holds it.

"No, it wasn't!" Regina snaps again. "Give me that potion!"

Rumple raises his eyebrows and waits with giving the potion to her until a few people from other villages arrive and see what she has done.

"Give me that potion!" Regina screams at him. Tears run down her face now. "Give it to me! I don't want Robin to die!"

Rumple hands over the potion and smiles, "good luck," he whispers and he disappears.

Regina poofs back to the Royal Castle and lets Robin drink the potion. "I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"Why?" Robin whispers, "and what did you do to get it?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters now is that we are safe." Regina softly smiles at Robin.

"What did you do?" Robin only whispers.

"I saved you, that's what I did. Robin, please, don't be mad at me."

"How can I decide I'm mad if you don't know what you did," Robin says louder now, "I know you saved me, but for what price?"

"That doesn't matter, Robin." Regina whispers.

"Fine," Robin snaps, "if you don't trust me I'll just go," he stands up and walks to the door. He walks limp, but he doesn't care.

"He made me kill all those people." Regina doesn't dare to look up at Robin. "I couldn't lose you." she whispers.

"You killed those people for me?" Robin says as he turns around, "Regina, what were you thinking! I'm just one person, how could you do that!"

"I couldn't let you die!" Regina now starts to cry.

"I know, I know, but now you killed all those innocent people, Regina! You let them die, they also have a family, they also have people who care about them..." he says and he takes a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry." Regina softly cries. "I'm so sorry."

Robin turns his head away. "I thought..." He starts but he doesn't finish, "never mind...". He walks to the door with pain everywhere. "What did you think?" Regina wants to know.

"Something terrible," Robin says, "something that's not true...".

"Tell me. Please. I would like to know." Regina whispers now. She looks up at Robin.

"I thought you changed..." Robin says, "but after all you're still the same person as you were when the king was alive, that's what I wanted to say." He sighs and closes the door behind him.

Regina screams very loudly out of pure frustration. She knows she did a really, really bad thing after years of being good. She hates herself for it. "Rumplestiltskin." she mumbles.

"Yes dearie," he says when he appears in front of her.

"How can I fix this?" Regina whispers without looking up at him.

"What?" Rumple says, "you did this yourself dearie and you need to fix it. Feelings are hard to change with magic...".

"I know, I KNOW!" Regina snaps at Rumplestiltskin. "What was that Dark Curse you were once talking about? What will it do exactly?"

"I know, I KNOW!" Regina snaps at Rumplestiltskin. "What was that Dark Curse you were once talking about? What will it do exactly?"

Rumple looks surprised, "it will send everyone to a land without magic, a land where no one will remember who they were... Just a whole new start, they won't even recognise you.” Rumple grins. Someone knocks on the door.

"How do I enact it?" Regina wants to know.

"You need a lot of ingredients, but the most important of all, the heart of the thing you love most..." 

"Mom?" Snow White shouts from the other side of the door.

"I'm busy, Snow, I'm working. Can you please wait a second?"

"Yeah..." Snow says annoyed, and she sits down with her back against the door and waits.   
"So..." Rumple says, "any other questions?"

"Can you get me the ingredients? I'll get you that heart."

"You will?" Rumple says and he raises his eyebrows, "I'll give you that ingredients yes, but think about it very well, it's not like any other spell you used." 

"And remember, magic always comes with a price!"

"I don't care." Regina whispers. "I want to get away. Everyone will hate me again, Robin doesn't understand I couldn't let him die. I have to fix this. Now go. I'll get that heart." Regina knows she will have to kill her father. That's the person she loves most of all.

"You think you love your father more than you do Robin or Snow White, don't you," Rumple says, "stop lying to yourself Regina, you know what this means."

"What does this mean?" Regina softly whispers.

"We both know your father's heart won't work!" Rumple snaps.

"You don't know me. You don't know me at all!" Regina snaps back. "Now go!"

"You know I'm right," rumple whispers with a grin and he poofs away.

"Yes, Snow White? You can come in now." Regina says loudly through the door.

Snow opens the door, "what were you doing?" she asks when she walks inside.

"Something private." Regina softly smiles. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah..." Snow says, "it's May's birthday today and I really want to surprise her. I know we didn't plan to go to the village today, but I thought maybe... we can go, I would really love that and I'll make a present." She talks so fast that she doesn't even know what she is saying. She takes a deep breath, "can we go please?"

"You can go if you want to. I'll let the coach ride you to the village and back when you're done. Is that alright with you?" Regina suggests.

"Will you come too?" Snow asks, "I don't want to go alone and I thought maybe you can do something beautiful with your magic..." Snow's eyes are full of hope as she looks at her mother.

"Alright then." Regina smiles at her daughter. "Let's go!"

"Really?" Snow says with a laugh and she runs to the coach without waiting for an answer. They drive to May's village.

Regina looks outside before stepping out of the coach. She sees a lot of villagers talking, looking at one another in disbelief. She knows what they are talking about.

As the queen steps out of the coach they walk away. They just walk inside their houses and after a while the street is completely empty. In all those years that Snow White came here, this never happened. She looks at her mother with a questioning look.

"It's alright, dear. You go ahead. I'll wait here." Regina softly smiles at Snow White.

"Why would they walk away? Let's go and sit there," Snow says, but she walks to the bench in front of the school and waits for May to come home from work.

Regina wanders through town and keeps an eye on Snow White.

A man looks at Snow White and walks to her. He puts his hand over her mouth and together with another man he ties her up. A third person, a woman, points a knife at her. "Your mother just ruined your life, sweetheart," one of the men snaps.

"HEY!" Regina screams at them. She runs towards them. "If you want to punish someone for what I did, punish me! Snow has nothing to do with this! She will be a far better Queen than I am, so LET HER GO!"

"You didn't care about who you killed, so why would we!" one of the men shouts. "Yeah, the best way to hurt you is to hurt her," the woman says with a grin.

Regina waves with her hand and poofs Snow away, safely to the Royal Castle. She looks at the people who are now surrounding her.

The woman looks at Regina with a very angry look, "you won't get away with this," she snaps and the man throws his knife at Regina.

Regina poofs away and re-appears somewhere else, that way avoiding the knife.

"We know you're more powerful," the woman says, "but we will find a way to hurt you! You're the most terrible person I ever met. Snow White deserves so much better."

"Yes, she does." Regina doesn't argue with the villagers because she knows they are right. "She will be Queen when she turns 18. I do hope you will give her a fair chance?"

"With a mother like you?" she says, "you said you changed, you were kind and we forgave you, but behind that kindness, you were the most evil person that ever existed. Who says she isn't the same?"

"She isn't. She came a lot here while growing up. You know her. Deep in your heart you know she isn't like me."

"Of course, but we can't be sure!" she says, "and as long as it hurts you, I don't care about what happens to her."

"If you want to hurt me so badly, go ahead. I'm right here. Just leave Snow alone. She doesn't deserve being hurt."

"So you'll let us hurt you?" one of the men says with a grin, and they walk towards her with big steps, their eyes full of anger.

"I know I was wrong killing all those people in that village. But I'm not sorry about it. You know why? Because that was the only way to save the man I love. I needed a potion I couldn't make myself and that was the only way to get it. Now tell me... Won't you do the same for the person you love?"

"GO AWAY!" the woman shouts, all her anger comes out at once and she starts to cry, "you're terrible..." she whispers, "but you're also right, it's only hard to not kill someone who killed the love of my life to safe her own!"

Regina just keeps standing where she is. She looks around her, at the angry villagers.

"Go away, all of you!" the woman says and all the villagers start to leave. When Regina and the woman are left alone, she whispers, "you promised you wouldn't hurt us ever again, but you did..." she snaps.

"I know." Regina whispers back. "But I couldn't lose the man I love. I had to decide too quickly. I'm sorry."

"I know that and that makes me even more angry you know," the woman says, now more calmly, "I would have done the same for the man I love... The man you killed...". Tears show up in her eyes, "why didn't you try to find another way?"

"There was no time. Robin was dieing. There was just... no time..." Regina softly whispers. She looks up at the woman. A tear rolls down her own face. "I'm so sorry."

"No you aren't," the woman says, "you got what you wanted, you're not sorry at all!" The woman get very angry and hits Regina in her face. She grabs her hand. It's still shaking and she takes a step back, stunned by what she just did.

Regina doesn't fight back. She knows she deserves whatever is coming next. She hears footsteps coming towards her and the woman. Heavy footsteps.

Before the woman can protest, a big man pushes the woman away. He hits Regina against her head and makes Regina fall down. He carries her to an empty place, while Regina lays unconscious in his arms and ties her up on a hard bed.

After a while Regina slowly wakes up. She moans softly of pain. She notices a bit of blood drips out of her mouth. She looks around her.

The man looks around, "the queen finally woke up," he says with a grin, "are you hurt?" He laughs, "can't you heal yourself with magic now, your majesty," he says and he ties up Regina's arms and hands a bit tighter.

Regina softly moans of pain again. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"I already have what I want," the man says, "you..." He walks to her and grabs her chin, "why? Just why!" he snaps.

"I couldn't lose the man I love." Regina softly answers. She looks at him.

"O but we could," the man says, "you couldn't, but our loved ones don't matter?!"

"That's not what I said." Regina whispers now. "Just do what you want and then let me go!"

"But that IS what you did!" the man shouts, he hits Regina in her face again.

Regina turns her head away when he hits her but looks up at him again afterwards.

He hits her again and again with no reason, just anger.

Regina starts bleeding out of her nose and also more out of her mouth. She coughs up blood. She can't break herself free from the ropes.

"Now look at me!" he says and he grabs her chin an makes her look at him, "bring them back! Bring my family back!"

"I.. I can't. I really can't. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Regina whispers.

"Why not?" the man snaps, "you have magic!"

"Not that kind of magic!" Regina snaps at him.

"Are there different kinds of magic then?" the man says and he comes close to Regina again. "I've seen magic doing incredible things, but giving me my family back is not possible! I don't believe you."

"I'm really sorry but I really can't do that kind of magic!" Regina snaps again.

"Then find another way to bring them back!!" the man shouts, "I can't live without them..."

"You'll have to! I'm telling you I can't bring them back. Now what do you want or can I go?"

"I'm not done with you," the man shouts and he starts to cry. He hits her again and now takes a knife. He pushes it to her throat, "tell me how to move on without killing you..."

"If that's what it takes for you to be able to move on... Go ahead." Regina whispers.

"No, I would just do the same as you did, I want to give you a chance," the man says, "tell me how!" He makes a cut in her arm. It feels incredibly good as he sees blood dripping on the bed and he goes on.

"I don't know!" Regina snaps again. She moans of pain.

The man stabs Regina in her stomach, "you don't?" he snaps and he makes a very deep cut this time. He loves to see her in pain.

Regina moans louder of pain. She closes her eyes for the next cuts and hits. She feels this man is very, very angry at her.

The man wishes he could afford salt, so he could put it in her wounds now. Instead he cuts her again and opens the wounds that stopped bleeding. "I'm not the first one who had this genius plan, am I?" he says as he sees the scars on Regina's hips and stomach.

"No, you're not." Regina whispers. "The King let his servant do the exact same thing to me."

"Why?"'the man says, "why would he do that? What did you do to him?"

"Most of the time I wasn't obedient enough." Regina whispers. "Other times he was bored."

"I don't know how he could love someone as evil as you," he says and he stabs her again, "the king did a good thing by torturing you like that..."

Regina softly moans again. "He didn't love me." she whispers with tears in her eyes.

"Why did he marry you?" the man says, "just to use you as his toy?" he grins.

"It was an arranged marriage. We both didn't really have a say in the matter." Regina keeps whispering and keeps answering his questions.

The man makes a final deep cut in her stomach, deep enough to let her die if nobody makes it stop bleeding, he only releases her hands. "I hope you still have people who care about you, your majesty, and otherwise... This will be your end!" He walks away and slams the door behind him, leaving Regina alone in a locked room.

Regina feels she's getting weaker and weaker by the second. She can't use her magic now because she's already to weak. She just keeps laying on the bed.

Then someone opens the door. Snow White steps inside, she sinks to the ground when she sees her mother. "Mom..." She whispers with tears in her eyes, "what... What happened."

"G.Get someone." Regina softly whispers. "R.Rum..Rumple... You have to find... Rumple.stilt..." Then Regina loses conscienceness.

"Rumple..., stils" Snow White whispers and she tries to remember that name. "Rumllestilsk... in?" She whispers. Rumple appears and sees Regina. He grins and wakes her up, not healing her wounds yet.

Regina very slowly wakes up. "R.Rumple.. Please.. Please..." she begs.

"All magic comes with a price, dearie," rumple says, knowing she will not die so he can go as far as he wants. "Please," Snow says looking at her mother.

"What... What do you want?" Regina whispers. She doesn't see clearly and feels very, very weak.

"Put Snow White under a sleeping curse..." Rumple says, "that's everything." He smiles as he sees the frightened look on Snow's face. Snow looks at her mother.

"N.oo.. Why... Why would you want that?" Regina mumbles.

"I'll tell you when you've done it!" He says and he laughs, "do it.”

"Don't do it, mom," Snow White whispers, but as she looks at her mother she changes, "no... You should do it, you'll die if you don't..."

"I won't do it." Regina whispers. She looks up at Rumplestiltskin. "Please. Anything. Just don't let me hurt my daughter." she whispers.

"Don't worry, dearie," Rumple says, "she won't feel a thing. You won't hurt her..."

"Noo..." Regina mumbles. She looks pale and is losing a lot of blood. She looks up at Snow White. "I won't do it. You are to be Queen." she whispers.

"But it won't be forever, will it...?" Snow whispers, "you can't die mom, I can't loose you, I can't be queen without you," she looks at her mother who looks like she can fade away at any moment. Rumple just grins and doesn't say a thing.

"I won't do it, Snow." Regina whispers. "Get Robin. He can help stop this bleeding." Regina coughs up blood. She looks at Rumple. "Why are you doing this?" she wants to know.

When Show runs out of the house to Robin's cabin to check if he's there or in the palace. Rumple walks to Regina. "I need to get rid of that daughter of yours," he whispers in Regina's ear, "since you've decided to give her the crown...".

"Don't hurt her." Regina whispers. "Why do I have to be Queen?" she wants to know.

"Because then you will have all the power and I want to show you power is all you need to get everything you want," Rumple says, "you can stop me from hurt your daughter, dearie, by putting her under that curse."

"How?" Regina mumbles. She's getting weaker and weaker now. She looks up when Snow and Robin run into the room.

"Regina what happened!" Robin says as he sees her lying pale and bleeding on the bed. He sits down beside her, ignoring Rumplestilskin and wipes her hair from her face. Snow stands next to them, her hands are shaking and she is very frightened. "Trust your intuition," Rumple says, "you know how to get me.” He grins and poofs away.

"R.Robin..." Regina whispers softly. "I'm so tired. I'm so tired." she whispers. She looks up at Snow White. "I'm not doing it. I won't hurt you."

"But you'll die," Snow White says and tears show up in her eyes.

"That's... That's alright." Regina whispers. "You'll be Queen and I know you'll do a great job." Regina softly smiles at her daughter. "It's alright. I deserve this." she whispers.

"No no no," Snow says and she starts to cry "don't leave me!"

Regina notices a spinning wheel in a corner of the room. She recognises the dark potion on the spinning wheel pin. She knows Snow has to touch that to fall asleep.

Snow follows her mother's eyes and so does Robin. "Is that...?" Snow starts and she looks at her mother again.

"Don't do it, Snow." Regina whispers softly.

"I won't let you die" Snow White says calmly, and she walks to the spinning wheel, "you'll find a way to wake me...".

"Nooo... R.Robin. Stop, ... Stop her." Regina mumbles.

Robin immediately stands up as if Regina just woke him and runs to snow white, but it's already too late. Snow touches the needle and falls down...

"R.Rumples.tiltskin..." Regina whispers.

Rumple appears and laughs when he sees Snow White lying on the ground. When Robin sees that Rumple starts healing Regina, he runs to Snow White and kneels down beside her. "What did you do?" he says to Regina.

After Rumplestiltskin healed her completely, Regina gets out of the bed and looks at Robin. "I didn't do anything! He made her do that!" Regina snaps at him. "That was the deal he wanted to make: Snow White in a sleeping curse before he would heal me. I told her not to do it, but she did it anyway. This is not my fault!" Regina shouts out now.

"You can't blame her, Regina," Robin says. He tries to keep calm, but it's hard. "You killed those villagers, because you wanted me to live and now you got your own daughter in danger because of that and of couse she chooses YOU. She lost her father... She is just eighteen, Regina, she needs a mother!"

Regina just stares at Robin. "I didn't want any of this!" she snaps at him. "Why do you need me to have all this power?" Regina wants to know from Rumplestiltskin now. "I want some answers and you're going to give them to me!"

"This is what I need," Rumple says. He sees Regina's anger growing and he loves it. "And beside that... This IS your fault." He grins and poofs away, leaving Robin and Regina alone.

Regina doesn't dare to look up at Robin. "I don't know what to do." she softly whispers.

"I don't know what to do either..." Robin says with a sigh. "What did this needle do to her?"

"It has put her in a sleeping curse." Regina whispers. "She's in between life and death. She won't die but she can only wake up with a kiss of true love. We... We have to go before the villagers find out about this. They will kill me."

"What do we do?" Robin says, "we can't just run to the coach, they will definitely see us...".

"I can poof us away to the Royal Castle." Regina suggests. She waves with her hand and poofs the three of them to Snow's bedroom in the Castle. Regina lets Snow White re-appear in her bed. "I have to get her out of this curse." Regina mumbles.

Robin hates magic, he really hates it. "I wish you luck," Robin says and he sits down on a chair, "is there anything I can do?"

"Just don't... Don't get in my way." Regina looks at him and smiles a little. "I'll let every boy her age come to the Palace to kiss her. There must be one man to be her true love, right?"

Robin nods. He doesn't agree with it, but he doesn't want to fight with Regina now. She probably knows best of it comes to magic. "I'll go then, I'll see you soon," Robin says, "you know where you can find me."

Regina lets one of her servants deliver the message that every 18 year old boy in the whole Enchanted Forest needs to come to the Royal Palace to kiss Snow White awake. She then turns to Robin. "Can't you stay? With me? Please?" she softly asks him.

"I can't..." Robin says, "I have a meeting... With an old friend. You don't need me now anyway." He lies, but he really wants to be alone right now. He smiles and walks away, "see you later.”

Regina looks at him while he walks away. A tear rolls down her face. "Rumplestiltskin." she whispers very softly when she's alone with Snow in Snow's bedroom.

"Yes, dearie.”

"I need some answers. Why did you do this? Is it so important for me to cast that Dark Curse?" Regina wants to know.

"That's my business," Rumple says clearly.

"You need to tell me! You're screwing everything up and I know you. You won't do that if you hadn't got your reasons. So tell me!" With hatred in her eyes Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin.

"Of course I have my reasons, but I'm not going to tell you those reasons are, dearie," he snaps at her.

"Alright. Then just tell me what I need to do to wake Snow up. Who her true love is. I know you can see the future so you must know who that is. Please, Rumple. I'll do anything if you just help me with this."

"You always say that you know... Anything," Rumple grins, "but when I say kill Robin Hood, it's clearly not anything anymore."

"Anything but hurt the people I care about!" Regina snaps. "And you are well aware of what I mean when I say 'anything'. Now help me. Please."

"And put you out of your misery, your majesty," Rumple says, "letting her become queen, your majesty! I don't think so.”

"Why not? What's the harm in letting Snow become Queen?" Regina wants to know.

"Power and weakness," Rumple says, "you will be powerless, and being powerless means being weak...".

"Why do you need me to be this powerful? What do I need to do for you that requires my power as Queen?"

"One more time, dearie," Rumple says, "MY business."

"Can't you just tell me so I can get it over with?" Regina now asks him. "Just tell me what I need to do for you!"

"I'll think about it," rumple says, "meet me tomorrow at my castle.” He poofs away.

Regina sighs when Rumple poofs away. At least tomorrow she will know more. For now she sits down next to Snow White and waits.

"Regina?" Lady Tremaine says from behind the door, "Regina are you there?"

Regina softly answers. "Yes, Lady Tremaine, you can come in."

Lady Tremaine walks in and sees Regina sitting next to Snow White, "hey," she whispers, not wanting to wake Snow up, "I thought you two went to the village?"

"You can talk with a normal voice, Lady Tremaine. Snow White has put herself into a sleeping curse." Regina looks up at her nanny and explains everything that has happened to her. "I don't know what to do now."

"But..." Lady Tremaine says, "but you...". She can't find the good words. "Are all those men really coming to the palace?"

"Yes. I don't know what else to do, Lady Tremaine. I need to find her true love, don't I?"

"Yeah that's right," she says, "I'll make sure everything will be all right, I'll guide them and stuff so you can take some rest... It has been a long time since I saw you not being tired...".

"Thank you. Is it alright if I go to sleep for a while?" Regina softly smiles at Lady Tremaine and then walks over to her own bedroom. In there she starts to undress, but she stops in the middle of her movements when she hears a noise behind her.

"I felt lonely and I see your Robin left you too..." Vincent grins, "isn't this excellent?"

"Leave me alone." Regina softly whispers.

"No no no," Vincent laughs, "I want this," he says and he walks towards Regina.

Regina just looks up at him. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"You ask me that every time again," Vincent sighs, "but you know very well what I want." He gently touches her cheek and smiles at her.

Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "Will you leave me alone then? Afterwards?" she whispers softly.

"Maybe... For a few days," he says and he lies down beside her taking her head in his hands.

Regina softly nodds. She's tired. She looks him in the eyes again. She softly kisses him.

He kisses her back. Her softness annoys him, so he kisses her back more heavily.

Regina softly moans. Her body likes this. She lets her tongue slip into his mouth. "Please." she whispers after that.

"Please what?" he grins, "please go on?" He kisses her again and puts out his shirt.

Regina strokes him over his chest. She lets him undress himself. He then starts to undress her. Regina starts to breath faster and her heart pounds in her chest.

Vincent lays his hands on her hips and holds her close to his body. He looks her in her eyes and kisses her again. "You like this, don't you," he whispers in her ear and he smiles.

Regina softly moans when his warm breath touches her ear. She's only wearing her panties right now. She looks up at Vincent. "Please." she whispers again.

"Do you want me to go on?" he whispers and he moves his hands down and starts to undress her completely.

"N.ooo..." Regina whispers. But her body tells a different story. She willingly lifts up her body so Vincent can take off her panties. She looks him in his eyes again.

"Is this what a no means?" Vincent says and he now takes of her panties and he pulls her towards her.

Regina moans again. She feels their naked bodies touch and she likes it. She kisses him again, more violently this time. She pulls him above her and looks up at him again. "Go on." she whispers softly. She notices he takes his knife in his hands. Fear appears in her eyes.

"I will," he whispers and he follows her movements. She can't satisfy him... It's never enough. He takes his knife and lets it go over her skin without making cuts.

Regina softly moans out of fear and at the same time out of pleasure. She is confused. "Pl.Please.." she whispers softly.

"No," he clearly says and he goes on, more heavily this time and he makes scratches on her back with his knife.

Regina now has to follow his movements. She moans of pleasure. But when he scratches her back with his knife she moans of pain. "It.. It hurts..." she whispers.

Vincent pushes the knife deeper in her skin and brings his lips go her's, "that's what I want," he whispers and he kisses her again.

Regina can't do anything but kiss him back. She lets her tongue slip into his mouth again. She pushes her own body closer against his to get away from the knife on her back.

He kisses her back and moves his hands from her back to her cheeks. He keeps the knife in his fist and looks at her. "You're bleeding," he says with a laugh, "do you like the tast of blood?"  
He lets the knife go over her lips.

"N.ooo..." Regina mumbles. "Please... Please..." she now begs. She can still feel him inside of her body. She keeps moving in his rhythm, his speed, but it seems he can't be satisfied. She looks him deep into his eyes.

He looks her back into her eyes and takes a deep breath. He slowly makes a cut just above her lip. A satisfying cut, ruining her perfect face.

A tear runs down Regina's face. "Please." she whispers one more time.

He lets is knife go a bit further down and now cuts through her lip. "You're welcome," he whispers with a grin.

Regina softly moans of pain again. She knows that's a cut that won't heal completely. She tries to push him off of her but he doesn't go away. "What more do you want?" she now whispers.

He doesn't say a thing and makes the cut even a bet deeper. He kisses her. Tasting her blood makes him feel satisfied.

Regina feels like she has to throw up but he doesn't let her move an inch. She kisses him back. With all the power she still has in her exhausted body she turns him on his back and now moves on top of him. She follows his movements and puts her hands on his chest to push herself up and down. She looks him deep into his eyes.

Vincent grins and follows her. He enjoys it, he enjoys all of it. Her nails make scratches on his chest and he grabs her wrists. He looks back at her into her brown eyes full of darkness.

Regina keeps on moving with him inside of her. She feels they'll both reach their climax soon. She sees Vincent taking his knife in his hands again.

Vincent keeps looking at her while he moves he knife to her wrists. "Why don't you cry?" He ask sarcasticly and he suddenly makes a deep cut in her arm.

Regina's head falls in her neck and she moans of pain. "Please..." she whispers again. "Why do you have to hurt me like this?"

"Because I love to see pain," he says, "I love to see that I can make people scream or cry or fall down, that all the power is on my side." He says and he kisses her again, lying his hand on her wound and squeezing it, "you can't escape me," he whispers.

Regina softly screams of pain now. The cut in her wrist really hurts and is pretty deep. "How much longer?" she wants to know. She's exhausted.

"Until you break," he says and he pushes her body down again. He grabs her arms with one hand so she can't move them and the weight of his body makes that she can't move at all.

Regina just looks up at him now, not saying a word. She waits on what he's going to do next.

He makes little cuts on her arms so her arms are covered with blood. Then he grabs her chin, "see you in three days," he snaps and sits up straight making a final cut on her stomach.

Regina softly screams of pain again. She doesn't want anyone to hear her. She watches him putting on his clothes and leaving her bedroom without giving her any attention. Regina lays herself under the blanket on her bed. She's too tired to clean her wounds. She falls asleep but just for a short while. She startles when someone strokes her hair. She looks up into the eyes of Robin. "R.. Robin?" she whispers.

"Hey," he whispers he kisses her forehead. "Let me clean those wounds," he softly adds and he smiles. "Can you tell me what happened?" It feels weird and awful when he cleans the wounds. Like he is already used to find Regina like this and that he also knows he can't do anything about it...

Regina backs away from him. "No." she whispers. "I don't want you to touch me." She doesn't look up at him. Just like that Vincent broke her and made her scared again. Her hands shake. Her whole body shakes. "Please. Don't hurt me." Regina now whispers very softly.

"You know I won't do that," Robin says, "I'm here now and your safe, look at me and take a deep breath, like you did before." He goes on cleaning the wounds.

Regina's body freezes. When Robin wants to clean the wound on her lip she just looks him in the eye, her own eyes completely empty. A spark of suspiciousness lights up in her brown eyes.

Regina's eyes change and Robin knows it's not a good sigh. He doesn't dare to tofu the wound on her lip now. "Focus on me, I need to clean your face now, okay?"

Regina moves a bit away from Robin again. She doesn't say a word. She just keeps looking at him to make sure it's really him. She nodds, very, very, very softly. Almost not noticeable for the naked eye.

Robin slowly cleans her wound and the rest of her face, which is covered with blood. Suddenly the door slams open and a sword comes Robins way. He looks around, but it's already to late. Robin falls on the ground and Daniel runs at Regina and takes her in his arms, happy he killed the king who certainly wanted to kill her. After all those years he finally sees her again and he can't be happier, "you're safe now," he says with a deep breath, "let's go somewhere safe." he says and he grabs her arm...

"NO!" Regina screams. She did really startle when the door slammed open. She pushes Daniel away and runs over to Robin. "Robin!" she shouts. She quickly heals him with her magic. When she's done, Robin doesn't wake up just yet, but Regina doesn't worry. She knows his body has to recover from what just happened. She then turns around and looks at Daniel. "Daniel?" she whispers. "Is it really you?" When she notices him walking towards her, Regina takes a step back. "Don't touch me." she whispers softly.

"Of course it's me," he says gently, but he doesn't understand what just happened. "Why not, I just killed the king, why did you heal him? We have to go!" He whispers and he walks closer to her. Regina looks frightened and for a moment he wonders if he just killed the king or someone else, "who is that?" he whispers.

"The King has died 8 years ago, Daniel. You almost killed Robin. Robin is my... my... I love him." Regina whispers. She looks up at Daniel.

"He did?" Daniel whispers and he looks at the body, "and that's your love? You love each other...?"

"Yes, the King was poisoned 8 years ago when Snow was 10 years old. And yes... I love Robin, the man you just tried to kill." Regina whispers those last words.

"You live him, like you loved me?" Daniel says. He cant believe it... It cant be! He walks to Regina. He wants to good her, to kiss her. I fought so many years for this, to see her again and to have a life together. She promised to wait for him....

Regina takes another step away from him. "No. Don't touch me. I don't like that." Regina softly whispers. "I have waited Daniel. I've waited many years. I still love you, but... I've moved on." She doesn't dare to look up at Daniel.

Daniel looks away, "you promised..." he whispers very softly, "all those many years I fought to come here and to move on with you...". He wants to continue but he doesn't. He doesn't know what he feels... Maybe just nothing.

"I did want to move on with you, but now... I love Robin." Regina whispers. "You can't blame me. I have waited, for many years, but you never came." A tear rolls down Regina's face. She looks up at Daniel. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"So this is it?" Daniel whispers, "all those years I spend to find a way back to you... I could have had a happy life woth Zelena, but I choose you... Because we made a promise." He looks up at her.

Anger glares up in Regina's eyes. "This isn't my fault! Like I said a thousand times by now, I have waited for you! Every day for several years I went to the gardens to wait for you! But you never came!" Regina starts to cry. Her wounds hurt and she doesn't want to be put in this position.

"I tried every day, every minute of my life to find a way back to you! I have mad so many deals, but I couldn't get here faster!" Daniel says.

Regina nodds. "I know. I know." she whispers. She looks up at Daniel. "But I've moved on, Daniel." She looks over at Robin who is slowly waking up.

Robin opens his eyes and sees Regina talking to someone and he just lays on the ground.

"You're unbelievable..." Daniel says. He feels tears coming up, "so this is the end?" he shouts, "it was all a lie!"

"No, it wasn't!" Regina shouts back. "I just moved on! With Robin! Why can't you understand that?" Regina now starts to cry. She sinks down to the ground. Her wounds started bleeding again and she feels exhausted.

"Regina..." Robin says with a rough voice, "what's going on?" 

"No you need to understand me! I spend more than ten years to get here for YOU and you just push me away like I'm nothing, like you don't even care about me..." He sighs.

"But I do care about you, Daniel! I've never stopped loving you." Regina sighs and looks up at Robin. "But I'm with Robin now. I love him. I've moved on with him." She softly smiles at Robin. "I'm not giving that up, Daniel. You have to understand."

"I don't," Daniel says louter now, "I never will... But that's me..." He turns around, and walks away, "so this is the end then?"

"I hope not. I really want us to be friends. If... If that's even possible?" Regina softly answers him.

"Friends..." he says, "I can't be just friends Regina..." Daniel whispers and he takes a deep breath. 

Robin walks to Regina. "What's going on he whispers, "are you okay?" He notices her wounds are still bleeding.

Regina looks up at Robin. "No." she whispers. "No. I'm not okay." Tears run down her face when Daniel walks away.

Robin takes Regina softly in her arms, trying not to touch her wounds too much. "What happened?" he whispers.

Daniel turns to Regina before he leaves, but seeing them stand there, hugging each other makes him furious. He can't move and just looks.

"Daniel. Daniel came to save me from the King." Regina whispers. "But he didn't know the King is already dead for 8 years now. Daniel... Daniel promised me to come and get me away from my life with the King, a life I never wanted. He was my first love. We would run away together. But he... He never came. I've waited so long for him to come." Regina now softly cries. "But he never came. He couldn't come, I know. I know he wanted to but he just couldn't. But now he's here..." Regina looks up at Robin. "I told him I've moved on, with you, that I love you. He doesn't understand." she whispers.

"You never told me about him," Robin whispers, "all this time you still waited for him? You promised to wait for him?" Robin isn't angry, he just wants to know what's happening.

"I've stopped waiting for him when I met you." Regina whispers while looking Robin deep into his eyes. "I've loved Daniel with all my heart and he will always have a special place in my heart, but I love you now. I'm with you and I want to spend my life with you."

"I understand he's angry," Robin whispers, "and that he can't understand. You should go and talk about this with him. He can't just go away now, not after everything he did for you.”

"No. No, I want to stay with you. I want you to stay with me. It hurts so much." Regina softly whispers now. She tastes blood in her mouth. The wound on her lip has started bleeding again. In panic she looks up at Robin.

"Promise me you'll talk to him soon," he says while he carries Regina to the bed. He cleans the wound on her lips and then he wipes away all the blood that covers her face.

Regina softly nodds. "I will." she whispers. "Can you please stay now? Stay close to me? I'm so cold." Regina whispers.

"Yeah," Robin whispers. He has a weird feeling in his while body, like he is doing something really bad... Shouldn't he let them be together...?

Regina looks up at him and sees the doubt in his eyes. "I love YOU, Robin." she whispers to him. "I don't want to be with anyone but you. Please... Please, believe me." Regina looks in his eyes with hope in her own.

"I know, I know," Robin whispers, "and I love you too, I'm just confused and I don't know what's best... He was your true love right then, Regina..."

"He was. But now you are. Like I said I've moved on. With you. Isn't that alright?" She looks up at him with doubt in her eyes. Is he going to leave her?

"Of course it is," he says, "it just feels so incrediblely wrong, Regina, I don't know why..."

"Wasn't it good to move on?" Regina can only whisper. She feels really hurt now. How can he think this, they together, is wrong? She loves him, with all her heart. Why doesn't he see that?

"Yes, but I also think it would have been good if you had told me about him... Now it feels like I'm keeping you for myself, while he deserves you more...". Robin sighs, "I love you, Regina..."

Regina has started crying. She just wants to be happy with Robin. Is that too much to ask for? "I love you too." she softly answers him. "I want to be with you. Please, is that alright?"

"Yeah... It is," Robin says and he kisses Regina on her forehead, "just stop hiding the truth for me okay, please tell me about secret lovers and all that kind of things. This was not the first time...". He thinks back of Regina erasing his memories of him killing his son and he closes his eyes.

Regina nodds. "I promise. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She lays closely against Robin. "I really love you." she whispers to him. "How is my face? It's horrible, isn't it?" She looks away from him.

"It isn't," Robin whispers, "it will be a scar, but that's won't change that you're still the fairest of the land. It won't change anything.” He holds her hand and squeezes it a little.

Regina softly smiles at him while looking up. "That's sweet of you." She softly kisses him on his lips. "Thank you, Robin." Regina almost can't keep her eyes open. She's exhausted. But she doesn't want to sleep. She's scared Vincent will come back. She desperately tries to keep her eyes open.

"Regina, please go to sleep," Robin says and he kisses her back, "I'll stay... Nothing will happen to you...".

"No. No, Robin, I have to be awake when he comes back. I can't let him get to me again. He hurts me so bad. He told me he'll be back in three days but I don't believe him. He lies, he always lies. He will be back sooner and he will be back when I'm at my weakest. Which is now. I can't go to sleep." Regina's eyes close but she quickly opens them again. "I can't go to sleep." she softly repeats.

"And what if he comes back?" Robin says, "you'll wake up... I know this sounds cruel, but in the time before he comes you can take rest and I'll protect you. You will be all right!"

Regina looks up at Robin. "You're really staying with me? You won't leave me alone?" she whispers.

"Of course not..." Robin says, "I can do that, but I will miss you so much... I will hurt myself so much."

That pain is Daniel feeling right now, he wants to add, but he doesn't. He keeps quiet for her... Because he loves her.

"Thank you. Thank you." Regina whispers. She finally falls asleep in Robin's arms. When she wakes up in the middle of the night she notices Robin is still with her, laying next to her, in the same position as when she fell asleep. He's still awake. "Hello." Regina softly whispers to him.

"Hey..." he whispers, "how are you feeling." He kisses her on her forehead and looks at her lip.

"I don't know." Regina whispers.

"Let me look at your wounds," Robin says with a smile. He first looks at her lip, it doesn't seem to be healed completely.

"It's not gone, is it?" Regina softly whispers.

"No, it isn't," Robin says and when Regina moves talks it starts bleeding again, "I don't think this will heal very fast..." he says and he wipes the blood away with his finger.

Regina looks up at Robin. "I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"I know and it's okay... For me," Robin says. He looks at Regina's other wounds which look quite good.

Regina softly smiles at him. She lays against him now. "He hurt me again. Like that." Regina whispers.

"I already thought that..." Robin says, "I'm so sorry...". He wraps his arms around her, breathing very calmly.

"Why do you have to say sorry? I have to say sorry, not you." Regina whispers. She likes his arms around her. She softly kisses his hand.

"Because I left you," he whispers. Regina's body makes him warm and her kiss makes him smile.

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "Just... Just don't leave me now. Please?"

Robin takes a deep breath, "Okay," he whispers and he starts to stroke her hair. "Now that I know about Daniel, can you tell me more about him... About when you were together?"

"Why do you want to know?" Regina softly whispers.

"Because it's a part of you," he says, "and it made you who you are..."

"You won't like it." Regina softly whispers. "It's not some kind of fairy tale. She made me do things with Daniel..."

"Who did that?" Robin whispers, while still holding Regina's hand, "your mother?"

Regina shakes her head. "My nanny. Lady Tremaine." she whispers. "I liked Daniel. And she took advantage of that."

"Lady Tremaine?" Robin says surprised, "I didn't expect that, to be honest... She looks like a kind and loving woman." He sighs, "but you still loved each other after that, didn't you?"

"She is. Now." Regina softly smiles at Robin. "I loved him very much." she then whispers. "We would see each other whenever we could."

Robin smiles, "and he loved you too, I could still see that in his eyes. What happened to you two? Why were you separated?"

"I'm not really sure." Regina whispers. "He was with Zelena. My... My sister. Half sister, actually. I don't know. I don't know her. I only know she can be cruel." Regina closes her eyes when she thinks about Zelena. "I don't know what happened." she then whispers.

"You have a sister? Why don't I know this things..." Robin says with a sigh, "but she took Daniel? Captured him?"

"I don't know. I don't know exactly." Regina whispers. "I'm sorry."

"But you knew he was gone and you promised him to wait for him, so you knew he was leaving, didn't you?" Robin says.

"Yes. I guess." Regina whispers. "I'm tired." She looks up at Robin. She doesn't like talking about that part of her past... About any part of her past actually.

"I know you're tired, but I want to know more... I want to understand things, because all of a sudden there is a secret lover who almost killed me...!"

Regina startles when she hears Robin's voice speaking louder. She doesn't dare to look up at him.

"I'm sorry, but I just want answers, Regina," Robin sighs.

Regina softly moans out of fear. "Don't get angry with me... Please..." she very softly whispers.

"I'm not angry at all," Robin whispers, "just confused... And I want to know what's going on."   
He squeezes her hand a little without noticing it and holds her tightly.

"Daniel just had to leave. With Zelena. He promised to come back for me but he never came. He never could, I guess. I've waited for a very, very long time but then I met you." Regina softly whispers.

Robin nods, "and then you killed my wife to get me," Robin says. He is frightened by his words immediately, did he really say that?! "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that, really," he looks at Regina, "I'm so sorry, I just couldn't hold it in, it doesn't mean a thing...".

Regina's body freezes when Robin talks to her like that. Her face turns pale and her heart beats faster out of fear.

Robin sits up straight. It has been a long time since he thought about his family, about Marian and his son and about Regina making him kill him... His hands start to shake, the whole Daniel situation triggered something. "I'm so sorry," Robin says, "it's nothing, really...".

Regina doesn't answer. She doesn't move. Her body and her mind are exhausted. She very softly moans out of fear.

Robin lays down again and lies his arms around Regina, but everything feels wrong right now, wrong and empty...

Regina doesn't dare to look up at him. She knows he's right. And she hates herself for what she did in the past. But she has changed. Didn't he see that? Didn't he believe that?

Robin pulls his arms back and just lies next to Regina and closes his eyes.

Regina doesn't dare to close her eyes. She needs to stay awake, she needs to know what happens around her, around her body. She notices Robin falls asleep but she stays awake for the rest of the night. When Robin wakes up next to her the next morning, she hasn't slept any more.

"Good morning," Robin whispers and he looks at Regina, "haven't sleept anymore did you?" He says and he feels really sorry for what he did, "I'm so sorry about tonight, Regina, I really am".

"It's alright." Regina softly answers with a raw and tired voice. "It's the truth. I deserved it." She looks away from him. "I just hope you know how sorry I am for what I did back then." she whispers.

"Of course I do," Robin says, "but you changed, I have to remember that."

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. She looks up at him with tired eyes. "When Snow White turns 18, she can be Queen. I don't want it any more. I want to be with you, live with you in the Forest. Is that alright?"

"Yes it is, of course it is," Robin says. He knows that will be complicated and that Snow White will be eighteen soon and she isn't awake... But he doesn't want to say something that will upset Regina, not now.

"We have to find her true love. Lady Tremaine would take care of that." Regina softly smiles. "Vincent said he will be back the day after tomorrow." she then whispers.

"Stop fearing him, Regina, you can handle him" he says, "I'll stay with you and maybe we can help Lady Tremaine to keep your mind of his coming...".

"I don't want him to come back." Regina whispers softly. "I freeze when he comes to me. My magic can't help me then."

"But you can handle him without your magic," Robin says, "you're more powerful than you think, I'll help you...".

"How will you help me? He will come when I'm alone and he will hurt you if you're with me."

"He doesn't have magic, so if we get guards we can overpower him and lock him up..." Robin says, "I won't let him hurt you again."

Regina nodds. "That's good. Will you warn the guards then?"

"I will," Robin says and he kisses her on her cheek, not wanting to touch the wound on her lip.

"Thank you." Regina softly smiles at him. "Will you do that know? Please? I'm so scared."

"I won't leave you alone here again," Robin says, "shall I get someone for you? Or will you join me, which doesn't seem a very good idea to me...".

"I will come with you." Regina smiles. She puts on a soft dress and walks beside Robin to the head quarters of the guards.

They arrive and Robin walks to their leader. "We need a group of your guards, it's a command from the queen," he nods to Regina and looks at her with a smile. "Of course," the leader says and he makes a bow, "how many do you want, my queen?"

"5? Is that too much?" Regina softly whispers.

"Of course not, my queen," the leader says, "we do everything to serve you my queen," he bows again and takes five of his strongest guards and leads them to Regina and Robin.

"Thank you, sir." Regina smiles at their leader. "Thank you very much. I'm not feeling safe these days."

"Thank you, my queen, for trusting us and let us do this for you," the leader says and the guards nod. "Thank you," Robin says and he walks with Regina and the guards to the bedroom.

"Are you coming into the bedroom too?" Regina whispers.

"Yeah, if you want that," Robin says and he sits down on the bed.

Regina smiles. "You have no choice, you have to come with me." Regina giggles. "I mean the guards."

"O you don't want me," Robin laughs, "okay then I'll go," he smiles and kisses Regina on the good side of her lips, it must look very funny... The guards step inside, but two of them wait outside so no one can come in.

Regina looks up at Robin. "I'm scared." she whispers. "I don't like other people in our bedroom." She stands closely next to Robin. She may be the Queen but being in her bedroom with other men than only Robin makes her freeze.

"Remember they are here to help you, not to hurt you," Robin says softly. The guards are standing around the bed, looking around, prepared to fight. He lies his arm around Regina and looks at her with a smile.

Regina looks at Robin with focusness in her eyes. Fear glares through.

"There's no reason to be afraid, Regina," Robin whispers and he now picks up her hands and looks into her eyes, "don't worry, nothing will happen to you, okay?"

"You'll protect me, right?" Regina whispers.

"Always," Robin whispers and he squeezes her hands a little. He keeps looking her in her eyes, hoping to see the fear fade.

Regina slowly calms down. "Alright." she whispers while laying closely against Robin. She looks at the guards.

The guards pay no attention to them, or at least try not to. They stand in their position, not movin at all.

Robin lets Regina lean against him and he starts stroking her back.

"Robin..." Regina whispers. She softly kisses him.

He kisses her back, trying not to touch her wound but it's almost impossible. He holds her close and lies his hands on her back.

"I'm tired." Regina whispers. "But I'm scared to sleep with all those men around me."

"Don't be, I'm here," Robin says, he really doesn't know if she is, but he wants her to take some rest and stop worrying, "just take some rest okay?"

Regina softly nodds. "Alright. You'll... You'll stay here too, right?" she whispers.

"Yes yes, of course," Robin says, "don't worry." When Regina lies down he puts a blanket around her and kisses her, "sleep well," he whispers with a wink.

Regina holds the blanket tightly to her body. That makes her feel a bit safer. She lays her head against Robin's chest and falls asleep. In the middle of the night she wakes up after hearing strange sounds.

"Thinking you can beat me, my queen?" Vincent says and he takes of his helmet. Robin already lies on the ground, after Vincent gave him a kick on his head. "Well it takes a bit more than some stupid guards to overpower me..." He laughs very hard and the guards around laugh with him.

"W...What?" Regina mumbles. "But you were protecting me!" she snaps at the guards.

"They work for me," Vincent laughs, "nobody noticed us... Your palace really is a safe place as you can see." Vincent walks to her with a grin on his face. "The good thing is, with the guards outside,.. No one will come in!"

Regina completely freezes. She knows she won't be able to protect herself now. She's completely stunned.

Vincent sits down on the side of the bed and moves his hands over her lips. He makes the wound bleed again and grins.

Regina doesn't move. She only looks at him with fear in her eyes. "Please." she whispers softly. "I'll be a good girl."

"I don't like good girls anymore," Vincent says, "they never fight..." He kisses her making her taste the blood.

Regina kisses him back. She doesn't know what else to do. It's like she can't think clearly any longer. Her eyes look up at the guards who are coming closer towards the bed.

Soon Regina is surrounded by the guards, they push her arms, legs and stomach to the bed, so she isn't able to move and inch.

Regina moans of fear. "Please..." she begs again. "Please, Vincent, I'll do anything." she whispers.

"Tell me something you will do, and I'll decide if I agree," Vincent laughs and he kisses her again, his hand moving over her body.

Regina's body reacts immediately on this kind of touch. Her body likes it, which makes it even harder to think clearly. Regina softly moans of pleasure. "I'll let you live." she mumbles.

"Your previous plans to kill me all failed," Vincent says, "so no..." He grins.

"What... What do you want?" Regina softly asks him. She feels his hands undressing her and there is nothing she can do about it.

"I don't need a thing," he whispers, "you're enough for me.”

Regina just looks up at him. "Please." she tries to beg one more time.

"Nope, if you won't come up with something," Vincent whispers and he moves his hands down.

Regina's body likes that touch. Her heart starts to beat faster. She softly moans of pleasure. She notices the guards looking at her with lust in their eyes.

"Do you mind if they join me?" Vincent whispers and he moves slowly into the bed, kissing her.

Regina doesn't answer that question. She does mind but whatever she will say won't be heard. She kisses him back like she's supposed to do.

"I see that as a yes," Vincent whispers as he pulls back. He undresses her completely and pulls out his own shirt. The guards still hold Regina so she can't move and so Vincent can do everything he wants. He lays her hands on her hips and pushes his nails in her skin.

Regina looks at the guards in fear. They are wearing heavy protection and she's scared of them. That's why she hired them in the first place. To make them fear the villagers. But she's actually also very afraid of them.

Vincent lies his body on top on Regina's and touches her cheeks, making figures with the blood from her lip. "Come on," he whispers to Regina and he lets the guards release her.

Regina still doesn't move even though the guards have released her. She kisses Vincent back when he kisses her but doesn't do anything else than that.

"Show me what you can do, Regina," Vincent whispers and he leads her hands down and lets her undress him. "I know you can do so mush more than this," he laughs and winks to the guards.

Regina slowly undresses Vincent. She feels their naked bodies touch. She softly moans when he touches her on places her body likes. She moves her hands to his back and stroke him softly. Her head falls in her neck of pleasure and she lets his lips close to her neck.

Vincent kisses her from her neck up to her lips, "well I have stuff to do, but I've my men, who gladly want to finish this job," he says, letting his hands down for the last time.

Regina moans of pleasure. "Please..." she whispers. "Please, stop." She looks up at the guards who now come closer to her, still wearing their heavy armoury.

"I'll stop don't worry, but they can have fun now," Vincent says and he stands up. He dresses himself and walks away. 

The guards now look at Regina. "So, my queen, I didn't know you were this weak," one of the man says and he sits down on the side of the bed. "Vincent told us you really like this," he picks up a knife from his pocket.

"N.oo..." Regina mumbles. "I.. I don't... Please. Please..." she can only beg. Robin is still unconscience.

"He also told us you're a liar," says one of the other guards. They al start to laugh and the guard, who now lies on top of her with his heavy armory, brings the knife close to her face.

Regina moans of pain. His armour weighs a lot on her tiny body. "It... It hurts." she whispers. Tears run down her face.

"Indeed it does," the guard says, "do you like it better of I take it off?" She whispers, moving the knife to her throat.

"Yes.." Regina whispers. It can't be any worse than this.

"Very well," the guard say and he takes of his armory, but not only his armory... He undresses himself completely and lies down on Regina's body again. His big body touching hers.

Regina looks up at him, looks in his big green eyes. She feels his naked body on hers and hates herself. "What do you want?" she whispers softly.

"Isn't that obvious?" the man says, "down in the head quarters, we aren't allowed to spend time with women, so this is perfect," he grins and kisses her heavily.

Regina kisses him back. She keeps an eye on the other two guards in her bedroom.

The other guys just grin, when she looks at them. One even winks. 

The guard woth th king makes a big cut in her stomach. "It has been a long time since I have hurt someone, when the war was over, I didn't have much chances to do it and I almost forgot how good it feels."

Regina moans of pain. "Please!" she shouts.

"When your husband send us into war we also couldn't show mercy," the guard snaps, "so why would I do that now?" He makes another cut and the two perfect linea cross, blood dripping on the bed.

Regina now screams of pain. "Please! I beg you!"

"We can make a deal," the guard says, "just offer us something great," he grins to his colleagues and they look satisfied.

"I... I don't know... " Regina mumbles. She can't think straight when this guard touches her body on places she likes.

The guard goes on, "then you have to think," he whispers in her ear and he moves his hands to her hips and holds on very tightly.

"I.. I .c..can..'t..." Regina gasps for air. Her head falls in her neck from pleasure.

"Then that's too bad..." the guard grins and he goes on. "Tell me your majesty, do you like this.” He moves his hands down again and looks Regina in her eyes.

Regina doesn't answer. She can't. She's getting too excited. Her heart beats faster. She looks him in the eyes too.

"You do, I can see it," the guard says and he pulls back a little "who is that boy the ground?" he whispers, still looking at her.

"I love him." Regina whispers. "Please... Please, don't hurt him. Hurt me. I beg you." she whispers.

"Your new lover," the guard says, "did you tell the kingdom already?" The two other guards pick Robin up and try wake him up.

"Leave him alone, I beg you!" Regina now shouts out. "Please! I'll... I'll do anything!"

"Really?" the guard says, "then think of something you can give us!" He touches her again, while Robin starts to wake up. The guards hold his hands.

"I can let you go. Let you go back to your families. Please! Please don't hurt him!" Regina moans of pleasure when he touches her body. She's confused. She hates this but at the same time loves this kind of touches. "Please..." she begs.

Robin looks at Regina, he looks her into her eyes, not able to say a thing. The guard with the knife blocks Regina's sight, so she can only hear Robin's moans of pain as his colleagues kick him. "That's not enough!" the guard snaps.

"PLEASE!" Regina screams. "What do you want then? Anything, I'll give you anything! Just let him go, PLEASE!" Regina now cries very much.

"Give us riches and a big house, give us everything, a house, food for our families and one more thing..." The two guards don't stop kicking Robin and he falls on the ground.

"I'll give you that! I promise! What more do you want?"

"Let Snow White marry my son," he says clearly.

"I... I can't do that... I just.. I just can't. I can't force her into a wedding she doesn't want. I can only promise you to let them meet one another but after that is up to your son. Please... Please, is that enough?" Regina whispers.

"It isn't.”

"P.Please.." Regina whispers one more time. "I... I beg you..." She looks up in his eyes again, her own eyes broken as can be.

"Good," the guard says and he moves away from Regina, but if they don't fall in love, I'll be back!" The other guards give Robin one final kick and he lies unconscious on the ground with blood bruises everywhere. The guards make some final moves and then leave, thanking Regina for the pleasant time.

Regina quickly runs over to Robin and heals him completely. She tries to heal her lip but that doesn't work. She doesn't care; she's glad she was able to heal Robin. When he slowly wakes up, Regina quickly hides herself in one of her closets. She's scared he will be very angry with her, angry because she let it happen again.

Robin completely wakes up. He lies on the cold floor and tries to get up. He sits for a while and looks around. "Regina?" he says softly, his voice is rough. After a while he is able to speak louder, "Regina?"

Regina softly cries in her closet.

"Regina, please," Robin says, "I know you healed me, you must be somewhere close. I'm so sorry, I know this is my fault... But please can you come here?"

"It is not your fault." Regina softly says from out of the closet she's hiding in.

Robin walks to the closet and opens it, "Regina, please," he whispers. He gets her up and takes her in his arms, "I'm so sorry this happened to you," he whispers.

Regina holds Robin tightly against her. "Don't let me go." she whispers. "I... I have to find a way to stop this." she then suddenly decides.

"I won't," Robin says and he keeps holding her, "yeah, but I don't know how..."

"I do. I'm sorry." Regina whispers softly.

"What is it?" Robin says a bit worried.

Regina looks up at him. Very softly she whispers "The Dark Curse".

"No Regina," Robin says, "we can't trust Rumplestilskin and I'm sure this was his idea! We should look if lady Tremaine already found Snow White's true love..." He hopes his plan will distract Regina from doing dark things...

Regina sighs. "Alright. You're probably right." She looks up at Robin. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." she whispers. "I'll have to fire those guards first. But I'm scared to do that. Will you come with me to their head quarters? Please?"

"Yes that's all right," Robin says and they walk to the head quarters. Robin doesn't let Regina's hand go and looks around all the time, not feeling safe anymore.

Together they walk into the head quarters. "I'll have to fire the five of you." Regina clearly states while pointing at the five guards who were supposed to protect her.

"You do, my queen?" one of the guards says and they all bow. They all know this will be terrible for their families, because they won't have any money..."

"Yes. You can go now. You can leave all your armour and weapons here and leave immediately."

"But, my queen..." another guard says, but they do what she says. "You know what this means, don't you," Robin whispers.

"What does this mean then?" Regina asks Robin.

"That they won't have money to feed their families... I know everything about it..." Robin says with a sigh and he thinks back... that disappointed look from Marian when he got home with nothing...

"They let him rape me!" Regina snaps at Robin. "They deserve to die!"

"They did?" Robin says, "that weren't this guards, were it." He talks calmly, squeezing Regina's hand a bit.

"The five guards I hired yesterday to protect me failed. They can go." Regina turns her back to the guards and walks away.

"Fine," Robin sighs and he walks away with her. "Do you have other things to do?"

Regina talks to a servant to get Lady Tremaine for her. Regina then turns around to Robin. "We have to talk to Lady Tremaine to see how many boys have tried to wake up Snow White."

Lady Tremaine arrives after a while, she looks at the ground, "I've tried every single man, Regina..."

"And?" Regina wants to know. "Who is the lucky one?"

"No one..." Lady Tremaine whispers. She looks up to Regina, "I'm so sorry..."

"That can't be!" Regina storms towards the bedroom of Snow White and looks at the girl. "That just can't be..." she whispers. A tear runs down Regina's face. "You have to wake up, Snow. You just have to wake up." Regina gives the girl a kiss on her forehead. "Please, wake up." she whispers.

Robin wraps his arms around Regina, "maybe it's good like this," he whispers, but than Snow White takes a deep breath and opens her eyes. A weird sort of energy is flowing through her body.

"S... Snow?" Regina mumbles while looking at Snow White awakening.

"Mom?" Snow White whispers, "mom, you did it," she smiles and her eyes almost shine, "I know you could do it!" Her voice is still nothing more than a whisper...

"But I... " Then Regina smiles. "There's nothing stronger than the love of a mother for her child, isn't there?" she softly smiles to Snow White.

"I love you mom," Snow White whispers and she wraps her arms around her mother. "Nothing is stronger." She smiles.

"I love you too, dear. I love you too." Regina softly smiles. She looks up at Robin. "It worked. It actually worked!" She giggles.

"It did," he says with a smile, "welcome back Snow White.” He walks to them and kisses Regina on her cheek, "shall I leave you alone for a moment?" he whispers with a wink.

"I think Snow needs some time to get back on her feet. Take a shower, put on some nice clothes for dinner. What do you say?" Regina smiles at Snow White. When the girl nodds and smiles Regina and Robin leave her bedroom and walk through the Castle. Regina is suspicious and looks often over her shoulder.

"Mom!" Snow White screams from her room, with the loudest voice she can make. Someone grabbed her from behind.

Regina doesn't hesitate and quickly runs back to Snow White's room. She enters without knocking. "What's going on?!" she shouts.

Vincent holds Snow White in his arms, a knife touches her throath. "Your majesty... What an honor," he smiles.

"Let her go! She has nothing to do with this!" Regina snaps at him.

"She has everything to do with this," Vincent says, "she will be queen!"

"Yes, she will. And she will be a far better Queen than I am! Now let her go!" Regina waves with her hand and the knife falls down on the ground. Vincent is treathening her daughter now and Regina won't accept that. It makes her magic stronger than ever. She waves with her hand again and slams him to the wall.

Vincent falls on the ground and coughs. He gasps for air. The bang made him lose his breath for a while. Robin runs to snow and pulls her away from Regina.

Regina looks at Vincent. "You have two choices. Or you'll stay here in this Castle to try to make our lives as miserable as possible and you'll die. Or you'll leave immediately and never show your face here again." Regina softly smiles. "I suggest you choose wisely if you know what's good for you."

"I choose the last one," Vincent says with a grin. He will make another deal with the dark one to become even stronger... He will come back sometime, but he will make her think he doesn't.

"Then GO!" Regina now screams at him. "And take those five guards with you. They are heading out of the Castle as we speak."

"Fine..." Vincent says and he stands up. Before he leaves he walks to Regina and lays his hands on her hips, "I know you liked me," he whispers.

Regina looks up at him, deep into his eyes. "Try to touch me once again and you'll end up with having no hands to touch another woman ever again." Regina softly warns him. She uses very dark magic to start slice his wrists.

"I like it when you're confident," Vincent grins and he leaves the room, "good luck with your sweet new love!" He says and he closes the door.

Regina finishes what she started and cuts off one of his hands with very dark magic. She smiles when she hears him scream.

Vincent screams really loud. Robin leads Snow out of the room and waits with her outside. Snow is breathing heavily out of fear...

Vincent looks angry, bit frightened, "you...”

"You're done playing with me. I'm done. I suggest you go before I cut off your other hand too."

Vincent puts his chin up and walks away, not looking back. His arm is bleeding and it hurts a lot!

Regina smiles, pretty satisfied with herself. She turns around and looks into Robin's eyes. "What?" she asks him when she notices he's looking at her.

"What was that?" He says shaking his head. He almost grins, bit he knows this is not supposed to be funny... Snow White looks at ghe blood on her mothers hands and doesn't know what to say...

"He needed to be punished. He needed to learn a lesson. I just taught him what he needed to learn." Regina giggles when she notices Robin's grin on his face.

Robin hides his grin and shakes his head with a sigh. Snow White isn't that amused by what Regina did, "what if he dies?" she says and for the first time in her life she grabs Robins hand, just to know if it's still there.

"If he dies than that's what he deserves. He should be happy I didn't kill him off immediately. Because that's what he really deserves." Regina smiles at Snow White as if nothing happened.

"That's not true," Snow White says she wants to run to her mother, but Robin holds her back. She is very angry.

"You don't know what he did to me, Snow." Regina softly whispers. "He doesn't deserve to live."

"If he deserves to die then you deserve to die too!" Snow White snaps, "after all those days in the village, I know exactly what you've done!

Regina looks at Snow White. She doesn't say a word now. "I had to do that in order to save Robin. He was about to die. I couldn't let that happen." Regina whispers. "And Vincent... Vincent has cut me open with his knife and raped me. Then he let the guards to the same. He deserves to die!" Tears run down Regina's face while turning around and walking away to the Royal Gardens. She wants to be alone now. But in the Gardens she bumps into Daniel. "Daniel." Regina whispers.

"Regina," he whispers and he almost wants to embrace her, but he looks away. "How are you doing, my queen?" he says, knowing she hates it when calls her that...

"I hate it when you say that to me." Regina softly whispers. "I'm not your Queen."

"Of course not, my queen Regina Mills," Daniel says, and he looks at her. Not the kind and gentle look like he had before, no, a more empty look with a spark of anger.

Regina looks back at him. "Why are you so angry with me?" she softly asks him. She looks down, afraid for his answer.

"Because of all my wasted time..." Daniel snaps, "I could have had a good life with Zelena you know... I still like her as a friend, but I chose you..."

"I'm sorry, Daniel." Regina softly whispers. "I fell in love with Robin and I can't just leave him for someone else. Even... Even if that someone else is you." Regina looks up at him. "I love Robin."

"I know," Daniel says, "but that doesn't change that I choose you! I could have chosen Zelena, I could fall in log with her again of I wanted to, have a happy life... But I choose you and you didn't choose me..., and that hurts."

"I understand." Regina whispers. She turns back around and starts walking through the Royal Gardens now. She feels all alone.

Daniel walks to Regina and pulls her towards him. He kisses her... Squeezing her body against him and then he walks away, without saying a thing.

Regina hides in a corner of the Royal Gardens, beneath one of her favorite apple trees. She makes herself small by pulling up her legs and placing her head upon her knees. She softly cries.

One of the gardeners sees some movement in a corner when he gets back to his cabin. "Who is there?" he says and he wonders if it was just an illusion...

Regina tries to remain as silent as possible but she just can't stop crying.

"Hello?" he says not very loud and he walks a bit closer. He sees a figure sitting in the corner and he is almost sure it was some thief that came in while the guards were leaving, "get out!" he shouts, "these are the queen's gardens you are not allowed to be here, GET OUT!"

Regina looks up at the gardeners. He then sees who she is. "It's me." Regina softly says.

"My queen..." gardener says, "I'm so sorry, please forgive me," he bows his head and falls on his knees, "if I had known it was you, I..., I.... I'm so sorry.”

"It's alright." Regina softly whispers. "You don't have to apologize. Thank you for defending these gardens the way you just did." Regina softly smiles at him but keeps sitting on the ground.

"No, my queen, I should have looked better," the man says, still bowing, "I should have seen it was you, what can I do to make it up to you.”

"It really is alright." Regina softly smiles now. "You can stop bowing to me now. I've never liked that." Regina looks down again and lays her head back onto her knees. She feels all alone.

"Thank you so much, my queen," the gardener says, "is there anything I can do for you now? I would love to make up for my mistakes," he bows again.

"You can stop bowing to me." Regina smiles again. "Really, that's not necessary." She then looks away again. "Thank you, that's very kind of you, but I would like to be alone, I think." Regina whispers those last two words.

"Of... Of course, my queen," the gardener says, "shall I get you someone?" He steps back.

"No. No one wants to be with me, so no. Thank you." Regina whispers softly.

"Okay, my queen," the gardener whispers and he nods, "I'm right there if you need me," he points at a little house and walks away.

Regina just keeps sitting on the ground beneath one of her most favorite apple trees. She startles when someone sits down next to her.

"It has been a long time..." Cora says and she looks at her daughter, "I heard you woke up Snow White," she smiles.

"What are you doing here, mother?" Regina just wants to know, without looking up.

"Just because I wanted to have a little talk," Cora says, "nothing special."

"What do you want to talk about then?" Regina asks now.

"Snow White," Cora says, "I wonder why you woke he up..."

"I didn't know if that would work. It was a spur of the moment thing. Why do you care?"

"But you kissed her... Why?" Cora reacts, not answering her daughters question.

"I gave her a kiss on the forehead, mother. It seems like a mother's love for her daughter is some kind of true love. Not that you would know anything about that." Regina snaps.

"She is not your daughter Regina," Cora says, "and o I know a lot about that kind of love, it's easy to use against people, you know..."

"What's that supposed to mean, mother?" Regina asks her.

"It means you shouldn't love her," Cora says, "she will take your crown and you can't let that happen." Her voice is clear and strict and she looks het daugther in her eyes.

"I never wanted to be Queen, mother. I want Snow White to take her claim on the throne."

"You can't just throw your crown away now, after everything we had to do to get it," Cora says, "and if you don't do something about it, I will!"

"You're not doing a thing, mother. This is MY decision and it's been already made." Regina clearly states.

"I'm absolutely going to do something about this," Cora says calmly, "decisions made out of love are always wrong decisions... Love is weakness, Regina."

"No, it's not. Love isn't weakness, mother. And like I said you're not going to do a thing."

"You can't stop me..." Cora says and she smiles.

Regina doesn't answer. "What are you going to do?" she wants to know.

"I'll let someone kill her, or... If I'm in a good mood, just send her away to another realm..." Cora says with a sigh, "and she can take that Robin with her, he doesn't look like a good king to me."

"Don't you dare touch them!" Regina now snaps again. She lifts up her hand and starts to choke Cora. "Promise me you won't do anything to hurt them or to take them away from me!"

"I'm not afraid of you Regina," Cora says with a grin, "you really can't stop me from doing this!"

Regina chokes her mother harder now. "You're not afraid? What about now?" She throws her mother against a wall and keeps choking her harder and harder.

"I'll never be afraid of you," Cora whispers and she realizes Regina has outgrown her... Her magic is far stronger than hers. She almost can't breathe anymore, but she doesn't say a thing.

"Is that really, mother? Then why do your eyes tell me a different story? Then why do you look so scared?" Regina smiles with an evil grin on her face. "You do know I can just kill you right here and now, right?"

"I know you can," Cora whispers with the last breath she has, "and I know you want it, so why don't you.... Just... Do it, become the person you never wanted to be, me.” She smiles, but she feels her last breath isn't far away.

Regina lets her mother go just in time. "You're not worth it to be one of my kills." Regina only says. "But if you ever try to hurt Snow or Robin or try to take them away from me, I won't show you mercy." Regina turns around and walks back into the Castle. She looks for Snow and Robin and finds them still in Snow's bedroom.

Cora poofs to Regina and brings her head to her ear, "you see, love is weakness," she whispers and she poofs away again. 

"Regina, hi," Robin says.

"Are you alright, the both of you?" Regina just wants to know.

Robin hesitates, "yeah I think so," he says, but when he says it Snow White stands up and walks away. She walks past Regina without looking at her.

Regina looks up at Robin with hurt in her eyes. "I.. I'll let you be alone. I understand if you don't want me around." she softly whispers. She then turns around.

"It's okay," Robin whispers, "come here.” He looks at her and softly smiles.

Regina turns back around and faces him. She just looks at him, deep into his eyes.

"Come," he whispers again and he stretches out his arms for her. He just stands still and looks at Regina, with the same deep look as she has.

Regina slowly walks towards him into his open arms. She now notices the wound on her stomach, made by one of the guards, hasn't healed yet but stopped bleeding. Her shirt is full of blood.

Robin takes Regina into his arms and holds her close for a while, "let's clean you up a bit," he whispers.

"Yes, please." Regina softly whispers. "Will you help me with that?" She looks up at him with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah," Robin says and he takes her to the bathroom, "can you show it to me?" he says. He doesn't dare to touch her without asking.

Regina lifts up her shirt and shows the wound on her stomach. It's a pretty big wound. She takes off her shirt so Robin can easily get to her stomach.

"You should have told me earlier about this," Robin whispers and he takes some stuff to clean the infected wound, "this will hurt," he says, while he picks up some medicine to drip into the wound.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers softly. She looks at him while he starts to clean the wound.

Robin carefully drips the medicine into the wound. It starts bleeding a bit, but Robin hopes this will make it better. He looks into Regina's eyes while he drips and takes a deep breath.

Regina doesn't say a thing. It hurts but she doesn't complain. She just looks at Robin.

"I hope this will be enough," Robin says and he starts to bandage the wound. He has done this so many times now that he is finished very quickly.

"Thank you." Regina softly whispers. She slowly starts to kiss Robin. She feels she has to do this in order to thank him for helping her.

Robin kisses her back but then turns away, "you don't have to do that to please me..." He says, "I can feel your not comfortable with it...".

"Yes, I am." Regina whispers. She looks up at Robin. "I want to be close to you. I want to feel safe again. Can we do that? Please?"

"We can, I'm sure," Robin says, "Vincent is gone now, so that's a start.”

"I do hope he stays gone." Regina softly whispers. She kisses Robin again, softly and slowly. She feels his body close against her and she likes that.

"I hope so too," he says, "but we shouldn't worry about that now." He kisses her back holding her into his arms. It feels like ages since he did that and it feels incredibly good.

Regina smiles when she feels Robin is enjoying this too. "Snow White is really angry with me, isn't she?" Regina whispers. She kisses Robin again.

"She is," Robin says. He knows Snow White is really really angry with Regina.

"Why?" Regina just wants to know. "Why is she so mad at me? I... I only did what I had to do to save you and to save myself." Regina looks up at Robin now with desperation in her eyes.

"You said he deserved to die... That made her really angry," Robin says, "she didn't believe what you did was right..."

"Wasn't it, Robin? Please... I... I need to know. Wasn't it right? Didn't he deserved to be punished?" The desperation doesn't disappear out of Regina's eyes. She really doesn't know if what she did was right or wrong.

"I think it was the right thing to do and she thought he deserved to be punished too, but with that cutting and dying thing you stepped over the line for her..."

"He deserved that. He won't touch another woman ever again." Regina's eyes glare up with anger and hatred. "He deserved it, Robin. He deserved it!" Regina shouts out those last words but then starts to cry very hard. She keeps screaming that he deserved it.

Robin takes her in his arm, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He strokes her hair and kisses her forehead, "calm down, Regina," he whispers, "it's okay, it's okay," he takes a deep breath, while he still holds her tightly.

Regina calms down when she hears Robin's heart softly beating. It makes her feel safe. "He deserved it." she whispers one more time before suddenly losing her conscience.

Robin is shocked but he can lift her up so she doesn't fall. He carries her to the bedroom and lays her down, waiting for her to wake up... He really hopes she does.

After what seems like a really long time Regina wakes up again. She looks up in the eyes of her mother.

"I've got Robin and Snow White," she grins.

Regina wants to get out of bed but she can't. It's like her mother has cast a spell to make her daughter unable to get up. "What did you do?" Regina asks her.

"I've send them away," Cora says, "to a place I don't remember..." She smiles and makes her spell a bit stronger.

Regina softly moans of pain. Her mother is hurting her. "Mommy... Please..." she whispers. "They are my life. Please... I beg you, bring them back."

"Like I said," Cora says, "I don't remember where I've send them...". She loves it to have control over her daughter. She needs a new way of controlling her: being the fastest instead of the strongest.

"Then figure it out!" Regina snaps. She tries once more to get out of bed but her mother doesn't let her. "Let me go!"

"No," Cora says, "I won't, if you don't do what I say, you need to feel the consequences, dear.”

"You wouldn't hurt your daughter!" Regina snaps at her.

"You're right I wouldn't, but sometimes I just have to," Cora says, "because you need to obey, not fight..."

"I have been obedient enough! It's time I finally get the life I want not the one you lay out for me, mother!" Regina uses her magic to dissolve the spell cursed by her mother. She waves with her hand and starts to choke her mother. "How much time has passed since I fell unconscience?"

"About two weeks I think..." Cora says, "I kept you asleep when I was figuring out what to do with that Robin and Snow White." She was the one that put Regina asleep in the first place, but she doesn't tell that.

"Two weeks?!" Regina snaps. "You get them back! NOW!" Regina slams her mother against the wall and keeps choking her. "NOW!"

"N... Never," she snaps and she moves her hand to her throat. She can't breathe and she can't talk...

"NOW!" Regina screams even louder. "GET THEM BACK!" Regina keeps choking her mother until she loses conscience. Regina poofs her mother away to the prisons and puts a protection spell around her prison cell. She looks around in her room and feels all alone. "Rumplestiltskin!" she shouts out.

"What's it this time, dearie?" Rumple says when he arrives, although he already knows it.

"Don't pretend you don't know what my mother did! You have to help me get Snow and Robin back. Where are they? Do you know?"

"I don't, but I can find out where they are," Rumplestilskin says, "but not without a price,"

"You want to make a deal? Fine!" Regina snaps. "Tell me what you want."

"Let's say you owe me something..." Rumple says and he puts a potion in his hand, "the dark curse can help you in the end..."

Regina softly nodds. "And I won't have to kill Snow or Robin to cast that curse?" she softly asks him.

"You should," rumple says, "but since they are in another place, another realm, you can't. They are not part of this world anymore, they don't even remember you... Cora came to me for a portal," he grins.

"A portal to where?" Regina wants to know. "Where did that portal take Robin and my daughter?"

"Part of the deal was not to tell you," Rumple grins.

"So all I have to do now is kill the person I love most to cast this Dark Curse? And I can create a realm whatever I want it to be?"

"No you can't, you can create it wherever I want it to be," Rumple says.

"And where would that be exactly? Can you assure me Snow and Robin will be there too?"

"You can take whoever you want to take with you..." Rumple says, "but we are going to Storybrook, Maine, in a land without magic."

"A land without magic? That actually sounds wonderful." Regina looks at Rumplestiltskin. "So no one will remember this land? No one will remember me or what I have done? Only I will remember everything? Not even you?"

"Right, right, right, right and wrong," rumple says, "why would I let you go somewhere and I don't remember who I am.... That would be... Weird..."

"So only you and I will remember everything from ... here?" Regina softly smiles. "Alright. Let's get to work then."


	10. A New Beginning?

Regina worked on the curse for four full years. She had to travel a lot to find all the ingredients but she was willing to go as far as was needed to get Robin and Snow White back.  
In the mean time Snow White and Ronin lived their own lifes, not remembering Regina. Snow and Robin became friends, because they were quite lost someday and found the way to a village together. Snow is now 22 and found her true love, Charming, and together they have a baby called Emma. They both love her more than anything and promise to stay together forever and if someone would ever tear them apart... Let's say that would be very unpleasant for that person.

Now...  
Another minute passes by and the schoolbell rings. All the children of Storybooke runs outside...

It's been a few months since Regina has cast the Dark Curse. She made herself the Mayor of this little town called Storybrooke. Today she wakes up before the crack of dawn. She likes to walk through town when everyone is just waking up. Every morning she visits Granny's to drink a hot cup of coffee to start her day. Every morning she watches a man who comes in precisely 5 minutes after her to order a coffee to go. Robin. Today is just like all the other days. Regina just sat down at Granny's with her cup of coffee in front of her.

Robin walks through the door and sits down at the bar. He always comes here very early before work. One lady, the mayor if he is right, is always there when he comes in, sitting on what of the tables at the side. He greets her kindly and orders a coffee.

Regina softly smiles at Robin when he greets her. She likes this ritual they are having together. But it also hurts her. Very much. It hurts her that he doesn't remember her. But this, being this close to him, is better than never seeing him again because her mother send him away. Right? A single tear runs down her face.

Robin just has a chat with Granny's. She is doing the dishes and has nothing else to do than talk. When Robin finishes his coffee he thanks her, greets the mayor and leaves. Like every other day. Granny walks to the mayor to pick up her empty mug. She sees her watching Robin leave and smiles.

"What are you smiling at?" Regina softly asks the old lady, with a small smile on her face.

"Just enjoying the beautiful morning," she lies, "did your coffee taste well?"

"It always does. You make the best coffee in town, Granny." Regina smiles. "Well... I guess I'm off to work then." Regina gets up and leaves Granny's. She startles when someone bumps into her.

"I'm sorry milady," Robin smiles and he sets a step to the side, holding the door open for her. "I forgot my purse..."

Regina stares at him. It's the first time he talks to her since The Dark Curse. She looks him into his eyes and feels she still loves him. "It's... It's alright. You don't have to apologize." Regina softly says. She doesn't move so she keeps standing in his way.

He smiles a little, "thanks," he says and he waits until she walks on so he can close the door and go to his work...

Regina realises she's still standing in Robin's way so she takes a step aside. Their hands touch when she does that.

Robin smiles and walks in, he grabs his purse and walks outside. He notices the mayor has only moved about one meter since he walked away. "Is something wrong milady?" he asks out of kindness.

"No. No, nothing's wrong." Regina softly whispers. She can't avert her eyes from him.

"Okay, good," Robin says and he starts to walk away, "have a nice day," he says and he leaves.

Regina stares at him until he's out of sight. She then takes a deep breath. "How do I make him remember me?" she whispers to herself. She startles when mr. Gold, Rumplestiltskin alias in Storybrooke, suddenly stands next to her.

"Hello Madam Mayor," he says, "enjoying the morning?"

"You very well know none of my mornings are enjoyable. You know what I want to ask you. How do I make Robin remember me?"

"I don't know," Gold says, "it's a side effect of the..." He whispers now, "curse," he grins, "you can't undo it... Unless you break the whole curse..."

"That wasn't part of our deal!" Regina snaps at him. "Even if I could break the curse, which I can't because you designed it that way, I wouldn't want it. Because that means my mother will be back and we both don't want that to happen, now do we?"

"O no that would be really unpleasant..." Gold says and he walks to the door, "have a good day, madam mayor.”

Regina just nodds at him. She doesn't like it here. She doesn't like any of it. All she wants is for Robin and Snow to remember her and just start living the life she always wanted.

Mary Margaret is on her way to her school. She always wants to be there before the classes start. When she sees the mayor she starts to walk a bit faster. "Madam Mayor?" she says a bit out of breath, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a question, do you have time to answer it now?"

Regina looks up when Snow White... Mary Margaret... starts talking to her. "Yes, Sn.. Mary Margaret? I always have time for you." Regina stops walking and turns around to face her stepdaughter. She softly smiles at her.

"Really?" Snow White says a bit nervous, "thank you so much, I was just wondering if it is possible to make a trip with my students," she smiles, "I think it's good to show them more form the world than only Storybrooke, not that Storybrooke is not a nice place, no, not at all, it's wonderful don't get me wrong... It's was just an idea.” She talks really fast and doesn't remember what she has just said... She only smiles.

Regina knows what will happen when the people of Storybrooke cross the town line. Something bad. Something very bad. "I'm sorry, Mary Margaret. I can't allow that." Regina softly whispers.

"O okay," she whispers, "well, thanks for your time, madam mayor, have a... Nice day" she nods and feels tears coming up. She was to old to cry about such things, but it felt like a slam in her face when Regina's told her in a few words that it wasn't allowed. Not even 'not possible', no it was 'not allowed'...

"I'm really sorry, Miss Blanchard." Regina softly whispers now. "I wish I could just say 'yes', but I... I can't. I'm sorry." Regina softly turns back around and walks towards Gold's shop. She wants someone to love and who loves her back. She enters his antique shop and walks over to the counter.

"My shop is closed, even for you madam mayor," Gold says and he turns around.

"I'm not here to buy something out of your shop, mr. Gold." Regina answers him. "I need you to get me a child."

"Don't you understand the word 'closed'?" he says and he looks t her with an angry look. He cleans up his desk a bit, "come back in half an hour... I don't mak exemptions for people, not even queens..."

"Rumple... Mr. Gold, please. I just need you to say that you'll help me and then I'm gone."

"Fine," Gold says, "I'll get you a child." He looks up at her.

"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Gold." Regina gives him a smile and then walks out of his shop. She spends the rest of the day in her office in the Town Hall. On her way home she startles when she sees Robin walking on the other side of the street.

Robin just walks home to his cabin in the woods. There are a few houses in the woods, most of them are empty... Nobody wants to live there, but he kind of likes it.

Because of being distracted by Robin walking on the other side of the street, Regina stumbles and falls down on the ground, making a lot of noise.

"O milady," Robin says shocked when he sees her and he runs to her, "are you okay?" he says when he gets her up.

Regina looks up at him before she answers his question. "Yes." she mumbles. "Yes, I think I am. I'm sorry." She takes his hand to let him help her get up.

"You're bleeding," he says, looking at her knee, "let me guide you home," he looks up at her and reaches out his arm.

"You really don't have to do that, R... Sir..." Regina softly whispers. She can't stop looking him in the eyes.

"It's my pleasure, madam Mayor," Robin says and he lets her grab his arm.

"Please... It's Regina." Regina softly smiles while taking his arm. She likes touching him again, even though it's just his arm.

Robin quides her home and just waits while she unlocks the door. "Are you okay now? Do you need some more help?" He doesn't see hhe wound bleeding, so he thinks she likes it better if he goes. "Sorry I made your dress dirty," he says before he starts to leave. He smiles.

"No, wait." Regina quickly says. She looks at him again before she continues. "Do you want to stay for dinner? I at least owe you that. You've walked me all the way home."

"O no, thanks, I... Ehh.. I don't want to bother you any longer," he says and he looks at his dirty clothes. He can't stay for dinner like this... "It really was no problem.”

"Oh..." Regina looks down. "Alright." she softly whispers. "It's just... I could really use some company. Eating alone every night gets a bit boring after some time." she whispers while looking up to Robin again. "Really... You wouldn't be bothering me, you would be doing me a favor..."

"We'll all right then..." Robin says kindly, "if you like it, it's my pleasure." He knows he can't say no to the mayor a second time. He walks inside her big house. Was she living here all by herself?

"Really?" A big smile appears on Regina's face. "I really would love it if you stayed." she confirms again. "Please... Make yourself at home. Do you want to have a drink?" Regina notices him watching around. "If you'd like a little tour of the house, it would be my honour."

"Like you want it," Robin says, "I'm just a guest in the mayors house."

"Again, please... It's just Regina." Regina softly repeats herself. "You choose. What do you want first? A drink or a tour?" She softly giggles.

"A tour sounds lovely," Robin says with a smile. It's weird to be here right now, he only knows the mayor as a polite and strict person.

"No, wait." Regina quickly says. She looks at him again before she continues. "Do you want to stay for dinner? I at least owe you that. You've walked me all the way home."

"O no, thanks, I... Ehh.. I don't want to bother you any longer," he says and he looks at his dirty clothes. He can't stay for dinner like this... "It really was no problem.”

"Oh..." Regina looks down. "Alright." she softly whispers. "It's just... I could really use some company. Eating alone every night gets a bit boring after some time." she whispers while looking up to Robin again. "Really... You wouldn't be bothering me, you would be doing me a favor...".

"We'll all right then..." Robin says kindly, "if you like it, it's my pleasure." He knows he can't say no to the mayor a second time. He walks inside her big house. Was she living here all by herself?

"Really?" A big smile appears on Regina's face. "I really would love it if you stayed." she confirms again. "Please... Make yourself at home. Do you want to have a drink?" Regina notices him watching around. "If you'd like a little tour of the house, it would be my honour."

"Like you want it," Robin says, "I'm just a guest in the mayors house."

"Again, please... It's just Regina." Regina softly repeats herself. "You choose. What do you want first? A drink or a tour?" She softly giggles.

"A tour sounds lovely," Robin says with a smile. It's weird to be here right now, he only knows the mayor as a polite and strict person.

"Thank you." Regina softly smiles. When she has prepared her lasagna she puts it in the oven for about half an hour. She sits down at the table, across from Robin. She softly smiles at him. "Thank you for setting up the table." she repeats herself.

"No problem," Robin says and he looks around, "you've a nice house, mad- Regina.” He thinks of his own cabin, small and warm. This house feels cold... Just cold.

"That's very nice of you, thank you." Regina doesn't look away from him. "I just think it's too big for one person." she softly whispers. "But that's no concern of yours, is it?" Regina quickly gets herself together again. "What do you do for a living, Robin?" she politely asks him, as if she doesn't already know.

"It is indeed... Really big," Robin says and he looks at her again, "I hunt for a living, but I don't really need a lot, I've a small house you know... No of course you don't... " he shakes his head and smiles, "I'm sorry.”

"I do, actually." Regina softly smiles. "I used to live in a much smaller house. Well... I've not actually lived there but I knew someone who lived there, in a small cabin in the woods. I've spent a lot of time there." She smiles at Robin.

"O that's nice, who was it?" Robin says, "maybe I know the person... There are not many people living in a cabin in the woods you know," he grins.

Regina looks down. "That wasn't here in Storybrooke. That was... in my past." she softly says. She startles when the oven rings as a sign that her lasagna is ready. Regina puts everything on the table and takes Robin's plate to put his food on. Her hands shake again because of being nervous.

"Let me help," he says and he lays his hand on the plate so it stops shaking. When the both have some lasagna he continues, "so you haven't lived here your whole life? Robin says, "where did you live before you came here? If you want to tell me of course."

"I was married once. But it was an arranged marriage. I had no say in the matter." Regina softly starts. "I didn't spend a lot of time with him. I was much happier in the woods with my... my friend."

"Well It's a good thing to be here now," Robin says, "and it was great you had that friend right then," he smiles and takes his first piece of lasagna, "wow," he whispers.

"Do you like it?" Regina asks him with doubt in her voice.

"It's fantastic," he says and he thinks of the dry stuff he always eats at home, "I really like it!"

"Thank you. I'm glad you like it." Her face lights up with an even bigger smile than before.

"Thanks a lot, Regina," Robin says, when they finish the food. "I will do the dishes for you.”

"No, Robin, I can't let you do that." Regina protests. "You've walked me all the way home already, you really don't have to do the dishes."

"You gave me this fantastic dinner," Robin says, "I wouldn't let you do it." He takes the plates and stuff to the kitchen.

Regina follows him. "We can do the dishes together?" she suggests. "Really, I won't feel alright if I let you do them alone."

"Well I can live with that," Robin smiles and he starts to clean th cups and plates. The kitchen was very big too and that makes him smile. How could you live here alone...

While doing the dishes Regina looks often at Robin and thinks about how she wishes he could remember her. She hates her mother. She hates her mother so bad for doing this to her.

Robin sees something is bothering her, but he doesn't ask. He just finishes the dishes woth Regina.

Regina startles when Robin hands over the last plate. She lets it slip out of her hands to the ground. "I'm... I'm sorry." Regina apologizes. "You must think I'm such a clunse."

"That's not true," Robin says with a smile, "is something bothering you?" He starts to pick up the pieces and looks up to her.

"No." she softly whispers. "Not really. I'm just... I'm just not used having someone around. Having someone to talk to." She looks up at him too.

"Well if you want to talk I can come can come back sometime," Robin says, "but I think you're really busy...".

"I'm not." Regina answers a bit too quickly. She looks away. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to jump at you like that." A tear runs down her face. How badly she wants to take him in her arms and kiss him.

"That's really no problem, don't worry" Robin says and he gets up, "tell me, what's wrong?" He softly smiles and looks at her.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong, really." Regina can't speak louder than just a whisper. Her voice is full of sadness. She doesn't want to cry, not now, not here, not in front of him.

"I can see something is wrong," Robin says, "it's okay if you don't want to tell,"   
He sees her sad and empty eyes. She must be so lonely...

"Maybe... Maybe some other time? If you would want that, of course." Regina whispers. She doesn't dare to look up at him, afraid to see rejection in his eyes.

"O yes that's okay," he says and picks up the last pieces of the broken plate. "So that's clean again," he sighs, "I'm sorry I made you feel... Bad".

"You didn't." Regina takes a deep breath to control her emotions. "You really didn't." She now smiles at him. "Do you want something to drink before you go?" She looks at him. She doesn't want him to go but she can't ask him to stay, can she?

"O that's all right," Robin says and he smiles a little. He hopes he doesn't bother her.

"Would you like some coffee? I can make some. I really don't mind." Regina almost stutters from excitement.

"That would be lovely, thank you," Robin says calmly. Did he see some excitement in her eyes? The thought makes him smile.

Regina leads Robin to the living room. "Make yourself at home, please. I"ll just be a second to get the coffee." Regina walks to the kitchen and makes their coffee. After a few minutes she quickly hurries back to the living room. "Here you go." she softly smiles. She hands one cup over to Robin who is sitting on the large couch. She looks around and doesn't know where to take her own seat.

Robin sees that she hesitates, "I don't mind if you sit here on the huge couch,"' he says and he almost laughs, he takes the cup and warms up his hands.

"Alright." Regina softly answers. She sits down next to him but not too close. She doesn't want to scare him off. She warms up her own hands, holding her cup very tightly. She doesn't want to notice him her hands are shaking again, sitting next to him.

They just sit in silence for a while. Robin doesn't know what to ask, so he just drinks from his coffee and looks out of the window.

Every now and then Regina looks up at Robin but then quickly looks away again. Seeing him and being with him makes her hate her mother even more than she already did. "Do you... Do you have to work early tomorrow?" she asks him after a long silence.

"Yeah..." he whispers and he turns his face to her, "the morning is the best hunting time...".

Regina nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She hates having to let him go. Being alone again in this house that's too big for herself. Another night without him, her true love. Another night missing him.

When his cup is empty he slowly stands up, "thanks again for the lasagna," Robin says with a smile, "and for everything else," he bows a little, just to show her thanks.

Regina quickly gets up from the couch too. "It was my pleasure. Thank you for walking me all the way home. And for doing the dishes with me. And for cleaning up my clunsiness." Regina can't help but giggle a little bit. "I'll have to make you a couple more lasagnas to thank you for everything you did for me today." They walk together to the front door. "I... I had a really nice evening." Regina looks him into his eyes now. "Thank you." she softly says.

"It really was no problem," Robin says, "I'm glad you enjoyed it, I liked it too.” He smiles and gets his coat, "well, good bye then, and good night."

"Goodnight, Robin." Regina answers him with a soft smile. "I really liked it." Regina says goodbye and closes the door. She cleans everything up and then goes to sleep. For the first time in a very long time she has a good night's sleep.

The next morning, just as every other morning, Regina walks over to Granny's to get her cup of coffee. 5 minutes later Robin walks in. Regina pretends she doesn't see him first. Will he approach her?

"Hey... Madam mayor," Robin says when he walks in. He doesn't know if he can use Regina here on public so he keeps it safe. He walks to the bar and orders a coffee as usual. Granny starts talking to him.

Regina looks up but doesn't disturb his conversation with Granny. When he's done she talks to him. "It's Regina. Really..." she softly smiles.

"O okay," Robin smiles, "I wasn't sure... You want a coffee too?"

Regina giggles. Her cup of coffee is standing right in front of her. "Do you want to drink your coffee together? With me?" Regina softly adds those two last words.

"Sure," he says and he laughs. He didn't see her coffee... It was really early and he was half sleeping, "so what brings you here so early, Regina?" he says and he takes some coffee.

"I'm always up this early." Regina softly smiles. "I like it when the whole town is barely awake."

"Yeah me too," Robin says and he stares in front of him, "although I like sleeping too," he grins and he stretches his arms.

Regina giggles. "I know what you mean." she laughs.

Robin smiles and looks at her, "I should probably go," he says, "I need to work....".

Regina nodds. "Yes, don't let me hold you up." She smiles at him.

"If anyone is holding me up it's me," Robin says and he stands up. He says goodbye and walks to his cabin to pick up his hunting stuff.

Regina keeps sitting for a while. She startles when someone sits down across of her at the table.

A little girl stares at her and smiles. She just sits and looks at her, not saying anything.

"Hello?" Regina asks the girl with a soft smile. "Who are you?"

The girl doesn't stop staring and she looks over her shoulder.

Regina just looks at the girl. "Hello?" she asks again. "Do you want to ask me something?"

"No," the girl says, "I saw you before." She turns her head, "don't tell I'm here," she says with her high young voice.

"Before? Where do you mean?" Regina asks the girl.

"My mom will certainly come and find me," the girl says very seriously, but then she smiles. "She doesn't think I'm here," she whispers.

"I'm sorry but I really don't know what you're talking about, dear." Regina looks at the girl. "Can you explain it to me a bit more?"

"Hide and seek," the girl says and her eyes grow brighter, "you don't know what that is?" She looks at Regina with wonder in her eyes.

Regina giggles. "Oh right! Now I get it!" She smiles at the girl. "Maybe Granny lets you hide behind her counter?" she winks at the girl.

"No I've hidden myself there so often! My mom will immediately find me." The girl whispers, "here is perfect." She crosses her arms and smiles, like she has everything under control.

Regina softly smiles at the girl. "What's your name?" she asks the girl again.

"Not telling," she giggles, "okay it Rosa... Don't tell my mom I told you that, she thinks strangers are evil." She laughs of excitement when the door opens and she hears her mothers voice.

Regina startles by the word 'evil'. But she doesn't let that notice. She smiles at the girl's mother.

"Have you seen my daughter here?" the woman says. The girl slips under the table and wrapped her arms around Regina's legs tightly. She squeezes them out of excitement.

"I'm sorry, I fear I haven't seen her." Regina giggles and silently points with her finger under the table without the girl noticing that.

The woman rolls with her eyes and smiles. She forms 'thank you' with her lips and looks under the table. "Awww mommy, how did you know that!" The girls says and she starts giggling. She jumps in her mothers arms, "did you secretly tell her?" she says to Regina.

"I promise I didn't." Regina giggles. "I think your mother knows you very well." She winks at the woman again.

The girl hugs her mother tightly almost jumping upside down in her arms. "Again again again!" she screams.

Regina can't help but giggle again.

"Well thank you," the woman says and she she smiles, "it's time to go home now, Rosa, school starts soon," She winks to Regina and walks away. Rosa waves to Regina when they leave.

Regina waves back. She's starting to like this, after months being in Storybrooke now. She starts to like being here, around nice people who don't remember her past, just her being the Mayor and being a strict but nice person. Regina softly smiles to herself.

"Want another coffee?" Granny says, while cleaning the bar. She smiles and looks at the mayor.

"I would love to, but you're closing until lunch now, aren't you? I won't hold you up." Regina softly smiles. She gets up and walks towards the door.

"One coffee is no promlem," Granny says, and she starts cleaning the tables.

"Well... Alright then. Thank you, Granny." Regina sits back down and waits for her coffee.

"How are you doing madam mayor?" Granny asks with her always light and polite voice, "you seem to get up early everyday."

"I do. I like to be awake when the rest of the town is starting their day. I don't know why I just... like it." Regina smiles at Granny. "And please... It's Regina."

"Sure it is," Granny says and she grins. She goes on cleaning the tables in the middle.

"Can I help you with something?" Regina asks the old lady.

"O no, dear," Granny says, "Ruby will be home soon and besides that, this is my job."

Regina smiles. "Alright then." Regina greets Granny, walks outside and heads towards the Town Hall.

Some people walk by when Regina goes to the Town Hall and kindly great the mayor. Some people even make a little bow and smile.

Regina softly smiles back every time. But she freezes when she sees her mother.

Cora walks by and leans agains the wall. She is exhausted and sits down.

Regina softly smiles. "Hello dear. Are you alright?" she asks Cora.

"Yeah kind of," Cora mumbles. She hates it when people asks her that, when they can clearly see she is not doing all right.

"You look very tired. Maybe you should go home and rest."

"I can't," Cora snaps, "not everyone has an easy life like you, madam mayor, I can't afford to stop working!"

"I was just trying to help." Regina softly smiles. She turns away, giggles and walks away. She enters Mr. Gold's shop. "Did you get me one?" she asks him.

"I have, dearie" Rumple says, "of course I have.”

"Well? Where is he?"

"It's not a boy Regina," Gold says, "and I know I'm a cruel man, but if you want a child... I can't just steal one you know...".

"Of course you can't steal me a baby. I need to adopt one. Can you do that?" Regina snaps at Mr. Gold.

"Tomorrow, 4pm, New York City," Gold says, "I'll travel with you...".

"Can we cross the town line without losing our memories?" Regina wants to know.

"We can," Gold says, "because our memories are real...".

Regina nodds. "Alright then. Tomorrow. I'll be here at 4 PM sharp." Regina smiles at Mr. Gold and then leaves his shop. Without looking where she's going she bumps onto someone.

"Madam may- Regina," Robin says, "I'm so sorry.” He looks at Regina's dress which is now a bit brown because of his dirty clothes.

Regina just looks up at Robin. She softly smiles. "That's alright, Robin." She giggles. This never happened before; someone bumping into her and making her clothes dirty. But she really doesn't mind. She giggles.

"Thank you so much," he smiles, "if there is anything I can do, just tell me."

Regina wants to say something like 'You can help me get those clothes off so I can wash them.', but she doesn't. It wouldn't be appropiate. She looks up at them. "Well, I need to go home to change... Maybe you could keep me company?" She smiles at him.

"Yeah sure," Robin says a bit surprised and he walks home with her.

"Please, make yourself at home." Regina smiles at Robin while entering her home. "I'll be just a second to put on other clothes." Regina quickly goes upstairs and puts on a simple dress, but she can't get to the back to zip it up. "Robin?"

Robin smiles and closes Regina's zipper, "there you go.”

"Thank you." Regina softly thanks him. She looks over her shoulder behind her, to Robin. She softly smiles at him.

Robin smiles back and sits down on the couch. He stares out of the window, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "Did I do something wrong?"

"O no," Robin says, "don't think that, please, I just looked around a bit, you know...".

Regina softly nodds. "That's alright." she smiles. "Did you see something in particular?" she softly asks. She really wants to know what he's thinking about. About her house, about her.

"O no," Robin says, "your house and view just surprises me again." He smiles and looks at her, "in a good way...".

"How do you mean?" Regina softly asks him, with a smile on her face. She sits down next to him on the big cough.

"Nothing very important," he says and he looks around again, "my place is different, that's all."

Regina smiles. She notices she sits close to Robin. She looks up at him.

Robin doesn't really notice Regina sitting close to him. He is kind of dreaming... He is really tired.

"You look tired." Regina softly says to him. "Maybe you should take some rest? I have a guestroom... If you want you can rest some?"

"Thank you," Robin says and he looks at her, "but I think I'll go home to sleep a bit...".

Regina nodds. "I understand." she whispers. She smiles at him again. "Shall I walk with you?" she suggests.

"Only if you feel like it," Robin says and he stands up.

"Alright then." Regina smiles. She leads the both of them out of her house and follows Robin towards his house. "You live far in the woods, don't you?" she asks him while walking through the woods.

"I do," Robin says with a smile, "I like the woods better than the streets, I don't know why...".

Regina smiles. "It's so nice and calm here. I like the woods too. I've always liked them."

"That's great," Robin says, "I already live here as long as I can remember," Robin says with a grin, "I also love that it's so peaceful here."

"I understand that." Regina nodds. "I don't know why I have a house in the middle of town." She giggles. "I don't even like my house. Not really. It's much nicer than the one I used to live in, before, but this house is also too big for me."

"It is really big indeed," Robin says with a smile, "but you have to like it at least a bit... Because you're still living in it... In what kind of house did you used to live?" Robin says, just interested.

"I used to live in a house that's much bigger than mine is now. I really didn't like it." Regina answers softly.

"Even bigger than this one," Robin says surprised, "and you lived there all alone too?"

Regina shakes her head. "No... Do you remember I told you I was married once? That arranged marriage? I lived there with him." Regina looks away. She thinks back at her horrible time with King Leopold. Her hands shake a bit.

"Yes of course I remember," Robin says, "I'm sorry." He smiles and bows his head a bit. Regina looks a bit afraid and her hand starts to shake, "are you okay?" Robin asks.

"Yes." she whispers. "Yes, I'm fine." Regina looks up at him again. Her hand moves over the scar on her lip.

"It seems like something is bothering you, Regina," Robin says.

"It's nothing, really. I was just thinking about... about the past. The time I had with that man." Her finger now softly strokes the scar on her lip.

"And that man still bothers you... I can see it," Robin says, "what happened to your lip?"

Regina now looks Robin deep into his eyes. "He did that." she whispers. "No... He didn't do it himself. He let someone do that." She looks down now, ashamed.

"But... He hurt you?" Robin whispers and he looks Regina deeply in her eyes.

Regina softly nodds. Tears appear in her eyes. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"That's not something you have to say sorry for," Robin whispers, "hey, come here," he says and he gives her a hug.

Regina lets him hug her. She likes this. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers softly.

"No problem," he says, "I know I'm really not the right persons, but if you ever want to talk, you can come to me if you want...".

"Really?" Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "Thank you, Robin." she says again. "I really appreciate that. I... I don't have many friends." she whispers those last words. "I'm afraid I'm not a really good people person."

"I think you're wrong about that, Regina," Robin says, "there are more nice people in this town than you might think, kind just like you. You just have to dare...".

"I'm starting to." Regina smiles at Robin.

"Very good, Madam Mayor," Robin says with a grin.

Regina giggles. "Is that your home over there?" She points at a small cabin in the woods.

"It is," Robin only says.

"I like it." Regina smiles at him. "It looks warm and cozy."

"Thanks," Robin says, "and I can tell you... It is warm and cozy," he laughs, "come in, and see it yourself, sleep can wait for a while.”

"Are you sure? I... I don't want to intrude. It's your home." Regina looks at Robin.

"O no you're right, thanks for reminding me that it's strictly forbidden to enter my house. The stuff inside is to beautiful for everyone's eyes, exept mine," Robin jokes. He winks to Regina and walks in.

Regina giggles again. "You're funny!" she laughs. She follows Robin into his house. "You've got a beautiful home, Robin." Regina smiles after taking a look around. She softly smiles at him.

"Well it's not that beautiful," Robin says, "it's more... Functional...".

"I don't mind. I really like it. I knew it would be cozy and warm in here." Regina smiles again at Robin, now noticing how closely they stand to one another.

"Well it's not that warm, is it," he says with a smile, "I'll put on the fire..." He had already mentioned it was really cold in Regina's house, and this didn't feel as a warm house for him.

"It's more warm here than it is at my place, isn't it?" Regina asks Robin.

"It definitely is," Robin says and he lights the fire, "my place is even warmer than this most of he time, and I just like to warm my house up with fire...".

"I think that's cozy. Feels like a real home." Regina whispers. Without her realizing it she strokes once again over the scar on her lip.

"A real home?" Robin says and he smiles as he sees Regina touch the scar on her lip.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "A real home." she softly repeats. She looks away from Robin because she feels tears showing up in her eyes. "I hate that scar." she then whispers softly.

"Why?" Robin says, "I think it's beautiful, Regina. Don't hate it, no one can be perfect... " He smiles and although Regina looks away, he can see the tears in her eyes. "At least try to be perfect by not hating the things you don't like." He lays his hand on her shoulder, "because there is no reason not to like them, because they're part of who you are."

Regina looks up at him when he lays his hand on her shoulder. She softly smiles at him. "Thank you, Robin. I just wished my past was a bit more pleasant than it was."

"The past is the past," Robin whispers, "now is now, you can better make the best of it, learn from your past, hate your past, be sad about your past, but don't let the past consume you, it's not worth it."

Regina nodds again. "I will." she smiles at him. She takes a step closer towards him.

"Good" he whispers, but he steps back a little. He closes his eyes and smiles.

Regina quickly takes a step back too. "I'm sorry." she whispers. "You said you were tired. I'll leave you alone so you can rest." Regina softly smiles at Robin. "I'm sorry." she says again.

"It's okay," Robin says and he looks into Regina's eyes. He sees some kind of sadness he doesn't like... "Yeah, maybe I should go to sleep soon... It was nice to have you here." He smiles a little.

"Thank you for showing me your place. I really like it." Regina smiles again. She softly nodds to him and then leaves his home. She goes to her own home to go to sleep. She's really tired and the next day she will be traveling to New York with Mr. Gold...

The next day. Regina wakes up early and gets herself ready for her trip to New York. She's a bit scared. She hasn't left Storybrooke since the first day she cursed everyone here, which is now a couple of months ago. Like every morning Regina goes to Granny's for her cup of coffee. She's lost in her own thoughts and don't notice Robin walking in at the same time he comes every day.

He sits down at the bar like everyday, but not before greeting Regina. He wants to sit on her table, but Granny's gets him in a conversation.

Regina doesn't greet Robin back. She keeps being lost in her own thoughts. She strokes over the scar on her lip and the one on her leg. That last one no one ever sees.

Robin looks away from Regina and just talks to Granny about work and stuff...

Because she's so distracted by her own thoughts, Regina doesn't see where she puts her cup down... Right next to the table and onto the ground. She startles.

"Ohh madam," Granny exclaims and she picks up a towel, "did it fell over you?" Robin turns around.

"No." Regina answers softly. "No, I'm fine. I'm sorry, Granny."

"No problem, dear," Granny says and she starts to clean the floor, "this things happen in a restaurant," she smiles and gets another dry towel.

Regina looks around and notices Robin sitting at the bar. She smiles at him. "You must think I'm such a clumsy person." she giggles.

Robin smiles, "not at all, Regina," he says, "maybe you just have some unfortunate days..." He grins now.

Regina giggles again. "I'm sorry." she repeats to Granny. Regina gets up from her chair and walks over to Robin. "I have to go to New York this afternoon."

"Okay," Robin says, "what are you going to do in New York?"

"I have some things to do with Mr. Gold." Regina softly answers. "I can't tell much about it now but I hope I can tell more afterwards. If... If you want to hear it that is?"

"Sounds interesting," Robin says, "good luck... And you know where to find me." He doesn't really know what to think of Regina... He really doesn't.

Regina looks up at Robin. "Are you alright?" she whispers.

"Yes I am," Robin says softly "why?" Something is blocking him...

"You don't seem alright. Is something bothering you?" Regina asks him.

"What? No..." Robin says clearly and he smiles.

"Alright then." Regina softly smiles. She looks up at him. How much she wants to hug and kiss him...

"Have a nice day," Robin says with a wink and he leaves Granny's. Not knowing what to think anymore.

Regina goes to her office in the Town Hall to work a little. At 4PM sharp she meets Mr. Gold in his shop. "When will we be back?" she asks him.

"Well you don't get things like this done in just a few minutes, your majesty," Gold says, "we have at least three apointments on three different days..."

Regina nodds. "Fine. Let's just go. How do we get to New York?"

"P . L . A . N . E..." Gold says, "or do you rather travel by train?"

"Plane? You mean in the air?" Regina looks at Mr. Gold. "Alright." Deep down inside Regina feels very scared to give up control.

"Perfect," Gold says, he loves to see Regina struggle, and even more because he caused her struggle. It has been a long time...

Regina and Mr. Gold drive in Regina's car to the nearby airport to get on a plane to take them to New York. Regina constantly looks around. There are a lot of people walking around her and she doesn't like that.

"Watch your step!" A man snaps at Regina and a few other man bumb into her. Gold walks very fast and soon he Regina is out of sight. Hidden in the crowd.

"I'm sorry." Regina mumbles. She looks around and doesn't see Mr. Gold anywhere. But Regina is a smart woman and knows where she needs to go. She meets Mr. Gold at the check in.

"You're smart," Gold says, "I almost seems you went in an airplane before...”. They check in and fly to New York.

Regina is really scared while sitting in the plane. She looks outside and is afraid of the height. She doesn't like not having magic right now. She plays with her hands to keep herself distracted from her thoughts.

Gold only grins and sleeps the whole flight. When they arrive Regina looks tired, but Gold isn't planning to calm downs, so he rushes to the bus and they drive to the hotel.

"We're not sleeping in the same room, are we?" Regina wants to know when they arrive at the hotel.

"If you don't want that, no," Gold says and he books two separate rooms.

"I don't." Regina softly smiles. "When do we have our first appointment?"

"Tommorow morning," Gold says, "eleven o'clock.”

Regina nodds. "And what kind of appointment is it?"

"I already made all the agreements," Gold says, "but they need to see if you will be a good mother for the child." They walk to the elevator.

"How can they tell? They don't know me."

"They can't," Gold says, "but they think they can, so you can better put on a good show if you want that child to be yours.”

Regina nodds. "I'll see you tomorrow then." The both of them go to their room. Regina falls asleep quickly. 

The next day. Regina and Mr. Gold have breakfast together. Regina doesn't eat much. She's too stressed. They then walk over to their appointment.

"Welcome," the woman says when Gold and Regina arrive, "I'm Lydia, nice to meet you." He leads Regina inside and lets Gold wait outside, but as soon as the door closes behind them, Gold leaves the place.

"Hello. I'm Regina." Regina smiles. She takes a seat on the chair in front of the desk. She's glad Mr. Gold doesn't come in too; she's more nervous around him.

The woman gives Regina the files, assuming that she already know everything. She looks at her.

"I'm sorry." Regina softly says. "This is the first time I'm here, so I don't really know what to do."

"Well ehh...". She looks at the paper in front of her. "Regina Mills..." She looks up, "we expect some kind of preparation. We're talking about a child here, it's not just some kind of a job interview if you think that." She looks almost angry.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She looks up at the woman. "I'm well aware this regards the life of a child. I don't know how someone prepares for that. I can only say I choose to be a mother of a child in need, which means I really want this and I'm really serious about this. Otherwise I wouldn't be here." Regina softly smiles. "I just want to give a child a warm and loving home it deserves."

"Well that's a good point, Regina," Lydia says, "but I can tell you there are a lot of people who come here and are a terrible mother, so I can't believe you right away, I'm sorry, I speak from experience." She opens the file in front of Regina, "make up for your bad start by telling something about yourself, after that I'll go through the file with you." She smiles.

Regina nodds. "Well... I'm Regina. I am the Mayor of a little town called Storybrooke. Let's see... What else can I say about myself?" Regina looks up at the woman. She softly smiles.

The woman smiles back and waits. She looks at Regina with a doubting look.

"I'm just a woman who wants to do something good for a child who doesn't have a home. I can provide everything he or she needs plus a lot, a lot of love. I'm a very loving person and I would do everything for my child." Regina looks up to the woman with love in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," the woman says, "you have to tell me more about yourself... Everyone who comes here tells me what you just said, but only a few are really right about themself, so tell me some more details and then we will move on to the next subject."

"What is it exactly that you want to know, miss?" Regina asks her. "I can tell you a couple of things like my favorite colour or my favorite animal. I can tell you I was married once with an abusive husband but he died years ago."

"The last part please," Lydia says, "your past is important and so is your family. Any brothers, sisters is there a father? Good qualities, bad qualities, it's not that hard...".

"My father died a few months ago. My mother is out of the picture. We don't have a great relationship. She has always been a bad influence on me and I don't want her around my child. I want the child to grow up in a home full of love and not in a home like the one I grew up in."

"Thank you," Lydia says, "that are the things that are very usefull to me. I'm sorry about your father," she says while she makes notes. "No brothers or sisters?"

"No." Regina softly answers. "I mean, there is a half-sister, but I never see her."

"And why is that?" Lydia says, "you don't really have a good relationship with your family members do you? And a lover, husband?"

Regina looks down. "I don't know. I have a dysfunctional family and I don't lie about that." she softly answers. "I don't have a husband. It's just... It's just me." Regina softly smiles. "I actually see that as something positive. I wouldn't want any bad influences around my child."

"Good, good, do you think there will be a man or a woman someday? Do you think you'll start a relationship someday?" Lydia mumbles.

"Maybe. I don't know. I do hope so." Regina softly smiles at Lydia.

"Okay, that's important to know, ehhmm... Good and bad qualities..." Lydia says and she looks up from her notebook.

"I am a loving woman. I would love my child with everything I have inside of me. I like order and rules, but I also believe a child should have the chance to be a child. To be playful, explore the world."

"Bad qualities?" Lydia says, a little bit annoyed.

Regina looks up at the woman. "I'm a perfectionist." Regina answers her.

"Go on," she sighs.

"I... I don't know." Regina whispers. "I'm not very fond of physical touches. But that's different with children. I like to give hugs and kisses to children." Regina smiles.

"Better," Lydia mumbles, and she opens the file in front of Regina, "what do I need to tell? Really everything? I mean, you have to know something, you did all the arrangements!"

"No." Regina looks up at her. "A friend of mine, Mr. Gold, helped me with all the arrangements." She looks down. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"No problem," the woman sighs and he hold her head in her hands, "okay where do we start... Let's take a more comfortable seat." She walks to the couch and sits down.

Regina walks over to the couch too and sits next to the woman. Together they walk through the file.

"Her name is Emma," Lydia starts, "she was found in the woods a few months ago... She is now about 6 months old. We know nothing from her, only her name Emma, which stood on the little blanket that was around her. Her surname is Swan, we just made it up, because if you want to be in the foster care system, you need a name. Her parents are unknown and so is her place of birth....".

Regina looks at the picture of this girl, Emma. Immediately she falls in love with this little baby. "She's perfect." Regina whispers. She can't stop looking at the photo.

Lydia can finally relax a bit when Regina looks at the picture. She now can see live. It's so hard to figure out if words are lies or not... Okay she can't be sure of course, but this looks good.  
She waits with telling more so Regina can take it in.

After a few minutes Regina looks back up to Lydia. "I'm sorry. I'm listening." She giggles. "It's just... A beautiful girl." she whispers.

Lydia smiles politely, "she is indeed," she says, "she is healthy and doesn't need any medication right now... She is in my children's home right now, any more questions?"

"Not immediately, no. If I get questions later on, can I still ask them to you?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes of course," Lydia says, surprised this woman doesn't want to know anything. She starts to doubt her again... "Are you even interested?" she suddenly says, while hands over a post it with her phone number and smiles.

"I am." Regina startles. "Of course I am. Other wise I wouldn't be here right now. It's just... It's a bit overwhelming, all this information. I know my questions will come later on, just... Not right now. I'm sorry... Is that... Is that a bad thing?" Regina looks up at the woman again.

"Yeah, it's kind of a bad thing yes," Lydia says, "it's about a child, most of the parents will at least have prepared someting for this, a list of things they want to know. But you're.. different..." She lies her notes away and hands over the file to Regina, "read it please and bring it with you again tomorrow."

"I will." Regina whispers. "Thank you, Lydia." Regina gets up from the couch and after giving Lydia a hand she walks outside. She notices Mr. Gold just walks in again. "Did you go somewhere?" she asks him.

"I did," he says and he walks to the door, "had a good conversation?"

"Yes, I have actually. Thank you for warning me to come prepared." Regina answers him with a sarcastic tone in her voice. "Where did you go? Where do we have to go to now?"

After a few minutes Regina looks back up to Lydia. "I'm sorry. I'm listening." She giggles. "It's just... A beautiful girl." she whispers.

Lydia smiles politely, "she is indeed," she says, "she is healthy and doesn't need any medication right now... She is in my children's home right now, any more questions?"

"Not immediately, no. If I get questions later on, can I still ask them to you?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes of course," Lydia says, surprised this woman doesn't want to know anything. She starts to doubt her again... "Are you even interested?" she suddenly says, while hands over a post it with her phone number and smiles.

"I am." Regina startles. "Of course I am. Other wise I wouldn't be here right now. It's just... It's a bit overwhelming, all this information. I know my questions will come later on, just... Not right now. I'm sorry... Is that... Is that a bad thing?" Regina looks up at the woman again.

"Yeah, it's kind of a bad thing yes," Lydia says, "it's about a child, most of the parents will at least have prepared someting for this, a list of things they want to know. But you're.. different..." She lies her notes away and hands over the file to Regina, "read it please and bring it with you again tomorrow."

"I will." Regina whispers. "Thank you, Lydia." Regina gets up from the couch and after giving Lydia a hand she walks outside. She notices Mr. Gold just walks in again. "Did you go somewhere?" she asks him.

"I did," he says and he walks to the door, "had a good conversation?"

"Yes, I have actually. Thank you for warning me to come prepared." Regina answers him with a sarcastic tone in her voice. "Where did you go? Where do we have to go to now?"

"No, I haven't. I didn't know I had to. Doesn't everything change in a mother's life when she gets a child?" Regina softly smiles. "I'm prepared to face those changes."

"Yes, but are you aware of the practical changes, feeding and sleeping times, materials you need...".

"Yes, I am." Regina softly answers her.

"Fine," she says and she gets up, "pick up your coat, we're visiting her." She smiles and walks to the door.

Regina quickly picks up her coat and follows Lydia to her children's home.

They walk upstairs into a room with a lot of children in it. Emma sleeps on the lab of n older girl. "Hand over the girl please," Lydia snaps and the girl gives the baby to Regina with a sad look in her eyes.

Regina already fell in love with Emma when she saw her picture but now, when she's holding her into her arms... Her love shines through her eyes.

The baby wakes up and looks at Regina with her big green eyes. Her little hands try to grab Regina's face and she makes little high sounds.

Regina laughs at the little girl in her arms. "You're such a sweet little girl." she whispers at her. Regina looks up at Lydia. She smiles.

Lydia smiles too, but she hits the little girl on her leg and Emma starts to cry very hard.

"Why did you do that?" Regina asks Lydia, stunned by that action. She whispers softly to the little girl. "It's alright, Emma. It's alright. I'm right here. Shh... Shhh...".

"Just testing you," Lydia says, "now give her to the girl again, tomorrow she's all yours. Everything is ready now, mr Gold mad e sure you could take her home tomorrow."

Regina hands over Emma back to the girl who was holding her when they entered the room. She kisses Emma on the forehead and softly whispers she'll be back tomorrow. With tears in her eyes Regina walks away with Lydia. "I already miss her." Regina softly says.

"Yes yes fine," Lydia says and she pushes her out of the room. "First not even prepare and now... I'll never understand you women..." She mumbles.

Regina doesn't say a thing now. She doesn't like this woman very much. She looks up at her. "What time do I pick Emma up tomorrow?"

"Somewhere before dinner please," Lydia says and she looks at Regina. "She will be ready."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Lydia." Regina smiles at the woman, shakes her hand and then leaves her office. She walks over to Mr. Gold who is waiting for her. "I'm going to do some shopping now. Do you want to join me?"

"You ask me to join you?" Gold says, "well fine, but I can't stay for long, I've other business to do." He reaches out his arm and together they walk away.

"Why did you do that?" Regina asks Lydia, stunned by that action. She whispers softly to the little girl. "It's alright, Emma. It's alright. I'm right here. Shh... Shhh...".

"Just testing you," Lydia says, "now give her to the girl again, tomorrow she's all yours. Everything is ready now, mr Gold mad e sure you could take her home tomorrow."

Regina hands over Emma back to the girl who was holding her when they entered the room. She kisses Emma on the forehead and softly whispers she'll be back tomorrow. With tears in her eyes Regina walks away with Lydia. "I already miss her." Regina softly says.

"Yes yes fine," Lydia says and she pushes her out of the room. "First not even prepare and now... I'll never understand you women..." She mumbles.

Regina doesn't say a thing now. She doesn't like this woman very much. She looks up at her. "What time do I pick Emma up tomorrow?"

"Somewhere before dinner please," Lydia says and she looks at Regina. "She will be ready."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Lydia." Regina smiles at the woman, shakes her hand and then leaves her office. She walks over to Mr. Gold who is waiting for her. "I'm going to do some shopping now. Do you want to join me?"

"You ask me to join you?" Gold says, "well fine, but I can't stay for long, I've other business to do." He reaches out his arm and together they walk away.

"No one did. I'm sure." Regina answers him. "Why? Isn't Belle in Storybrooke?" Regina is very well aware that Mr. Gold doesn't know where Belle is. She had locked her up in the mental asylum in Storybrooke. The secret mental asylum. No one knows it's there. Only Regina knows that. She needed something, someone he cares about, if the time is right.

"I don't know if she is, my magic is failing and I just need to know," Golf says, "you know where she is, don't you?"

"No, Gold, I honestly don't." Regina lies perfectly. "She must be somewhere in Storybrooke since no one ever crossed the town line." Regina looks up at him. "You have magic in this land without magic? How did you manage to do that?"

"Not telling you," Gold says, "but I want you to find out where she is! You're the only one who can do that and I need that woman." He hopes Regina doesn't see he cares about her.

Regina nodds. "I will. Of course I will." she smiles at him. "I'll start with my search the first thing when we get back to Storybrooke."

Gold doesn't believe her completely, but he doesn't know why he doesn't so he keeps it for himself, "now... I should probably go...".

"Alright. I'll find my way back to the hotel. I'll see you tomorrow then at breakfast." Regina and Mr. Gold part ways. Regina goes back to the hotel and to her room where everything has been delivered in the meantime. She smiles while sitting between all those little clothes and stuff for Emma. But suddenly Regina gets really scared. What if she can't do it? She's not strong enough to do this. What was she thinking? She can't do this. She wants to go back to Storybrooke with just Gold. She doesn't want to take Emma with her. What if she screws up? After hours of thinking and thinking, Regina finally falls asleep.

The next morning she meets Mr. Gold at the breakfast table. Regina is very, very tired. She didn't sleep much.

"Worried about being a mother, dearie," Gold says, "it looks like you didn't sleep at all, maybe you should cheer yourself up a bit before we go...".

"I'm in no mood, Mr. Gold." Regina snaps at him. "We're not taking Emma with us."

Gold raises his eyebrows, "and that's because...".

"Because I say so. You let that woman, Lydia, know I won't be taking Emma with me." Regina finishes breakfast, gets up from her chair and walks away to her room in the hotel.

"You can tell her yourself, dearie," Gold says, "I'm not the one who screwed this all up... You wanted a child, I gave you a child.”

Regina doesn't know why but she's really afraid to take Emma with her to Storybrooke. It feels like everything is going to change and not in a good way. But why not give it a chance? Regina sighs. She walks back to Mr. Gold at the breakfast table and tells him she's going to take Emma with her after all. To give it a chance.

"Good luck dearie, I'll be waiting," Gold says.

Regina walks over to the office of Lydia. She knocks on her door and waits for an answer.

"Who is there?" Lydia shouts, when she hears Regina's voice she shouts to a girl to open the door. "Are you going to take Emma with you?" the girl says while standing in the doorway.

Regina softly smiles. "Yes, I am." she softly answers. "I'll be taking her home with me. Is that alright with you?" Regina smiles at the girl.

"Yes of course, of course, although I will miss her really much, I always imagined I was her mother" the girl says with a smile, "but you have to promise you'll be the best mother for her!"

"I promise." Regina smiles at the girl. "I really do." She laughs. She then looks up at Lydia.

Lydia pulls the girl away from the door, "sorry... She is always bothering everyone," she walks to Emma's room and hands over the baby to Regina. The girl secretly looks at them from behind the door.

"Oh, but she wasn't bothering me at all." Regina smiles at the woman. She winks at the young girl. Regina had notices her looking at them. Regina then looks at Emma who is now laying in her arms. "Hi there, little girl." she whispers.

Emma just looks at Regina en laughs. She makes high sounds and touches Regina's hand.

Regina laughs. "Is everything alright then? I can take her home with me?" Regina asks Lydia.

"You can," Lydia says. Emma reaches her little hands out and cries a little.

Regina sooths Emma. "It's alright, little one. You will be going home with me. Isn't that nice?" she asks the baby with a soft and caring voice.

Emma starts to cry harder and the girl walks to them with a little baby bottle of milk, "she is hungry," the girl whispers but she keeps the distance.

"Do you want to give her one last bottle?" Regina asks the little girl with a smile on her face.

The girls eyes become bigger, "I would love that, madam," she says. "No, no, no, this woman is in a hurry!" Lydia says and she pushes the girl away.

"I'm actually not." Regina smiles at Lydia. She walks over to the girl and carefully hands over Emma. "Here you go. Can you show me how to do it the right way?" Regina knows the right way to feed a baby, but she wants the little girl to feel important, even if it's just for this litle while.

"You need to hold it like this," the girl explains, "I've done it many times before" she smiles. When the bottle is half empty she hands it over to Regina, "now you need to try, just like I did.”

Regina giggles. She carefully takes Emma back into her arms and does the exact same thing as the little girl. "Was that alright?" she asks the girl after she's done.

"Yeah... You'll learn it better if you do it more often," the girl smiles. She stands up.

Regina giggles again. "Thank you for showing me. What's your name?"

"You're welcome, my name is Jessica," the girl lies, she doesn't give away her real name, never, she is just afraid people will find out about her strange... Things.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Jessica. Thank you again for showing me how this works. Would you like to visit us one day?" Regina suggests.

"Maybe I will," the girl says, "but I can't leave this house unless I will be adopted," she whispers now, "Lydia never lets us go."

"Then we will come and visit you. Is that alright with you, Jessica?" Regina smiles at the girl.

"Yeah," Jessica says and she smiles. She is not planning to stay here, she is leaving today, but she doesn't want to show anything about her plans.

Regina smiles at the girl. She then nodds to Lydia. "Thank you for everything, miss." Regina then leaves the house with Emma who she now carries in her buggy. She meets Mr. Gold at the hotel where everything is ready to get to the airport again to travel back to Storybrooke.

Jessica sneaks out of the house and follows the woman, Emma and a creepy looking man to the airport. She looks for the nearest water and swims to their destination as a mermaid. 

Emma cries in Regina's arms, the plane and the noise make her do so.

Regina sooths the girl as good as she can. "Hey, hey, sweet Emma." she whispers to the girl. "It's alright. Mommy is right here. I won't let anything happen to you." Regina takes Emma closely in her arms and sooths her.

Emma keeps crying a little, but after a while she falls asleep. Gold looks at Regina and grins, "children...".

Regina smiles. She loves watching Emma and how she sleeps. The flight home seems to take a lot less time than the flight to New York. Mr. Gold drives the three of them in Regina's car back to Storybrooke.

"Well Regina," Gold says, "good luck and please find Belle for me... The price for me getting that child for you...".

Regina softly nodds. "I will certainly try, Mr. Gold. Thank you for your help." Regina walks away and enters her home. She calls Robin. "Hello, Robin? It's Regina."

"Hello Regina," Robin says, surpised she calls him, no one ever calls him. She is lucky he even has a phone. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Nothing really. I just... I just wanted to let you know I'm back from New York City and I've brought someone with me. Would you like to come over to meet Emma?" She giggles softly.

"Yes sure, can I come this evening? I have to finish my work then I'll come," Robin says, "who is Emma, a friend of yours?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." Regina giggles. She likes to tease him. "Tonight is fine. Do you want to have dinner together? I can make us something, if you want to?"

"Dinner is fine," Robin says, "I'm curious to find out what you mean with this...".

"I do hope you like the surprise." Regina giggles. She knows he loves children but she doesn't know if he's going to like her having a child. Not even her biological child. He doesn't remember her not being able to get children of her own...

Regina passes her day with taking care of Emma and playing with her, feeding her at the right times and putting her to sleep in the afternoon when she's tired. When Robin rings her doorbell, Regina just finishes making dinner. She opens the door. "Hello." she smiles at him.

"It smells perfect," Robin says when he walks inside. Regina's food is so much better than his own... "Well tell me the surprise."

Regina giggles. She tells Robin to wait in the living room and she then gets Emma out of her cradle. She slowly walks over to the living room with Emma carefully in her arms. "Here you are." she whispers to the little girl. "This is Robin. Robin, meet Emma." Regina softly smiles.

"You have a baby? Regina that's wonderful!" Robin says and he walks to Regina, looking at her. He smiles at the baby and whispers sweet words, although he knows she is asleep, "since when do you have her? Am I the first person you tell about this?"

"This is why I went to New York. I have adopted her." Regina softly answers Robin. She doesn't want to wake up Emma. "Mr. Gold went with me because he knows all the rules about adoption. But you are the first person I've told this, yes." Regina softly smiles. "You think I will be a good mother for her?"

"Well I don't know you for so long, but I really think you are," Robin says and he looks up at Regina, "I'm so happy for you." He is so surprised that she told him first, did she really have no one else to tell...? It makes him a bit sad, she was such a lovely woman.

"Thank you, Robin. Do you want to hold her for a while?" she asks him.

Robin takes Emma in his arms. She is still sleeping and Robin sits down at the table. "How old is she?" he asks, looking at the beautiful child,

"She's just a couple of months old. Three months. She was found in the woods. Her parents had abandoned her. The only thing she had with her was a little blanket." Regina looks at Robin. She loves to see him with a child in his arms.

"Okay," Robin whispers and he looks up. He sees the love in Regina's eyes and he knows she will be a great mother. Emma starts to wake up in his arms and Robin stands up.

Regina watches Robin holding the little girl in his arms. She smiles. "I can't get children of my own... That's why I've adopted her." she whispers.

Robin looks into Regina's eyes, "I'm so sorry," he smiles a little, "but you'll be a great mother anyway, this will make no difference, does it?"

"It doesn't." Regina softly smiles. She carefully takes Emma back into her arms and puts her back into her cradle. She puts on the soft music above the little girl and waits a few seconds to see her fall asleep. Regina then goes back to Robin. "Are you hungry? Dinner is ready." she smiles at him.

"Well maybe a little bit, yes," Robin says, and he helps her making the table ready.

Together they have a nice and cozy dinner. "Did you like it?" Regina asks him afterwards.

"I love it, thank you," Robin says, but before he can say more Emma starts crying very hard.

Regina quickly runs over to the cradle and picks up Emma. "It's alright, sweetie, it's alright. Mommy is right here." she softly sooths her. She walks around the living room to try to get Emma back to sleep. She notices Robin is looking at her.

Robin smiles and just watches them. He likes to see Regina like this, she looks happy. Emma doesn't stop crying, not even when her mother carries her around.

Regina starts to panic. Why isn't Emma calming down? "Emma, please." Regina whispers. "You can't be hungry. I've given you your bottle of milk before you went to sleep. Why don't you stop crying?" she whispers.

"Don't worry, Regina," Robin says calmly, "baby's not always cry for a reason... Have you changed her diaper recently?" He smiles, "don't panic okay?" He says with a grin.

"Yes. Yes, I have." Regina whispers. She picks up Emma to smell at her diaper but she doesn't smell anything. Emma keeps on crying. Regina's panic only grows. "It's alright, dear. Mommy is right here." she softly says again.

Emma only cries harder and harder, Regina's clothes get really wet and she still doesn't stop. "This is what babies do, Regina, don't panic," Robin says and she walks to her.

Regina calms down. She softly walks around with Emma and whispers a story.

"You should eat something," Robin says, "I'll walk around with her for a while." He smiles and walks to Regina.

"Shh..." Regina whispers. "She's falling asleep. Look." Regina walks over to Robin with Emma in her arms. She keeps telling the story of Cinderella.

Emma finally falls asleep and Robin smiles, "kids can be tough.”

Regina smiles. "I think I can handle it. Just don't need to panic that quickly." She puts Emma carefully back in her cradle. "Do you like children?" she asks Robin when she sits down next to him on the big couch.

"Yeah, I love children," Robin says and he looks at Regina, "what made you want a child? It came very suddenly, to be honest.”

Regina looks up at him. "I... I was a mother once. Not biologically. My.. My husband had a daughter." Regina chooses her words carefully to not make any mistakes. "She's all grown up and is living her own life right now." Regina softly smiles. "Since I'm not able to get children of my own and I'm living all alone in this big house... I thought... Maybe I could adopt a child who needs a loving home. So... Here I am." Regina looks up at Robin.

"Wauw that's kind of a story, it's a great idea" Robin smiles, "where does your other daughter live then? And what's her name?"

"I'm not sure where she lives right now. I haven't seen her in more than 4 years. Snow. Her name is Snow." Regina softly smiles. She hates lieing like this to Robin but she knows she has to. There is no other way. How can she explain to him what happened? He will think she's mad, crazy. She needs to wait until someone breaks the curse.

"That's a long time, Regina," Robin says a bit surprised, "why haven't you seen her for so long? Didn't you have a good relationship? You don't have to tell if you don't want to."

Regina looks down. "On the contrary, Robin. Snow and I had a really great relationship. Even though I'm not her biological mother and she's not my biological daughter... That didn't matter. We really were just like mother and daughter." Regina softly sighs. "But then my mother had to come and ruin everything. She told Snow all kinds of lies about me. Snow moved away and hasn't reached out to me since then."

"I'm so sorry, Regina," Robin says, "it must feel horrible... and you... You never tried to contact her? Maybe if you explain she will understand. I know I don't know anything about your relationship, but maybe she can forgive you."

"I don't know where she is so I can't even try to contact her." Regina whispers. "But I do hope I'll get that chance one day." She softly smiles at him. She notices their hands lay closely together on the couch.

"I hope so too," Robin says, "but you'll have some distraction now I think," he adds with a smile, "your little one will keep you up."

Regina giggles. "I'm sure she will." Because she laughs Regina touches Robin's hand by accident. She looks up at him.

Robin smiles. Her reaction makes him laugh a bit, "it's okay, Regina, don't worry," he says, Regina still looks almost frightened, "you're allowed to touch my hand...".

"Am I?" Regina softly asks him. "Why is that?"

"Well since touching someone's hand by accident has never been a crime..." Robin says.

Regina giggles. "What about touching your hand not by accident?" she dares to ask him.

"I still don't mind," Robin says, and he grins, "now you'll ask me why and I'm not going to answer that question."

Regina laughs. "I'm still going to ask it, you know. Why don't you mind?"

"I don't have a reason for that, Regina, touching hands is a normal thing... And why do you want to know that so badly?"

Regina quickly looks away. She crawls back into her shell. "I'm sorry." she softly whispers.

"Don't be," Robin says, he looks into Regina's eyes and he sees something he doesn't understand, "are you okay, Regina?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine." Regina looks away again. She doesn't want him to see the desperation in her eyes. Desperate to hold him, to kiss him, to tell him how much she loves him.

"I can see you aren't fine," Robin says with a sigh, "please tell me, you don't have to be afraid of me...".

"I'm not afraid of you." Regina softly whispers. "I just... I just don't really have anyone else to talk to and I... I don't want to screw this up." She slowly looks up at him now.

"You aren't screwing this up," Robin says, "at least not in my eyes... There is no reason to think that. Is that the only thing that's bothering you?" Robin says as he still sees some kind of fear? Sadness? Desperation?

"Yes, it is." Regina answers a bit too fast. She looks away again.

"Regina please," Robin sighs, "what's it? You can tell me everything. I can see someting is wrong. If you don't want to tell me, it's also fine okay."

Regina softly starts to cry and can't say a word because sadness is completely taking her over.

"Regina..." Robin whispers, "come here." He takes her in his arms, "what's it that makes you so sad," he softly says.

"I'm... I'm s..sorry..." Regina cries against his chest. "I don't know what's gotten into me." After a few minutes of crying Regina is able to get herself together again. She wipes away her tears and sits straight up next to Robin again. "I'm sorry." she repeats. "I don't know what happened, I don't know why I cried like that. I'm sorry." She whispers those last words.

"Don't worry," Robin says, "it's okay, it's good that you let it out." He dries her last tears with his sleeves and looks her into her eyes again.

Regina looks Robin deep into his eyes too. "Thank you." she softly whispers. She notices they sit closely against one another. She can feel his warm breath on her face.

Robin smiles, "you're always welcome.” Regina sits close to him and he lays an arm around her, just to show her she is not alone.

Regina keeps looking at him. She likes feeling him again but it makes it much more difficult to contain herself.

Robin looks back at her and he just doesn't day a thing. Emma starts to cry from her bed, she is hungry.

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you for making me feel not alone." she softly whispers to him. She then gets up to get Emma. She walks with her to the kitchen to warm up a bottle of milk. Afterwards she sits back down next to Robin and starts to feed Emma. "You were hungry, weren't you, little one?" Regina smiles.

Emma grabs Regina's fingers and holds them while she is drinking. She looks at her with big watery eyes.

"It's alright, dear. Mommy is right here." Regina smiles and while feeding Emma she looks up at Robin. "Thank you. For what you just did. Making me feel not alone." She softly smiles at him.

"You're welcome," Robin says, "it makes me feel good too. It was the least I could do" he smiles and looks at little Emma.

Regina smiles when she sees him looking at Emma. At her daughter. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" Regina asks Robin with a soft voice.

"She definitely is," Robin whispers, "you're mommy thinks your beautiful," he whispers to Emma, "you should feel proud someone like her tells you that." He winks and sits up again.

"Someone like me?" Regina softly whispers.

"You weren't supposed to hear that," Robin says, "but yes, someone like you."

Regina giggles. "I'm sorry. I can't help it that my hearing is excellent." She smiles at him. "What do you mean someone like me?" she whispers again.

"Just someone as special as you are," Robin says, "you may not see it, but I can see the sadness every time I look into your eyes... But when you look at Emma it just fades...".

"It does?" Regina softly smiles. "Thank you for telling me that, Robin." She then looks up at him. "As special as me? I'm... I'm not special at all. I'm just... I'm just me. Just Regina." she whispers.

"But 'just Regina' can be special too," Robin whispers back and he winks at Emma.

Regina giggles. When Emma is done drinking from the bottle Regina changes her diaper and puts her back to bed. Emma falls asleep immediately. Regina then walks back to the living room where Robin is sitting on the couch. She softly smiles at him.

Robin stands up, "I should probably go, letting you rest for a bit," he says with a smile, "having a baby is not an easy job...".

"It isn't." Regina smiles. "Thank you. For tonight." Regina quickly kisses Robin on his cheeck before she doesn't dare anymore. She looks up at him. "Thank you." she whispers again.

"I have to thank you," he says and he smiles. He takes Regina's hand and gives a little kiss on top of it, "it was my pleasure, milady.”

Regina says goodbye for now and closes the door with a satisfying smile. She then goes to sleep. In the middle of the night she needs to wake up a couple of times because Emma is crying but she doesn't mind. For the first time in years she feels a little bit of happiness.

The next morning she gets herself and Emma ready to go to Granny's. When she sits down she orders a cup of coffee and waits for Robin to enter the diner too, which happens after a couple of minutes after she sat down.

"Still as early as always," Robin says when he enters Granny's and sees Regina sitting at the same spot, but now with Emma, "I thought you would take some rest these days," he orders his usual.

"I never rest." Regina smiles. "I actually don't know how to do that." She giggles. Emma lays next to her in her buggy and smiles and laughs all the time. Regina gives her finger so Emma can play with it.

"You should," Robin says with a laugh and he sits down at the opposite side of the table, "how was your night? Did you sleep well?"

"Kind of." Regina laughs. She likes it when he gives her his attention. "I had to get up a couple of times because this little one here missed me and started to cry, but every time she fell back asleep pretty fast." Regina smiles at him. "And you? Did you sleep well?"

"O yeah, thanks, I slept very well," Robin says he softly strokes Emma's cheek. She keeps lauging while she plays with Regina's ring finger.

"You're very sweet with little children." Regina smiles softly at Robin. "You're good with them."

"Thanks," Robin says, "I've always liked children, although I don't have children of my own...".

Regina softly smiles. "So... How does your day look like?"

"Work that's all," Robin smiles.

"I will be spending the day with Emma in town. Maybe you'd like to go out and eat something together tonight? With Emma and me, that is..." Regina suggests. She looks up at Robin with hope in her eyes.

"Let me cook then..." Robin says, "it's always you who has a lot of work so now you can come over to my house, if you like."

"Really?" Regina softly smiles at him. "I would like that. Thank you. Thank you, Robin." Regina's smile couldn't be brighter.

Robin laughs, "okay, I'll see you then," Robin says and he takes the last bit if his coffee.

"See you then." Regina smiles at him. When Robin leaves Granny's diner to go to work she finishes her coffee and walks with Emma through town. On her way, not going anywhere in particular, she comes by a lot of people.

Snow walks by and greets the mayor, she is on her way to school. A lot of other people walk by, and so does Gold, "good morning Madam Mayor.”

"Good morning." Regina greets everyone. She looks up and sees Dr. Hopper walking across the street. She softly smiles at him.

"Hello, madam Mayor," dr Hopper says, "how are you doing?" He looks at Emma, "a new family member?"

"Yes, indeed. This is Emma. I have adopted her." Regina smiles. "I'm doing fine." she softly adds.

"That's good," Dr Hopper says, "mother for the first time, must be exiting.”

Regina looks up at him. "It's not really my first time." she admits to him.

"O that's... That's surprising," Dr Hopper says, "do you want to talk about it?"

Regina just looks up at him and then at the door of his office behind him. "I don't know." she whispers.

"It's okay to be confused," Dr Hopper says, "being a mother is a hard and maybe even frightening job, but you can come in whenever you want."

"I'm not afraid of anything." Regina softly answers him. She looks up again at his office, not daring to ask him if he has time now.

"And with whenever, I also mean now, if you want to," Dr Hopper says, "I can skip my walk, that's no problem. At least think about it."

"I don't want to intrude." Regina softly answers.

"You're not intruding at all, please come in," Dr Hopper says.

Regina slowly follows Dr. Hopper upstairs to his office, carrying little Emma with her in her buggy. The little girl is fast asleep. Regina puts out her coat and sits down on the couch. She looks up at Dr. Hopper. "I've been a mother. Not biological, but she was the daughter of my husband. Ex-husband." Regina softly whispers.

"Okay," Dr Hopper says, "and where is your daughter now, Regina? Do you mind if I use your front name?"

"That's alright." Regina softly smiles. "I don't know where she is. Snow. Snow is her name. I haven't seen her in over 4 years." Regina gives Dr. Hopper the same explanation as she gave Robin the night before.

"Think about it now and tell me about your daughter again, think of what you really want to tell, lying is not the answer." Dr Hopper says. Then he stops talking. He can see Regina is lying, and the first step for her is to tell the truth.

"There is nothing to tell. She moved away after the lies my mother told her about me. I haven't heard from her since." Regina looks away.

""Don't lie to yourself Regina," Dr Hopper says, "I can see in your eyes that you know where she is and the sadness in your eyes makes me wonder if it was really your mother who caused this...".

Regina looks up at dr. Hopper with anger in her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snaps at him.

"You need to stop lying, Regina," Dr Hopper says calmly, "I'm not saying this for myself, I say it for you."

"You're not intruding at all, please come in," Dr Hopper says.

Regina slowly follows Dr. Hopper upstairs to his office, carrying little Emma with her in her buggy. The little girl is fast asleep. Regina puts out her coat and sits down on the couch. She looks up at Dr. Hopper. "I've been a mother. Not biological, but she was the daughter of my husband. Ex-husband." Regina softly whispers.

"Okay," Dr Hopper says, "and where is your daughter now, Regina? Do you mind if I use your front name?"

"That's alright." Regina softly smiles. "I don't know where she is. Snow. Snow is her name. I haven't seen her in over 4 years." Regina gives Dr. Hopper the same explanation as she gave Robin the night before.

"Think about it now and tell me about your daughter again, think of what you really want to tell, lying is not the answer." Dr Hopper says. Then he stops talking. He can see Regina is lying, and the first step for her is to tell the truth.

"There is nothing to tell. She moved away after the lies my mother told her about me. I haven't heard from her since." Regina looks away.

""Don't lie to yourself Regina," Dr Hopper says, "I can see in your eyes that you know where she is and the sadness in your eyes makes me wonder if it was really your mother who caused this...".

Regina looks up at dr. Hopper with anger in her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snaps at him.

"You need to stop lying, Regina," Dr Hopper says calmly, "I'm not saying this for myself, I say it for you."

Regina strokes softly over the scar on her lip. She notices she does that often, especially when she's afraid or stressed out.

"Tell me about your scar," Dr Hopper says, "to keep your mind of your daughter for a while, just keep it somewhere far away and tell me when you feel like it, but now tell me about how you got that scar. It's seems to bother you...".

"I've been married once. Years ago." Regina whispers. "I didn't want to marry him though. It was an arranged marriage."

Dr Hopper just listens, he doesn't want to interupt her.

"I didn't have anything to say." Regina softly continues. "And whenever I did say something or tried to say something that wasn't in his wishes, he would..." Regina's voice breaks.

"Take your time," he says, "it's okay.”

Regina looks up at Dr. Hopper. "He would hurt me. Or let someone who worked for him hurt me." Regina softly strokes over her scar again.

"But you're here now..." Dr Hopper says clearly, "how did you get away from him.”

"He died. Heartattack." Regina whispers. "I wish I was sad about that but I'm not."

The answer was almost to quick, but Dr Hopper doesn't ask further. "I understand, and why did you come here? Where did you live with your husband?"

"I wanted to start over. I wanted to be free." Regina doesn't answer his last question.

"It looks like it doesn't free you completely," Dr Hopper continues, "what's blocking your freedom now?"

Anger glares up in Regina's eyes again. "I am free." she snaps at him.

"Then what's the fear I can see in your eyes," he says, "it's clearly visible, Regina."

"I'm not afraid of anything." Regina whispers.

"It's okay to be afraid, don't see it as something bad. And if it's not fear, what else is holding you away from your freedom, Regina?"

"I'm telling you, it's my mother!" Regina snaps again.

"Can you tell me what happened? What makes you hate your mother so much? I know it's because of your daughter, but can you tell me more details?"

"She took my daughter away from me. Are you even listening to me?" Regina whispers softly.

"Of course I do, Regina," Dr Hopper says calmly, "but I'm sure you can tell me more then that she took your daughter.”

"What more can I say? It was her who arranged my marriage and it was she who made my life as miserable as could be. She always said she wanted what was best for me. I just wanted to be free, to see the world. She wanted me to marry that man because he was rich. He was 20 years older than me." Regina whispers. "I hate him. I still hate him. He ruined my life." Regina whispers softly. A tear falls down her face.

"Good, this is definitely more, it's good you dared to tell me" Dr Hopper says calmly and he waits a moment so Regina can calm down a bit, "so it's your mother who is bothering you most, and do you know where she is now? If you think about her now, what do you feel?"

Regina smiles. "I feel triumph." she softly answers. "Because her life now is as miserable as mine once was."

"Can you tell me what happened to her?" Dr Hopper says, "what made her life so miserable and what is it that makes her life so miserable?"

"I don't know and I don't care." Regina now smiles again. "I only know she's suffering and for me, that's enough."

"But you need to know something, if you know she has a miserable life, Regina, you can tell me.”

"I just... Run into her from time to time." Regina softly answers. "She doesn't even recognize me as her daughter."

That is a surprise, but Dr Hopper doesn't show it, "can you tell me more about that? She lives here in Storybrooke?"

"I'm tired of talking about my mother." Regina suddenly whispers. Emma has started waking up and she takes the little girl in her arms and sooths her. Regina smiles when she has this little baby in her arms. She really likes this and enjoys every second of it.

"You shouldn't run away from your problems," Dr Hopper says kindly, "the baby will cover up your feelings for a while, but they will come back..."

"No, they won't." Regina answers him. "If I learned one thing in my time with the K... with my ex-husband..." Regina looks up at Dr. Hopper. "Feelings are weakness."

"Feelings are not weakness, Regina, you have to give feelings a place, not cover them up.”

"No. I don't know how." Regina whispers.

"By talking about it, by forgiving your mother and your husband for what they have done," Dr Hopper says, "I know this sounds impossible, but you can really do that and I think it will make you a lot happier."

Anger glares up in her eyes again. "I can never forgive them. Besides my husband is dead and I couldn't be more happy with that." Regina snaps.

"I know it's hard, but we can work on that," Dr Hopper says, "you can't do it all at once, it's a process."

"What if I don't want to forgive them? That scar on my lip isn't the only scar I have. And besides that he has hurt me in other ways too, ways that will always have their effect on me."

"Without forgiveness, you will always feel the hate inside when you look at your scars and when you think about what happened, forgiveness will free you from your past and then you can move on."

"Aren't you listening? I can never forgive them for what they did to me."

"I know it seems impossible," Dr Hopper answers, "but like I told you, we can work on that."

"We? Why do you think I'll come back here?" Regina asks Dr. Hopper.

"Yes, I think it's a good idea to find a way to set yourself free of the past," Dr Hopper says, still calm and polite.

"Why do you think I'll come back here?" Regina asks again.

"Like I said, we can find a way to set you free.”

"How?" Regina just wants to know.

"By finding a way to forgive them, to accept you past and to move on without the fear and the pain."

Regina softly nodds. "Maybe I'll come back one day." she whispers. "Would that be alright?"

"It is," Dr Hopper says, "but please don't run away from it, that won't do you any good."

Regina nodds again. "Thank you." Regina greets dr. Hopper, takes Emma and leaves his office. She walks through town again. Across the street she sees Cora walking. She notices Cora sees her too.

"You, girl... Madam Mayor," Cora says, "can you help me for a second?"

Regina walks across the street to Cora. "What do you need my help for?" she smiles at the woman.

"Can you please carry this bag of coals for me to the clock tower? You look young and strong and I can't hold them anymore, I'm so sorry for asking..."

"Isn't that your job?" Regina snaps at Cora.

"It is, I'm so sorry, but my legs hurt so bad. My lord wouldn't be happy if I'm to late, please can you help?"

"I'll help you for this one time." Regina smiles. She takes over the bag of coals and hands Emma over to Cora. "Will you hold my daughter for me then?"

"Of course, thank you so much, how can I pay you back for this, it really helps me so much, thank you." Cora sits down with her back against the wall to catch her breath, holding Emma in her arms. Her light clothes become a bit black of the coal on Cora's arms and she hopes the mayor doesn't mind. She whispers sweet words and even sings a song for the little girl.

Regina looks down at the woman. "Do you walk with me to the clock tower?"

Cora gets up again, she moves very slowly. Her legs are hurting to much and she can't even hold Emma very long, because her arms feel so weak.

"Are you alright?" Regina asks.

"Yeah Yeah," Cora whispers, "I'll wait here, I don't want to drop your baby.” She almost falls down, she is not okay, ahe is really not okay, but she doesn't say it.

Regina makes sure Cora sits down with Emma in her arms before she takes the coals and brings them over to the clock tower. She hands the bag over to the Lord but startles when she sees his face. "Le...Leopold?" she whispers. Will he remember her? How did he get here? Wasn't he dead?

"Madam Mayor, I didn't expect you here at all," he grins, "what makes you come here with the coal? Where is Cora?"

"Cora dingt feeling well. She asked me to deliver the coal so here you are." Regina hands him over the bag of coals. She notices they stand closely together. How did he get here?

"Cora asked you that?" Leopold says, "how rude! I'm so sorry, and o yes let me introduce myself." He takes her hand and pulls her a bit closer, "Graham Humbert," he says and he kisses her hand.

Regina looks up at him. "Graham? I didn't know you are a citizen of Storybrooke." She softly takes a step back. "I should go back. Cora is watching my daughter. Shall I send her to you?"

"O are you in a hurry..." Graham says, "I'm sorry," but he doesn't let go of her hand and smiles at her, "you can send her yes, I'll punish her for this.”

"That's your business." Regina softly whispers. She wants to pull her hand back but he doesn't let her. She looks up at him.

"Let's have a drink together sometimes," Graham says kindly, "I'm sure that would be fun." He grins and lets her hand go.

"I'm sorry. I'm seeing someone. But thanks for the offer." Regina softly smiles. She turns back around and wants to walk away but startles when Cora enters the clock tower, holding Emma in her arms. Regina walks up to them. "Are you feeling better?" she asks Cora.

"Yeah, thanks," Cora says, "there was just a creature that gave me a weird feeling and I didn't want to bring your baby in danger..." Graham looks at Cora with anger in his eyes.

"Thank you." Regina takes over Emma. She turns towards 'Graham'. Who is actually Leopold. King Leopold. Is he really not remembering a thing or is he just pretending? She has to know. "Come little Emma. Let's go find your sister Snow." she softly smiles at the girl. She looks at Leopold and she knows immediately he remembers it all.

Graham grabs Regina's hand again, "tomorrow is also fine, I would love to know you better, Madam Mayor," he whispers in her ear.

"I already said I'm seeing someone." Regina whispers. "Now can you let me go?" She looks him deep in his eyes.

"Not every day, do you? It doesn't seem you have a relationship or something, when do you suggest?" he says with a grin and he still doesn't let her go.

"I said no. I'm not interested." Regina mumbles. "I have to go." Regina pulls away but he doesn't let her. "Leopold.." she whispers when she looks him in the eyes.

"It's Graham, my dear Madam Mayor," Graham says, "and I'll make sure we can have some fun together, if you want it or not. Good job I have to say... This Storybrooke, didn't think you had it in you...".

"Let me go." Regina whispers. "You're done having fun with me." She looks him in the eye again. "Now let me go."

"Goodbye, and thanks for your help," Graham says and he hits Cora with his stick before Regina leaves, to show what he is doing with her.

Regina quickly steps away with Emma. She walks over to her house to get ready to go to Robin. Her mind doesn't stop thinking. How can he be back? How is that possible? And how come he remembers everything? Regina gets herself and Emma ready to have dinner in Robin's home. When they arrive Regina politely knocks on the door.

Robin walks to the door, he had decorated the table as good as he could and with the stuff he could find. He knows his food is crap compared to Regina, but he still hopes she likes his pasta with vegetables... Something he eats very often. "Come in, Regina," he says as het opens the door, "and Emma of course."

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you, Robin. It smells delicious in here!" she smiles brightly. But in her mind she can't stop thinking about Leopold.

"Thank you," Robin says. He sees something is bothering her, but he doesn't dare to ask yet, "it's not as good as yours, but I hope you still like it," he laughs and walks inside with Regina.

"Nonsense." Regina smiles. "I'm sure you are a great cook." She softly gives him a kiss on his cheek. Regina makes sure Emma has eaten and has a new diaper on. She softly sooths the little girl to sleep. "Mommy loves you." Regina whispers softly while putting Emma in the buggy so she can sleep a little. Regina looks up at Robin. "She sleeps a lot." she smiles. "She's such a sweet little baby." Regina looks at Robin but doesn't really see him standing there. Her mind is with Leopold. How did he get here, in Storybrooke, and how come he's not dead?

"Regina what's the thing?" Robin says when they sit down to have dinner. It seems like Regina looks right through him, that she is not really here on this world. He looks into her eyes, but they look empty, "is something wrong, Regina?"

"Hm?" Regina startles when she hears Robin saying her name. "I'm sorry. No, nothing's wrong." She softly smiles. "I was just... thinking. I'm sorry." she whispers. She starts eating the pasta Robin has prepared for them. After one bite she looks up at him. "Robin... This is delicious." she smiles brightly.

"Thanks," Robin grins, but as he looks to Regina again, he can see she pretends to be happy, but she clearly isn't happy at all, "you can tell me what is bothering you, Regina, if you want to share it of course, but I can clearly see your not all right." It keeps silent. "Is it just the baby that makes you tired... Don't you like the food... Or something else?" He knows it's something else, but he still asks.

"Oh no, Robin, I love the pasta, it's really delicious. And Emma sleeps a lot so I'm not that tired. It's really nothing." Regina whispers those last words. "It's just.. Saw someone in town today who I didn't expect to see, that's all." She softly smiles.

"Okay," Robin says with a smile, "if you want to talk about it just do it, and if you don't want that I'll stop asking what's wrong." He winks, "I'm glad you like the food.”

Regina smiles. She decides to trust Robin with her thoughts. "I just thought..." She looks up at him. "I thought he was dead. But he isn't. He's here. In Storybrooke." Regina looks down, afraid for Robin's reaction.

Robin looks at Regina and sees a frightened look, "don't be scared," Robin says, "I'm not mad or something." He smiles, trying to keep the conversation a bit light, but he fails, "is it your husband?" he asks.

Regina softly nodds. Unconsciencely her hand touches the scar on her lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to ruin the evening." Regina looks away.

"You didn't, Regina, don't worry," Robin says, "but... Did you talk to him? Or did you only see him?"

"I briefly talked to him. But he goes by another name. I don't know why. He's pretending he doesn't recognize me, but he clearly does." Regina softly whispers.

"What did he say? What if he really doesn't recognize you?" Robin carefully asks.

"He does. He does recognize me. He knows who I am." Regina now strokes her wrist.

Robin softly lays his hand on Regina's hand, knowing she strokes her wrist out of fear, although she doesn't want to admit it, "don't be scared of him, Regina, I can tell you've changed since then, even though I didn't even know you and I can tell you, you can handle him now."

When Robin lays his hand on hers, Regina looks up at him. "I'm scared of him, Robin." she whispers. "I thought he was dead. I was free. But now..." She looks away again.

"You're still free," Robin says, "you're not his wife anymore, you don't have to do anything for him anymore."

Regina softly nodds. "If only he would think that way too." she softly whispers. She then looks back up to Robin. "But I didn't come here to complain about that. I'm here to have a nice evening with you. Right?" She softly smiles.

"You did, but your meeting with him changed that," Robin says, "and that's all right, and besides that, I don't call this complaining, I call it talking about serious subjects that matter."

"Really?" Regina softly asks him. She looks over to Emma who is still sound asleep. "Thank you, Robin." She softly smiles at him.

"Really," Robin says, "and there is a big change he doesn't think the same way as we do, but you need to show him he should know it... If you get what I'm saying."

"What do you mean?" Regina softly asks him. She looks up at him and waits for his answer because she really has no idea how to show Leopold he doesn't have any influence on her anymore.

"If he says or does something you don't like, you have to show him you don't accept it... I know it's not that simple, but you can't just let him get you back, if he is even planning to do that."

"I know he is planning to do that." Regina whispers. "I know how he is." She looks up at Robin. "I will do that. I will show him he can't get me back just because he decides to show up now." She smiles at Robin but her eyes don't seem that confident as she's trying to be.

"Good, and you can do that," Robin says looking into Regina's eyes, "don't let him get you down."

Regina nodds. "Alright." she softly smiles. Together they have a lovely and cozy evening. When it's time to go home, Regina carries Emma with her in her buggy to the front door. She turns back around to Robin. "Thank you. For tonight. And for... You know." She softly smiles and looks down.

"No problem, thank you too," Robin says and he smiles. He waves Regina and Emma goodbye.

Regina waves back with a soft smile. When she gets home she notices her front door is unlocked. "What the hell?" Regina whispers to herself. She slowly walks into her house and startles when she sees someone standing at the bottom of the stairs. Leopold.

"Welcome home, Regina, I hope I didn't frighten you too much," Leopold say with a smile, "I thought you were meeting someone?"

"I was. I'm home now. Can you please go? You don't live here." Regina softly puts the buggy down next to her. "I want you to leave my house." She looks Leopold in his eyes.

"Since we are still married, this is as much my house as it's yours," Leopold says calmly, "I see we have a new family member." He bows down and pics up Emma from her buggy and holds the baby in his arms."

"Give her to me." Regina softly says. She walks over to Leopold and opens her arms to get Emma from him. "Now. Give her to me now."

"No," Leopold says, "can't I hold my daughter for a while?" He walks to the living room and leans against the table, whispering to the baby, "what's her name?"

"She's not your daughter." Regina snaps. She follows Leopold and asks once more to give her daughter back. "Give her back." Regina says.

"You don't want to go back to mommy, do you, sweet girl," Leopold whispers to Emma, "she is very bad," he adds and laughs to Emma. Emma laughs back with her high voice and tries to grab his nose.

"Will you please stop?" Regina asks him. "Give her back to me!" she snaps. "She's not your daughter!"

"She is indeed not my daughter, she is ours," Leopold says and he kisses the baby on her forehead, "can you please tell me our child's name, Regina?"

"If I tell you, will you give her back to me then?" Regina wants to know.

"That sounds good," Leopold says, "then she can sleep... She looks a bit tired, did you take care of her well?"

"Emma. Her name is Emma. Can you give her back now?" Regina takes the little girl in her arms. "You can leave now before I call the police. This is my home and you're not welcome here." Regina turns her back towards Leopold.

"Bring her upstairs and I will leave," Leopold says, but he isn't going to leave at all and Regina won't call the police.

"You better be gone when I come back." Regina softly walks upstairs with Emma and puts her in her bed. "Mommy loves you, sweet little Emma." Regina softly smiles at the girl and gives her a kiss on her forehead. When Emma is asleep, Regina walks back downstairs. She doesn't see Leopold anymore and she sighs with relief. But when she walks into the living room she startles when she sees him sitting on the couch. "I thought I told you to leave."

"And I thought you would call the police..." Leopold says, "well I didn't hear my phone.” He takes his phone out of his pocket and makes sure Regina can see his Sheriff-batch.

"I... I didn't hire you to be the Sheriff of this town." Regina mumbles softly. "But I actually don't care. Can you please go now? I want to go to sleep."

"I remember we did sleep very well together," Leopold says and he walks a little bit closer, "and about that sheriff-thing, that poor man just trusted the wrong person." He grins.

Regina takes a step back, away from Leopold. "Go away. I don't want you here." Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "I want you to go." she repeats with a strict tone in her voice.

"But I don't want to go," Leopold says and he takes a step closer, "you are braver than before my death... I don't like that."

Regina takes another step backwards but bumps against the wall. "I want you to go. Now. I don't want you here in my house." she repeats once again.

"I know, but I don't care," Leopold says a bit stricter now and he walks to Regina and places his hand on the wall on both sides of her head. He leans towards her.

Regina just looks him in the eyes. "Go." she whispers now.

"No," Leopold whispers back and he just holds his face on a little distance. A distance that's becomes smaller and smaller.

Regina's body freezes. She's still afraid of him. Of what he can do. "I don't want you here." she whispers again.

"Now I recognize you again," Leopold whispers as he sees Regina's body freeze. He lays his hand on her cheek and softly strokes it, "I know you don't want me here, but what are you going to do about it?" he whispers with a smile.

Regina doesn't answer and just looks him in his eyes. Eyes she never thought to see again.

Leopold looks Regina in her eyes to and he softly lets their lips touch, "did you miss me?" he whispers and then he fully kisses her.

Regina softly kisses him back. She knows with all her instincts she has to do this to avoid pain. At least, that's what she's hoping for.

Leopold pulls back, "I asked you if you have missed me?" he grins, "the truth please." He shortly kisses her again.

"No." Regina just answers him. "You know I haven't missed you so why bother asking me that question?" She looks up at him.

"So I have a reason to hurt you," he simply answers and he hits Regina in her cheek. "I did miss you you know, you were... Are a nice wife, you've always been nice, never had a better one...".

Regina turns her head away after Leopold hits her in her face. She immediately looks back up at him and pushes him away with all the strength she has in her body. "I'm not letting you hurt me like that again!" she snaps.

Leopold hits her again, much harder this time. "Failed" he snaps and he pushes her to the wall. He won't let her push him away!

Regina softly moans of pain. She looks up at him again. "Please. Emma.. Emma is sleeping upstairs." she whispers to him.

"I know, but why would that be a problem for me?" Leopold says, "you are the one who can wake her up with your screams...".

"I'll scream if you hurt me again. And you said so yourself... Emma needs to rest, doesn't she?" Regina warns Leopold. But deep down she knows she won't scream and he won't listen to her warning.

"Well at least it's not my fault when she wakes up. I think it's important that she can rest, yes," Leopold says and he hits her even harder than before.

Regina sinks down to the ground. She has started bleeding out of her nose. "Leopold, please. Just go." she whispers again.

"Why would I?," Leopold says. He gets her up, "you're my wife, I can do with you what I want... And you owe me something, that trying to kill me thing was very rude. A bit of revenge is allowed I think." He snaps and he strokes her back while he holds her in his arms.

"I... I didn't kill you. One of your servants did." Regina whispers. But when she looks him in the eyes again, she knows he knows she's lieing to him. She looks away. "I'm not your wife. You died."

"One. Don't lie, I know you killed me. Two. You ARE my wife, we are still married. And Three. I didn't die."

Regina just looks at him. "Can you go now? Please? This is my house, not yours." Regina tries once more.

Leopold pushes Regina to the wall and walks upstairs to Emma's room, saying nothing.

"No!" Regina snaps at him. She runs up the stairs behind him and prevents him from going into Emma's room. "She's asleep, Leopold. You're not going in there. Leave her alone." she softly says but with a strict tone in her voice.

Leopold just stands still and looks at Regina, "what are you going to do to stop me?" he asks with no emotion in his voice and he grabs her wrist.

"Just let her be. She's just a little girl. She has nothing to do with this." Regina whispers. She takes a step closer towards Leopold. "Please. Just let her sleep." she whispers.

"I waited for this moment for very long, you know... But I'm not satisfied with 'please," he pushes her away and steps inside. He walks to Emma, ready to pick her up. "Leopold, please." Regina softly whispers. She walks over to Emma's cradle and Leopold and makes sure she stands between the two of them. "Please." she whispers again. She starts to unbutton her shirt while looking Leopold in the eyes.

"That's more like it," Leopold grins and he takes a step closer, "you are not as brave as you thought, are you?"

Regina doesn't answer him. She softly pushes him out of Emma's bedroom and into her own. She looks at him while she closes the door.

Leopold looks back and then he walks to her. He kisses her, more violent this time, while he holds her close.

"Just... Just leave Emma out of this." Regina softly whispers between two kisses. She unbuttons her shirt now completely but doesn't take it off.

"Maybe I will," Leopold says and he takes of her shirt. For the first time he looks at her with hate in his eyes.

Regina takes a step back when she sees the anger and hatred in Leopold's eyes. "What do you want?" she whispers to him.

"Why do you always think I want something." Leopold says, "I just want some revenge... That's all and I want my wife back."

"You can't have both." Regina whispers. "We both know what your revenge includes. You can't have that and get me back at the same time."

"And why is that?" Leopold snaps. He pushes Regina on the bed and now gets very angry.

"Because I say so." Regina just answers him.

"I can have both," Leopold says, "I can have everything!"

Regina just looks him in the eyes. "No. You can't." she whispers softly.

Leopold hits her again. It's what he always does when Regina wins the fight. Regina has always been better with words and he hates it. He hates her for it. The only thing he can do is hurt her with actions. And he will...

Regina softly moans of pain. "This isn't the way to win me back." she whispers now.

"Then what's the way?" he snaps and he hits her a few times, to make her feel she can't win.

"Not telling you. You figure it out on your own." Regina whispers. She moans of pain when he hits her. "Please go now. I don't want you here, I've said that a thousand times by now."

"I think your 'winning back' is not really the same as mine." Leopold says and he stands up walks to Emma and picks her up, "I don't want it the good, kind or lovely way...".

"Leopold, no. Please. Please, leave her alone." Regina now begs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, come to bed with me." Regina now takes of her skirt. "Please?" she whispers.

"That's more my kind of 'winning back'" Leopold grins, "I think you start to get it." He lays Emma back.

Regina leads the both of them, again, to her bedroom. She stands closely before Leopold. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers softly.

Leopold smiles and undresses Regina, he takes her into the bed and kisses her, feeling satisfied. He wil always win.

Regina can't do anything else but to kiss him back. She doesn't want to risk Emma getting hurt. Her body likes it when he slips inside of her. A tear rolls down Regina's face.

Leopold loves to see her like this, to break her like this. He tastes her salt tears as he kisses her and that makes him go on. He doesn't even look at her, he just goes on to break her more.

Regina softly cries. He hurts her. After what seemed like ages Leopold sinks down next to Regina. Immediately she curls up to protect her body. She doesn't dare to look up at him.

"Don't be so scared," he says using a childish voice. "Don't be scared if the things you like."

Regina doesn't answer him. She softly cries herself to sleep. When she wakes up the next morning Leopold doesn't lay next to her. A little note lays on top of the pillow. "Off to work. Home by dinner." Regina crumbles the note and then quickly runs to Emma's room to see if the little girl is still there. She sighs with relief when she sees Emma still sleeping in her cradle. Regina takes a hot shower and then wakes up Emma. She gives her her bottle of milk and changes her diaper. "We're set to go." she softly smiles at the little girl. Like every other morning Regina walks over to Granny's and orders her cup of coffee. 5 minutes after she took a seat Robin enters. Regina doesn't look up at him. She took a seat in the far corner of the diner but she knows Robin has seen her. Just like that Leopold has made her scared again. Scared of men. Scared of life.

"Hey Regina," Robin says and he walks to her, after ordering a coffee for himself too. But when he walks to her he sees something is wrong, something is terribly wrong. He sits down, but it's like Regina doesn't want him here, her eyes show so much fear, fear for him. "Are you okay?" Robin whispers. Did her husband came? He is almost sure.

"No. No, I'm not." Regina softly whispers. She looks up at him. "I'm sorry."

"What... What happened? Did he come?" Robin says. He looks back at her.

Regina nodds, very, very slowly. She doesn't dare to look up at Robin now.

Robin doesn't know what to say. He can clearly see what this man has done, he doesn't have to ask. "Shall I take Emma for a while, it gives you some space to breath," Robin whispers, but he is careful and doesn't stand up immediately.

"He uses Emma to get to me." Regina whispers softly. "He won't like it if Emma isn't home. I'm... I'm sorry..." Regina doesn't stop apologizing. She startles when Granny's door opens and Leopold walks in.

Leopold pretends he doesn't see Regina and another man sitting there. He can see who the man is, but in all those years he spied on Regina, he thinks it's Robin or something, someone she used to love. He orders a coffee and sits down at the bar with his back towards Regina.

Regina looks up at Robin. "Don't leave me now." she whispers very softly. "I'm so scared. Please?"

"Is that him?" Robin whispers, but he already knows the answer. "I'm not leaving you don't worry." Leopold talks with Granny, he laughs a lot and when he moves Robin can see the side of his face, "is that Graham?"

"He calls himself that, but his name is really Leopold. I don't know what he did to become Sheriff of Storybrooke." Regina looks at Leopold to see if he's coming towards her or not. Emma, laying in her buggy next to Regina, starts to cry. Regina picks her up and sooths her softly.

Leopold grins as he hears the baby, he finishes his coffee and walks towards Regina. He sits down next to her and reaches his hand out to Robin, "Graham, nice to meet you." He smiles and looks at Regina. "Did you sleep well my dear?" he says and he kisses her on her cheek.

Regina turns her head away from him. "Leave me alone, please." she whispers to Leopold. "I don't want you near me." Regina softly keeps soothing Emma until she falls back to sleep.

"Don't push me away, Regina," Leopold says and he takes over Emma. He knows he doesn't have to pull hard, because Regina doesn't want to hurt the baby. He now soothes her and smiles to Regina and Robin. "So how are you both doing?"

Regina looks up at Robin. "We are fine. Can you give Emma back to me? Please?" Regina now looks at Leopold. "Please?" she repeats with a soft voice.

"No," Leopold says with a strange high voice and he stands up, "I took a day off, so I'll take care of Emma today," he smiles and walks away, but Robin doesn't let him.

"You're not." Regina snaps at him. "Give her back. Now. She's not some toy you can use to get to me. Just... Give her back and... And I'll come with you." Regina whispers softly.

"Spending my free day with you also sounds good," Leopold says with a grin, but he still holds Emma. "I'll take care of Emma today," Robin says as he stands with them. He thinks Regina wants most of all things that Emma is safe. He'll take care of Emma and then go after them. He can't let him hurt her again. "Good idea," Leopold says and he hands over Emma, "you'll take care of her while we have some fun together, you're such a good friend."

"Thank you, Robin." Regina whispers. She's relieved Emma will be safe. With pain and sadness in her eyes she greets Robin and walks away with Leopold. She wants to keep her distance from him but he doesn't let her.

Leopold wraps his arm around Regina and lets his hands rest on her hip. He greets everyone politely. He takes Regina to the sheriff's office and locks the door behind them.

Regina just looks at him. "What do you want? Why can't you leave me alone?" she whispers to him.

"I want to hurt you," Leopold says, "I thought you figured that out by now... So tell me, why did you kill me?" He grins.

Regina doesn't answer him. It will make no difference for him in her hurting her or not. She just looks him in the eyes.

Leopold pushes Regina inside one of the cells and locks the door behind them. Regina stares at him and he hates it, but he just goes on. "You remember this one I think," Leopold whispers and picks up his knife.

Regina backs away from him but she knows there is no escape possible. She doesn't has her magic here so she can't poof away either. But she won't beg. She refuses to do that. She just looks at Leopold.

"No magic here," Leopold says, "I like that," he makes little cuts in her arm, just a start. "Sit down please," he snaps.

Regina sits down. She doesn't make any sound. She just keeps looking at him.

Leopold only grins back and stands before her. She wears the perfect dress for him, her arms and legs clearly visible. He wipes away her dress a bit and starts to make a deep cut from the top of her leg, down to her knee.

Very, very softly Regina moans of pain. "Pl..Please..." she whispers, almost not hearable but Leopold does hear her.

Leopold smiles, this is how he wants it to be. He moves on to the other leg and makes another deep and curly cut. Blood drips on the floor and on the bed. He drops the dress and it immediately colors red.

Regina looks at him again. "Please, Leopold." She now cries. "Please. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Okay," Leopold says and he makes one final cut. He walks out of the cel and locks the cel door behind him. Then he walks outside, locking all doors to make sure no one comes to 'rescue' Regina.

Regina lays down on the bed in the prison cell. She's exhausted and just wants to sleep and never wake up. She knows Robin will take care of Emma for her. She closes her eyes and starts to fade away. The wounds on her legs are deep and serious and she's losing a lot of blood fast.

Mr. Gold unlocks the doors and locks them again behind him. "Regina, Regina," Gold says, "I didn't expect to see you like this again.”

Regina doesn't answer him. She's starting to lose her conscience and doesn't know if Mr. Gold really is there or not.

Gold walks in, but doesn't do a thing to help Regina. "I can get you someone, someone to help you."

"Please." Regina mumbles. "Robin... Get... Get Robin." she whispers. "Please, Mr. Gold." she begs.

"I will, just one little thing," Gold says, "my price.”

"What do you want?" Regina asks, with a broken voice.

"Belle."

"Alright, alright." Regina whispers. "I'll let her go as soon as I can. I promise." Regina looks at Gold when he walks away to get Robin. Regina closes her eyes again and startles when someone strokes her hair. She doesn't dare to open her eyes.

"It's okay," Robin whispers, "it's me.” He starts to bandage Regina's legs and arm, "you have to see a doctor," he whispers, "we really have to get you out of here." He looks at Emma who is silently sleeping.

"It hurts." Regina whispers. "It hurts so bad." She cries. "I'm so tired, Robin, I just want to sleep." Her eyes start to close again. "Please. I'm so tired. I'm sorry." She looks up at Robin now. "I... I can't walk. It hurts too much."

"I'll carry you, Regina," Robin says, "stay with me for a bit longer, we'll be home soon." He picks her up and together with Emma he brings her home. It's already getting dark. It takes a long time before they're home, because carrying Emma and Regina together is a bit hard.

"He will be home waiting for me." Regina whispers. Her words aren't spoken out loud for long when they both see Leopold standing in the front door of Regina's home. Regina moans out of fear. "Take Emma with you. Please." Regina whispers in Robin's ear when he puts her down for the last inches to walk. She leans on him.

"I'm not letting you go with him again," Robin whispers, "I'll bring Emma to a safe place... With you."

"He won't let me." Regina whispers. "He will deny he did this to me." The three of them now stand in front of Leopold. "Go away." Regina looks up at him. "I want you to go."

"I'll go, I promise," Leopold grins, "but I won't go alone, I mean look at you, what happened?!" He walks down the stairs to Regina. He looks up at Robin, "he did this!" Leopold snaps.

"You did this!" Regina snaps at Leopold. "I want you to leave my town!" she snaps again.

"As the sheriff I have to take this man to my office, you're not safe with him near you," Leopold says. Robin wants to hit him, but that will only make things worse... "I'll bring Emma to a safe place," Robin whispers, "but I'll be back." He runs away with Emma in his arms.

"You see," Leopold says pointing at Robin, "guilty."

"YOU did this to me!" Regina snaps again. She's relieved Robin is taking Emma someplace safe. "Robin helped me! I'm not letting you do anything to him!" Regina looks at Leopold with hatred in her eyes.

"You can't stop me," Leopold says, taking Regina inside, "I'm the sheriff, they will believe me." He smiles.

"No one will believe you!" Regina snaps again. "I'm the Mayor!" She spits in Leopold's face. "I want you to leave my town. NOW!"

"But they have all seen him with you," Leopold says, "he is he only one who ever comes close to you, so it's quite clear that they will believe me."

"Everyone knows Robin." Regina cleary says. "No one will ever believe you. I'll testify for him, against you!"

"Of course you won't," Leopold says, "I think you don't want that anything bad happens to your Emma, and neither does he." Leopold grins while he lets get sit down on the couch. He sits down beside her and lays his hands on the wounds.

"Please." Regina softly moans. "Just drop this. I'll... I'll do anything. Just leave Robin and Emma alone." She looks up at Leopold.

"I will," Leopold says, "just be my wife again and never talk to that thief again."

"I... I can't. Leopold, please. He's my only friend. I... I won't go back to the life we had back in the Enchanted Forest. You can't ask me that." Regina whispers. She looks away. "Please." she whispers again.

"You only make it worse, dear," Leopold says. He loves to torture her like this. "Make that thief hates you and I'll leave Emma alone.”

"Why can't he just be my friend?" Regina dares to ask. She looks up at Leopold again. "Please, Leopold." She softly kisses him. "Please." she whispers.

Leopold pushes his hand on Regina's wound and makes it bleed again, "soon he will be back," Leopold snaps, "and he is not you friend, you hate him and you need to make him hate you more than anyone. Do you understand?!" He picks out his knife, "or I'll do the same to your lovely daughter."

"I said NO!" Regina snaps again. She wants to get up, stand up from the couch, but he doesn't let her. "Let me go!"

"Make. Him. Hate. You." Leopold says very clearly, "or don't you love your Emma? I think you want to keep her safe and I think Robin wants that too.” The front door swings open and Robin runs inside. "Hate," Leopold whispers, "or Emma dies."

"You can't kill her if you can't get to her, Leopold. I won't make Robin hate me!" Regina snaps while Robin enters the living room. "Please, just go." She moans of pain when he strokes her over her wounds.

"I will find her," Leopold whispers, "don't worry about that." Robin runs to Leopold ready to push him away, but before he can even reach him, he stabs his knife very hard in Regina's leg.

Regina screams of pain. "Please!" she screams. Blood starts to drip out of her nose and mouth. She's starting to be exhausted. She knows she won't hold on very long. She's losing a lot of blood very fast now.

"Think about it," Leopold says with a grin and he walks away, "choose wisely.” He leaves the house and Robin runs to Regina. "I'm so sorry," he says and he looks at the wound, "I... I don't understand, why is he doing this? I need to bring you to the hospital!"

"Emma." Regina whispers softly. "Where is Emma? Is she safe?" Regina looks up at Robin. "Don't let him get to her. Promise. You need to promise me that."

"She is safe I promise," Robin says, not being completely sure, "now come on, we have to go.” Robin lifts Regina up, blood drips on the floor.

Regina puts her arms around Robin's neck. "He wants you to hate me. He wants me to be his wife and never talk to you again. I... I can't... I can't do that... You're.. You're my only friend." Regina whispers in Robin's ear. She's almost about to lose conscience. "And.. And I like you." she softly whispers.

"You do?" Robin whispers, while he gets her into the hospital, "but what if you don't make me hate you?" Robin ask, feeling it's not something good.

"Emma..." Regina whispers softly. "Protect her. Please." She then loses conscience.

"Regina? Regina, please come back," Robin whispers, but the doctors take her over and he can't come in. He is really worried, just about everything. He sits down for a moment, while the doctors take care of Regina.

After a couple of hours Regina wakes up. She lays in a single room. She looks around her and notices Robin sitting next to her.

"Regina," he whispers, while he keeps stroking her hand, "how do you feel?"

"Better. Where is Emma? Did he get to her? Is she safe?" Regina wants to know immediately.

"I don't know, I couldn't leave" Robin says, "but what I do know is that Emma is on the most safe place I could think of, please don't worry about it, you need to rest," Robin continues, "I'll take a look soon, okay?"

Regina looks at Robin. "Can you go now? Please? I... I can't rest if I don't know she's safe." Regina steps out of bed. "I'll come with you. I need to see her with my own eyes." Regina starts to dress herself but her body needs to recover. She almost loses her balance.

Robin gets Regina back up and leads her to the bed, "I won't go until you promise to stay here, Regina," Robin says, "please you need to rest,"

"I need to be with my daughter." Regina whispers. Tears show up in her eyes. "Please. Please, Robin, you need to go and see if she's alright. I can't rest until I know for sure she's safe." Regina looks at Robin, looks him deep into his eyes. "Please." she whispers now.

"Promise me you'll stay here and lie down, then I'll get her for you," Robin whispers and looks at her. He leaves the room to pick Emma up.

Regina sighs with relief when, after about half an hour, Robin and Emma enter her hospital room. "Thank you. Thank you, Robin. I... I have to make sure Leopold can't get to her. He will hurt her and I can't let that happen." Regina looks at Robin. "Leopold needs to get out of this town. I don't want him here."

Emma laughs in her mommy's arms. Robin sits next to Regina again, "how can we do that?" Robin asks, "that's not easy... We can't just let him disappear and think he'll stop. He is too cruel for that and he won't stop until he gets what he wants".

"Me." Regina whispers. "He wants me. If I'll become his wife again, he won't touch Emma." Regina looks up at Robin. "I guess that's what I need to do." she whispers softly. A tear runs down her face.

"No, Regina," Robin whispers, "you cant do that, we can find a way to protect Emma, without you getting hurt. Really, you cant go back to him."

"But he will hurt Emma if I don't." Regina whispers. She looks up at Robin again. "You really think we can find a way?" she asks him with a soft voice.

"Yes, we have to," Robin says, "we can keep her here in the hospital as long as we figure out what to do, she'll be safe here."

"Why are you helping me?" Regina softly whispers. "You barely know me." She looks away from him, afraid to have made him angry. But she really just want to know.

"Because I can't let that man hurt you again, you don't deserve that, no one deserves that, and what you do deserve is someone who can help you if you don't see how to fix things...".

Regina softly smiles while looking up at Robin again. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers. "Do you know when I can go home? I don't want to stay here tonight."

"It's better that you stay here tonight. You lost a lot of blood and here it's safe for you and Emma," Robin says and he looks her in her eyes.

"I don't want to stay here alone." Regina whispers. "He can come back whenever he wants to."

"He can't," Robin says, "they don't let strangers in..." He looks away and hesitates before he speaks again, "I can stay here if you want."

"He's not a stranger. On paper he is still my husband." Regina whispers. She doesn't dare to look up at Robin. "Do you want to stay?" she asks him. "I... I don't want to force you." she whispers.

"It's okay... I'll stay," Robin says, "if that's what makes you stay here, I will," he smiles, "your house is not safe now.”

"Really? You really want to stay with me?" Regina asks him, just to be sure. "You don't have to. You don't owe me anything." Regina whispers.

"Yes, I'll stay with you," Robin says with a wink.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. "Thank you, Robin." Regina feels her eyes getting heavy but she blinks to keep herself awake.

Robin takes over Emma, she starts to cry when she leaves Regina, so Robin walks around a bit. "I'll go outside to calm her down, just take some rest okay?"

"No. Not outside. It's dangerous there. He can be there." Regina starts to panic. "Please. Don't let him hurt Emma. Or you." Regina whispers.

"Don't worry, Regina, you need to trust me..." He says while he looks at her, "now take some rest." Emma already calms down a bit and Robin sits down on the chair again.

"I trust you. I don't trust him." Regina whispers. She closes her eyes. She's exhausted but can't fall asleep. Her mind doesn't let her.

Robin sees Regina doesn't sleep, but he lets her rest. He walks out if the room to fix a bed for Emma and makes sure Regina will get some food and stuff... When Emma is asleep he just sits down and looks around.

Regina opens her eyes again when she hears Emma is sleeping. "I cant sleep." Regina whispers softly.

"You're also resting when your not sleeping," Robin whispers and he moves his chair to her bed.

Regina looks up at him. "My mind doesn't stop talking." she whispers.

"Well I can sing a song for you," Robin laughs, "but I don't think that will make it any better." He grins, "sorry... Maybe you just need to relax... Don't stress."

"Relax? How do I do that?" Regina softly smiles. She turns her head up and down and left and right. Her neck hurts.

"Take a deep breath," Robin says and he takes a deep breath himself, "and another one... And another one."

"My neck hurts." Regina whispers softly.

"I never knew that breathing had anything to do with your neck..." Robin smiles.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She lays her head down in the pillow and closes her eyes. She rubs her neck a bit but it doesn't really help. It keeps hurting.

"Don't be sorry," Robin says, shaking his head "that wasn't what I meant, but never mind, do you know why your neck is hurting?"

"Just stress. It will be alright." Regina whispers softly. "I'm sorry." she whispers again. She doesn't dare to look up at Robin. She breaths a bit too fast.

"Are you sure you're all right, Regina?" Robin says with a worried look. Regina doesn't look at him, but he can see she is not all right.

"Yes. I'm fine." Regina whispers softly. It's a lie. She looks up when a doctor comes into the room. "Will those wounds heal?" Regina wants to know.

"They will," the doctor says and he looks up from his notebook, "how do you feel today? Anything remarkable?"

"I want to go home." Regina whispers softly. "How long do I have to stay?"

"I understand that madam, you can go home soon," the doctor says, "the wounds are clean and as far as we can see there are no infections. Are there any remarkable things I need to know?"

"Things like.. ?" Regina asks him. She looks down.

"Pain, feeling dizzy or sick, things that are not normal...".

"My neck hurts. That's all." Regina softly answers.

"Any idea what caused that pain?" the doctor says clearly.

"No. I really don't know." Regina sighs. "Stress, maybe?"

"Hmm... Okay, if the pain grows, you need to contact us," the doctor says, "I think it's okay to go home then. I'll give you a wheelchair, because you shouldn't move your legs right now, because the wounds will start bleeding again."

Regina looks up at Robin, panicked. "I.. I can't go home like this." Her voice is filled with panic. "I can't defend myself this way."

"Can she stay a bit longer," Robin asks the doctor calmly. "I'll discuss that with my colleague," he answers and he walks out of the room. Robin turns to Regina, "don't worry, Regina," he whispers, "there is no reason for panic."

"Yes. Yes, there is!" Regina now almost screams. "I can't defend myself like this. He's going to be home and he will hurt me again. Me and Emma. I can't let that happen. Please, Please, Robin, I can't go home!" Regina is taken over by panic.

"But Regina..." Robin sighs, "almost the first thing you said to the doctor was that you wanted to go home... He thought he was doping you a favor, so now calm down a bit okay, he is asking if you can stay, you don't have to go home."

"You don't know that. He didn't confirm that. And I didn't know I had to use a wheelchair. I can't take care of Emma when I have to use a wheelchair." The panic in Regina's voice doesn't go away.

"Regina, please calm down," Robin says, "there is always a place for you to stay, you have to believe me."

"There isn't." Regina whispers. "I can't keep counting on you for taking care of me." Regina looks up at him. "You must think I'm such a mess." she whispers softly.

"Does it matter? Does it matter if you're a mess?" Robin says, "I don't think so..." He just sits down and doesn't continue.

"You don't?" Regina asks him. "Why is that?" she wants to know.

"If being a mess is who you are, you need to embrace that, not think it's wrong..." Robin says, "you say it like you hate yourself being a mess, I don't think that's necessary." He pics up a magazine that lays on the table next to the bed and starts to flip through it.

"My mother never allowed me to be a mess. To break down when I had a difficult time." Regina whispers. "I always needed to be strong. So... So that's the thing I've kept telling myself every day since I was a young girl. Be strong, Regina. Don't cry. Don't break down. You have to be strong." Regina whispers.

"It must be hard for you then," Robin says, "but not impossible to embrace the mess you are." He smiles and looks up, "your mother isn't here, so what is holding you back?"

"I'm just..." Regina looks up at him again. "I'm just afraid no one will catch me when I fall down." she whispers softly.

"What if you find yourself down there?" Robin says and he flips to the next page and pretends to read something, "I'm not saying I don't want to catch you when you fall, but you can catch yourself too." He goes to the next page, "fall down and get up again." He mumbles.

Regina closes her eyes. She doesn't want to have this kind of conversation with him. Before Cora took him away from her, Robin would have answered something completely else. He would be there to catch her. He would promise that with his life. She wants him to go. It hurts too much to be around him and not feel his love for her like she used to.

Robin looks up when Regina doesn't answer, "are you even listening?" he says softly, "did I say something wrong?"

"I am listening." Regina whispers. "You didn't say anything wrong. I'm sorry. It's just... My neck hurts. That's all. Makes me not able to think very clearly." She opens her eyes again and smiles softly at Robin. They both look up when the doctor comes back in the room again.

"You can stay for two more nightmare. I'm sorry we can't keep you here longer when you're able to go home," he says.

"That's alright." Regina whispers. "Thank you. I won't need a wheelchair when I go home then? Right?" she wants to know.

"I can't say that right now," the doctor says, "I think it's good to not walk this week, your wounds are very deep and we don't want them to bleed again."

Regina softly nodds. The three of them startle when Leopold walks into the room with one of the nurses before him, telling Regina her husband has arrived to pick her up. Regina just stares at Leopold.

The doctor is a bit surprised, "but what is that man doing there then?" The doctor says and he points at Robin. Leopold pretends to be shocked, "he! He did this, he cut my wife, what is he doing here?!" he shouts and before someone can say something the two man he brought with him grab Robin's arms and take him outside. "I'm so sorry that he came in," Leopold says with a sad voice. "I'm glad you came then, thank you sheriff," the doctor says.

"No!" Regina shouts out. "Robin didn't do this! You did this!" she screams at Leopold. "Doctor, please, get him out of here!"

"He makes her say this horrible things," Leopold says, "don't worry Regina, I won't let him hurt you ever again, I promise." The doctor smiles, "you're such a good man," he says, "she can stay here for two more days if she wants, but we can also get you a wheelchair so she can go home without moving her leg of course."

Regina just looks at Leopold. "No..." she whispers.

"Don't worry," Leopold says and he lays his hand on her cheek, "I know you don't want to stay here, but you'll be all right."

"Call me if you've decided if you want to stay," the doctor says, any other questions before I go?"

"Just... Just... Let's go home." Regina softly whispers. She knows there is nothing she can do to stop this from happening. She lets the doctor and Leopold help her get dressed and into the wheelchair. While she holds little Emma Leopold rides her to his car and then to her home. Regina looks at him when he takes over Emma before he helps her out of the car and into the wheelchair. Regina just looks at him then.

Leopold smiles, "what a beautiful day," he says and rides her inside. "Now you should take some rest," he says.

"Can you give Emma to me? I want to rest on the couch while she takes her nap." Regina softly asks him.

Leopold hands Emma over to Regina, "good," Leopold says, "I'll make you some tea." Now that Robin is gone, he has the complete power over Regina. Perfect.

Regina sooths the little girl. "Mommy loves you. Whatever happens, you remember that, okay?" Regina softly smiles when Emma laughs at her. "Now you go to sleep, little one. You need your rest and so does mommy." Regina's smile freezes on her face when she feels Leopolds hands on her neck.

Leopold sits down and lets Regina's head rest in his lab. He wipes her hair from her face and strokes her cheeks, "Emma really likes you," he whispers with a grin, "and I'm happy she likes me too."

Regina feels the tension in her body. She doesn't say a thing back to him. She just stares in front of her.

"Does it hurt a lot?" he asks and he lets his hand go over her wounds. He knows touching it will hurt and that makes him smile.

"Y.Yes..." Regina whispers. "Please. I... I've spared your daughter. I promise. I really did."

"You spared her..." Leopold says, "by doing what? How did you spare her? And what is that going to change?"

"I could have killed her too. But I didn't. I've raised her. She was going to be Queen but my mother fucked up everything." Regina whispers. "Please, Leopold. Show some mercy towards me." Her body prepares itself for getting hurt.

"I could have killed you too," Leopold says, "but I didn't, so we're even." He grins and he softly lets his fingers go over her wounds. "You raised her because you were lonely, that doesn't count."

Regina moans of pain. "Please." she begs softly. "Please, Leopold."

Leopold pulls his hand back and strokes her hair again. "Okay," he whispers, "I'll spare you," he kisses her forehead.

Regina doesn't believe a word he's saying. But she doesn't say that. "What's the price for you to spare me?" Regina whispers.

"Nothing," Leopold says, "I have everything I want," he laughs.

Regina remains silent. She doesn't like it when he touches her, not even stroking her hair, but she knows she has no choice and it's best to let him do that.

"You should get some sleep now," Leopold says, "I'll carry you to your bed."

"Alright." Regina whispers. She doesn't like that and she knows what he wants in bed.

"I know what you think," Leopold says, "but I don't want that today," he moves his head to her ear, "that will make the wounds bleed and then they will find out what I did," he grins. He lifts her up and carries her to the bed.

"Emma." Regina whispers. "Please, don't hurt her."

"I won't," Leopold says, but it's a lie, or not... He doesn't know what to do with her yet.

"Please." Regina holds her arms around his neck while he carries her upstairs. "Please, I beg you." she whispers softly.

"I'll think about it, thanks," Leopold says and he lays her down, "now get some sleep, I promise Emma will be perfectly fine."

Leopold pulls his hand back and strokes her hair again. "Okay," he whispers, "I'll spare you," he kisses her forehead.

Regina doesn't believe a word he's saying. But she doesn't say that. "What's the price for you to spare me?" Regina whispers.

"Nothing," Leopold says, "I have everything I want," he laughs.

Regina remains silent. She doesn't like it when he touches her, not even stroking her hair, but she knows she has no choice and it's best to let him do that.

"You should get some sleep now," Leopold says, "I'll carry you to your bed."

"Alright." Regina whispers. She doesn't like that and she knows what he wants in bed.

"I know what you think," Leopold says, "but I don't want that today," he moves his head to her ear, "that will make the wounds bleed and then they will find out what I did," he grins. He lifts her up and carries her to the bed.

"Emma." Regina whispers. "Please, don't hurt her."

"I won't," Leopold says, but it's a lie, or not... He doesn't know what to do with her yet.

"Please." Regina holds her arms around his neck while he carries her upstairs. "Please, I beg you." she whispers softly.

"I'll think about it, thanks," Leopold says and he lays her down, "now get some sleep, I promise Emma will be perfectly fine."

Regina wants to say she needs Robin but she knows that would be a very bad move. "No. I just want to sleep. Alone." Regina whispers. But she knows that's not going to happen when she hears him undressing himself.

"I was just planning to go to bed too," Leopold says with a smile. "Emma is asleep in her own room, so...". He lays down next to Regina.

"You don't live here, Leopold. This is my house and I want you to go." Regina snaps at him. She turns around on her other side so she doesn't have to see him.

"Leopold doesn't react and lays his arms around her stomach, holding her close. "Sleep well, Regina."

"I don't like it when you touch me!" Regina snaps again. "Can you please go?"

"Be quite please," Leopold whispers, "I try to sleep and I try to get warm."

Regina moves a bit away from him. "I don't want you in my bed." she whispers softly.

"Don't complain so much..." Leopold says, "I'm tired."

"Then go. Go sleep somewhere else. I've told you a thousand times by now I don't want you here."

Leopold just doesn't react on what Regina says and closes his eyes, still holding her close and making sure she doesn't move.

Regina sighs and eventually closes her eyes too. The next morning she wakes up when she feels Leopold stroking her hair again.

Leopold doesn't notice Regina is awake and he just smiles and still strokes her hair and cheeks softly.

Regina turns away her head. "I don't like it if you do that." she softly whispers.

"Why not?" Leopold whispers.

"Because I don't." Regina whispers. But when he touches her behind her ear, her body shows a different story. Her body likes it.

"That's not an answer," Leopold says, "now tell me why you don't like it."

"Because I don't want it. Not with you." But again her body shows how much it likes to be touched, the way Leopold is touching her right now.

"And why don't you want it with me?" Leopold says. He sees Regina's body likes it and he just goes on.

Regina softly moans of pleasure. "I... I can't think when you do that." she whispers.

"That's the whole point," Leopold whispers with a smile, "stop your mind and be free,"

"N.oo.." Regina whispers softly. She notices her legs don't hurt that much any longer. "I.. I don't like..." But she can't finish that sentence when Leopold goes on.

"Are you sure you don't like it sweetheart," Leopold whispers, "there is nothing wrong with liking it. It doesn't seem you have any good friends around, so why not just enjoy it?"

Regina moans of pleasure, louder now. "But I don't love you." she whispers.

"That doesn't matter," Leopold says, "you don't need to love someone to enjoy it. We can just have a good time together, don't you think?" He softly goes on.

"N..o.." Regina mumbles. She feels his hand discovering her body and her body likes it. A tear runs down her face. "Pl.." But again she can't finish her sentence and moans of pleasure. She looks at Leopold now.

"What is holding you back?" Leopold says. He just doesn't stop. "It's okay to enjoy life, Regina." He looks back at her, he can't define her look.

"I don't love you. I don't want to do this with someone I don't love." Regina whispers. But his hands, his touch, are driving her almost crazy. Her body wants more. She starts to undress herself and lets Leopold help her.

"I don't understand why people always want to love... Why can't you just enjoy the moment, even when there is no love at all. Love is weakness, Regina, I thought you knew that." He helps Regina to undress herself and smiles.

"You sound like my mother." Regina whispers while taking his clothes off. She moans of pleasure when their naked bodies touch.

"Really?," he says with a laugh, he softly strokes her back and holds her close. He loves it.

Regina kisses him softly. "Go on." she whispers.

Leopold kisses her back and goes on. He likes it and he can see Regina likes it too. He lets his hands go over her entire body.

Regina turns towards her back and pulls Leopold above her. She looks at him, deep into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers again.

"Be careful with your legs, otherwise your wounds will bleed again." He grins and he kisses her. He goes on, just like Regina wishes.

Regina startles when she notices the knife in Leopold's hands again. She looks at him in fear. "No..." she whispers softly.

"Don't worry," Leopold whispers and he lays the knife on the small nightstand next to the bed, "I just don't like such a heavy thing in my pocket," he smiles. He just wants to see if Regina will try to use it. He kisses her again and lays his hands on her body again.

Regina moans of pleasure. She thinks about grabbing that knife and cut him with it but he's making her crazy when he touches her. She kisses him back and doesn't think about the knife again. She feels him slipping inside of her, not touching her wounds. She gasps for air. She can't think straight any longer.

Leopold looks at Regina and pulls her even closer against his body than before. He pulls back for a moment, but then kisses her again. Her beautiful body does exactly what he wants and he likes it, and he knows she likes it too. He goes on, his arms wrapped around her.

Regina now softly moans of pain. She feels him very deep inside of her and that hurts. She tries to push him off of her, a bit at least, but he doesn't seem to notice he's hurting her. "L.Leopold..." Regina whispers. She moans of pain again.

Regina kisses him softly. "Go on." she whispers.

Leopold kisses her back and goes on. He likes it and he can see Regina likes it too. He lets his hands go over her entire body.

Regina turns towards her back and pulls Leopold above her. She looks at him, deep into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers again.

"Be careful with your legs, otherwise your wounds will bleed again." He grins and he kisses her. He goes on, just like Regina wishes.

Regina startles when she notices the knife in Leopold's hands again. She looks at him in fear. "No..." she whispers softly.

"Don't worry," Leopold whispers and he lays the knife on the small nightstand next to the bed, "I just don't like such a heavy thing in my pocket," he smiles. He just wants to see if Regina will try to use it. He kisses her again and lays his hands on her body again.

Regina moans of pleasure. She thinks about grabbing that knife and cut him with it but he's making her crazy when he touches her. She kisses him back and doesn't think about the knife again. She feels him slipping inside of her, not touching her wounds. She gasps for air. She can't think straight any longer.

Leopold looks at Regina and pulls her even closer against his body than before. He pulls back for a moment, but then kisses her again. Her beautiful body does exactly what he wants and he likes it, and he knows she likes it too. He goes on, his arms wrapped around her.

Regina now softly moans of pain. She feels him very deep inside of her and that hurts. She tries to push him off of her, a bit at least, but he doesn't seem to notice he's hurting her. "L.Leopold..." Regina whispers. She moans of pain again.

"I can," Leopold says, he grins. "But do I want it..." He pretends to walk away, "just kidding," he smiles and he takes over Emma.

Regina doesn't laugh. She doesn't like that kind of jokes. Not if they involve her daughter. She doesn't look at Leopold when he comes back with Emma. "Just give her to me." Regina snaps.

"Why so angry all of a sudden?" Leopold says and he doesn't give Emma back, "why can't you just accept a joke?"

"You can't joke about my daughter. I don't like that." Regina answers him. "Can you give her to me? Please?"

"You're taking things to serious Regina," Leopold says and he hands over Emma, "I didn't do anything to her, jokes don't harm her...".

"Thank you." Regina whispers when she takes over Emma. She sooths the little girl until she falls asleep. She can't stop looking at her. Regina just loves her and thinks she's the most beautiful little girl in the whole world. Regina doesn't notice Leopold any longer.

Leopold sighs and walks away to the kitchen to take some food. He slams the door behind him.

After almost two hours Of no response from Regina, Robin starts to worry a bit. *Regina?* he just texts.

Regina softly smiles when she gets a text from Robin. She sends him a message back. *I'm alright. How are you? Are you having a lot of pain?*

*what happened? Why were you gone all of a sudden? To be honest, yes...*

*I couldn't text any longer. He came into the room. He can't know we are having contact because he will kill you. And then me.* Regina texts back to Robin. *Can you go see a doctor? Please?*

*okay, but I don't think I'll do that.* Robin only sends back.

*Why not?* Regina wants to know. *Where are you now?*

*I'm managed to get home, so that's where I'm now*

*Please. Promise me you go see a doctor. Tell him what really happened. Please, Robin, get someone who believes you. Granny. Granny will believe you.* Regina sends back. She startles when she hears Leopold coming up the stairs. *He's there. I'll text you as soon as I can.* she lets Robin know. She then hides her phone and Leopold doesn't notice a thing.

"Are you hiding something?" Leopold snaps. Regina looks different than before he left. She triggers him a bit.

"No, I'm not. Of course I'm not." Regina snaps back at him. "Why can't you just trust me? I have nothing to hide."

"I only asked, calm down," Leopold says and he puts down the tea and breakfast. "I got you something to eat..." he sighs.

"I'm not hungry." Regina whispers, thinking back at her time in The Enchanted Forest with Leopold. The corsets, the heavy dresses, the constant fear of not being thin enough for him.

Leopold starts to get angry. He smiles and walks to the bed, "you know what happens when you act like this."

"I told you I'm not hungry!" Regina snaps again.

"Fine," Leopold says and he throws the tea glass agains the wall. It breaks and he throws the other one to Regina's head. "You ruined it yourself!" he snaps.

Regina leans over Emma to protect her from the hot tea and the shards of the cup. "Leopold, stop!" Regina shouts at him. "You're going to hurt Emma!"

"That's your own fault!" Leopold says and he walks to her. He just stands still deciding what to do.

Regina keeps leaning over Emma and doesn't look up at Leopold.

"Why are you snapping at me?" Leopold says, now extremely calm.

"Because I'm terrified of you, of what you can do and that makes me feel really stressed out. I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

"But I didn't do any of those things today... So why still snap at me?" Leopold asks. He really wants to know what he is doing wrong now.

"You didn't today but you have in the past and don't tell me you have changed. People don't change. They only fool themselves into thinking they can." Regina whispers softly.

"You think so?" Leopold says, "so you're still the evil queen? Yeah I heard a lot about you when I lived my secret-I'm-actually-dead life. Killing, torturing... But you don't do that anymore."

Regina doesn't answer him. "Leopold." she sighs. "Can't we just live our separate lives? Neither of us wanted to get married in the first place. Why do you want to torture me like this?"

"Maybe because you killed me and I think you now can imagine how it feels to live your life without your daughter." Leopold says and he walks closer. Regina makes him really angry. "I loved Snow White more than anyone and you took her away from me! And I'm going to do the same for you!" He quickly pulls Emma out of Regina's arms and holds her in his own.

"No!" Regina screams. "No, please!" She hears the little girl crying. Without thinking Regina steps out of bed and runs towards Leopold. "Give her back!"

"What were you thinking when you took my daughter away from me!" Leopold says and he holds Emma close.

"I didn't take her from you! I ended your life to give her a chance at a better one!" Regina snaps.

"Because you were such a good example for her!" Leopold shouts. He is really angry and picks up the knife from the wall. He holds it close to Emma. Very close.

Regina sinks to the ground. "No!" she shouts again. "Please! Don't hurt her!" Regina keeps begging. "Please. Be angry with me, not with that little girl."

"Now tell me. If I kill Emma now or just take her away from you, you lose her just like I lost Snow White. And imagine that after that you have the chance to torture me because of it. Would you do it? Would you hurt me to get your revenge?!" Leopold snaps.

"Yes." Regina whispers very softly. "You know I would." She looks up at him. "But show me you're better than me. Please... Just... If you want to hurt someone, let it be me."

"We both know I'm not better than you," Leopold says calmly, "and the thing is, killing Emma is the best way to hurt you."

"Leopold, please, STOP!" Regina screams. "Please! I'm give you everything you want! Please!"

"I don't need anything, so you have to think of something really special!" Leopold shouts.

Regina bows her head and starts to cry. "Please. Just tell me what you want."

"Love," Leopold whispers, "that's the only thing I truly want."

"You won't find that with me." Regina whispers.

"I know that," Leopold says, "but you said you would give me everything I want, so that's it... The only thing I want."

Regina softly nodds. "If you promise me to never hurt my daughter." Regina feels defeated.

"I won't," Leopold says, "but how are you planning to give me that?"

"I suppose I will grow to love you." Regina whispers. "Is that alright?"

"Don't lie to me, you love that thief," Leopold says.

"So?" Regina asks him. "You know I love him. But if you want me to love you in order to not hurt my daughter, I promise I'll try." Regina doesn't look up at Leopold.

"No," Leopold says and he holds the knife even closer, "fake love isn't love. There is only one person who has ever truly loved me...".

"Eva." Regina whispers. "She's in Storybrooke too."

"She is?" Leopold says surprised and his eyes grow lighter. But that doesn't last long, "she doesn't know who I am, she doesn't remember, does she?" He looks at Regina.

"No." Regina whispers again. "But Robin and Snow don't remember me as well. You can try to make Eva fall in love with you again, Leopold. You can get a second chance. And so can I." Regina feels the blood running down her legs and gets weaker by the minute. "We both deserve a second chance, Leopold. We really do." She looks up at him with a spark of love in her eyes. "I remember you were, you are a good man, Leopold. We both just want to be happy, don't we?"

"We do," Leopold says and his anger fades, "and you're right. But Robin doesn't love you... He is only kind and I'm afraid the same will happen with me and Eva." Leopold lays Emma back in Regina's arms and carries Regina to the bed. He smiles a little as he sees a bit of love in Regina's eyes, "let's try to get that second chance then," he finally whispers and he starts to bandage Regina's wounds.

"No, Leopold. Eva will love you again, I have no doubt about that. She loved you with all her heart back then. I'm sure she will love you as much here in Storybrooke." Regina looks up at Leopold when he takes care of her wounds. "Thank you, Leopold." she softly whispers. She smiles at him.

"No problem," Leopold says, "it's my fault so it's the least I can do, I'm sorry." He looks away. He isn't sure Eva will love him. "But your thief loved you with all his heart too, but now..." He suddenly becomes really afraid. He wants the happiness, but what if he will be disappointed... "Forget about Eva, she has probably a life of her own now..." He looks away.

"She actually lives alone not far from my place here. I gave her a nice life, Leopold. A good life. I gave everyone a good life. Just not Cora." Regina looks up at him. "The people in the Enchanted Forest were so scared of the Dark Curse. But I altered it. I gave most of them a good life. But the families that are torn apart is because they didn't believe in me. They expected a terrible life so they split up and didn't end here together. You understand?"

"I do," Leopold says and he stops bandaging Regina's leg. He tapes the ends together and looks at it. "Well we can see taking care of someone is not really my best quality," he smiles and then gets serious again, "you frightened them, but I'm glad you gave Eva a good life, she deserved that. Thank you."

"I do," Leopold says and he stops bandaging Regina's leg. He tapes the ends together and looks at it. "Well we can see taking care of someone is not really my best quality," he smiles and then gets serious again, "you frightened them, but I'm glad you gave Eva a good life, she deserved that. Thank you."

Regina smiles at him. "Why don't you go and see her? Talk to her? Maybe you can trigger something for her to remember you. Robin may not remember me but Eva can remember you. If you push the right buttons." Regina looks at Emma who has fallen back to sleep. "Thank you for taking care of me like you just did." she whispers.

"She doesn't know me, Regina, I cant just go to her and say that I love her... She will think I'm crazy if I just go to her... And that," he points at Regina's leg, "is no problem," he smiles.

"No problem," Leopold says, "it's my fault so it's the least I can do, I'm sorry." He looks away. He isn't sure Eva will love him. "But your thief loved you with all his heart too, but now..." He suddenly becomes really afraid. He wants the happiness, but what if he will be disappointed... "Forget about Eva, she has probably a life of her own now..." He looks away.

"She actually lives alone not far from my place here. I gave her a nice life, Leopold. A good life. I gave everyone a good life. Just not Cora." Regina looks up at him. "The people in the Enchanted Forest were so scared of the Dark Curse. But I altered it. I gave most of them a good life. But the families that are torn apart is because they didn't believe in me. They expected a terrible life so they split up and didn't end here together. You understand?"

"I do," Leopold says and he stops bandaging Regina's leg. He tapes the ends together and looks at it. "Well we can see taking care of someone is not really my best quality," he smiles and then gets serious again, "you frightened them, but I'm glad you gave Eva a good life, she deserved that. Thank you."

"I do," Leopold says and he stops bandaging Regina's leg. He tapes the ends together and looks at it. "Well we can see taking care of someone is not really my best quality," he smiles and then gets serious again, "you frightened them, but I'm glad you gave Eva a good life, she deserved that. Thank you."

Regina smiles at him. "Why don't you go and see her? Talk to her? Maybe you can trigger something for her to remember you. Robin may not remember me but Eva can remember you. If you push the right buttons." Regina looks at Emma who has fallen back to sleep. "Thank you for taking care of me like you just did." she whispers.

"She doesn't know me, Regina, I cant just go to her and say that I love her... She will think I'm crazy if I just go to her... And that," he points at Regina's leg, "is no problem," he smiles.


	11. Broken

Leopold leaves Regina's house and seems to continue his life without interrupting hers. He stays the Sheriffe of Storybrooke and gains a lot of respect from everyone. Regina doesn't know if he ever talked to Eva or not. She doesn't want to ask him, afraid to have him in her life again. They pretend nothing has happened. Regina's wounds heal beautiful. Only one scar remains, in between the scars from back in The Enchanted Forest.  
For a couple of weeks Robin felt very angry with Regina. How can she not go to court to get Leopold behind bars? Regina tried to explain but he couldn't hear her. After a few weeks Robin calmed down and decided to leave everything as it is. Regina and Robin keep being friends throughout the next years.  
In the meantime Emma grows up to be a beautiful little girl. She's now 7 years old and starts going to the first grade in school. She's very excited for the first day of school in the first grade. Regina drops her off at school and waves her goodbye for now. She has grown to love this girl more and more every day. But she can't help to see a familiar face in Emma's face. She just don't know which face she's recognizing.  
After dropping Emma off at school, Regina steps into Granny's and orders her regular: a large cup of coffee. She looks up when Robin enters the diner. The last few weeks she and him have started to grow closer towards one another. It feels like Robin is finally, after years, defrosting. He starts to feel like more than just a friend. Regina hopes he feels the same way.

Robin sighs and sits down next to Regina. He orders his coffee and smiles. He had a bad night and now he is tired and feels a bit down. "How are you doing?" Robin says.

"In comparisson with you, I'd say I'm doing great." Regina smiles. "You look exhausted. Didn't you had a good night's sleep?"

"Good, how is Emma? Was she exited?" Robin says, He doesn't react on the sleep-thing.

"You didn't answer my question, Robin." Regina smiles at him. "You're not very good at trying to give the conversation a twist." She giggles. "How come you didn't sleep well?" she asks him.

"Don't know," Robin says quickly. "Don't feel like taking about it, there are much more nice things to discus... Like Emma's first day in the first grade." He smiles.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Regina reassures him. He's still her only friend but she likes it that way. She doesn't have a lot of contact with Snow White but she keeps an eye on her from a distance. Whenever she notices the girl needs something, Regina makes sure she gets that. Anonymously, that is. She looks up at Robin. "You do know that, right?"

"Yes, yes, not necessary, thanks," he says quickly and drinks his coffee.

Regina sighs but lets the topic go. "Emma was really excited." she smiles at Robin. She notices their hands lay closely together on the table. She feels a spark of energy between them.

Robin moves his hands to his cup of coffee without noticing Regina's hands lay close to his...  
"I'm happy to hear that," he says, "who is her teacher now? Isn't that miss Blanchard?"

"Yes. Yes, that's miss Blanchard. I've heard she's an excellent teacher." Regina softly answers him. It hurts her to see him pulling his hand away from her. "Robin, what's going on?" Regina whispers.

"I already told you," Robin says, "nothing and yes I heard that too."

"Why are you lieing to me? I... I thought we were friends." Regina whispers. "Why can't you be honest with me?"

"Why cant you just accept it," Robin says, "I'm not lying, just let it be...".

Regina looks down. "Alright." she whispers. A couple of silent minutes pass by. Regina looks at his tired face. "You look so tired, Robin. Did you have a nightmare?" Regina wants to know.

"Nope, just tired," Robin says. He doesn't feel like talking. He takes another nip of his coffee. "Sorry."

Regina sighs. "You don't trust me, do you?" She gets up, greets Granny, and walks outside. She doesn't see where she walks, lost in her own thoughts, and doesn't notice when she bumps into dr. Hopper.

Robin just status where he is and doesn't follow Regina. He stares to his coffee, he just stares.

"Regina, hello," Dr Hopper says, "how are you doing?"

"Dr. Hopper. I'm sorry, I didn't see where I was walking. I'm sorry." Regina looks up at him. "Fine. Just fine." she mumbles.

"Okay," Dr Hopper says, "I didn't speak to you for a long time, how is Emma doing?"

"Great. She's doing great. First day of school in first grade today." Regina mumbles. She looks across the street and sees Leopold walking by. He doesn't see her but Regina's body freezes, just for a second. She can't stop being afraid of him. The thoughts in her head keep spinning.

"You're okay?" Dr Hopper says and he follows Regina's eyes to the sheriff. Leopold sees Regina and walks away from her as soon as their looks cross. He hates her.

"Fine. Just fine." Regina mumbles again. The thoughts in her head keep spinning around. Why doesn't Robin trust her? Why can't she stop being afraid of Leopold? For a moment she loses her balance and falls against the wall of a building. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't be," Dr Hopper says kindly, "tell me what happened if you want to, I can see you're not fine," he smiles, "you can also tell me if you want to be alone."

"That's all I am. Alone." Regina doesn't look up at Dr. Hopper. She's so tired of being alone. All those years and Robin still doesn't feel the same for her as back in The Enchanted Forest. She sighs. She looks up at Dr. Hopper now. "I don't want to interrupt you."

"You don't do that," Dr Hopper says, "maybe I can help, you can come to my place if you want, we can talk about it."

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "Maybe... Maybe some other time." Regina nodds towards him. "Thank you, dr. Hopper." she whispers softly. She walks past by him and continues her walk down the street. She startles when someone shouts out her name. She turns around.

Eva smiles when Regina turns around, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Madam Mayor, and sorry for using your real name, but I was wondering if I could ask you something. It's all right of you're busy... Really I'll go away if you, you know, don't want to talk to me because I'm just a citizen, a low... Persons." She talks in a really fast way, in a way that makes you think she has a lot of energy and that she is a bit nervous.

"It's quite alright." Regina smiles to Eva. "Eva, right? You can call me Regina. And you're not just a citizen to me. I find everyone important." Regina smiles softly again. "You want to ask me something? I'm listening." Regina looks at Eva with kind and soft eyes.

"Well thank you so much, Regina," Eva says, "you know that man, Graham, I saw him with you some times. Not that I want to sniff around in your business and things... No really I just spotted you too a few times and..." She still talks very fast, "I'm not spying of something if you think that and if you two have a relationship don't worry about me interrupting it. I just wondered if you know what he likes. He is always so kind to me and I want to give him something." She doesn't dare to say she also likes him a bit. She smiles.

Regina's face brightens with a big smile. "We don't have a relationship, don't worry. He's the Sheriff and I'm the Mayor so we meet every now and then to talk business, but that's it." Regina looks at the woman. "Let me think... What does he like." Regina thinks back at her time with him in The Enchanted Forest. She must admit she doesn't really know what Leopold likes. "He likes to get up early to go to work. And he likes his coffee." Regina smiles. "Black, no milk and no sugar. And hot. Very hot." Regina looks at the woman again. "I'm sorry, I can't really tell you more than this. Can you do something with this?" Regina winks at the woman, as a sign to let her know she knows Eva likes that man.

"Yes of course thank you, Regina," Eva says, and she looks a bit frightened when she sees Regina wink. Then she giggles, "but is it that obvious? Do you think he knows? O my gosh no" she hides her face in her hands, "he must think I'm a complete fool." She takes a deep breath. "How did you see it?" she says almost out of breath because of talking so fast. She smiles when she mentions it.

Regina giggles as well. "You smile when you talk about him and your eyes light up. It's pretty obvious." Regina smiles kindly. "And something in me tells me that he will feel the same about you as you do about him." Regina winks again. "There he is." Regina nodds towards the other side of the street where Leopold walks by again. She sees him looking in their direction with a suspicous look in his eyes. "Go ahead. Go talk to him." Regina gives Eva a little push in Leopold's direction. When Eva crosses the street towards the Sheriff, Regina winks at Leopold and gives him a thumbs up.

Leopold looks at Regina. He a bit frightened, but when Eva comes closer he smiles. "Hi Sheriff," Eva says softly. She almost doesn't dare to look at him. She looks at Regina feeling really insecure. "I was wondering if you... Maybe... Would like to have a drink... Together... Sometime." Her smile fades a bit and her heart is beating so fast. She knows Regina is looking, it holds her standing. Leopold is silent for a moment. He can't believe what she just said.   
"I would love that," he whispers, "I would really love that." They now both start to laugh a bit, looking at their feet. Then Eva spreads her arms and wraps them around him, Leopold is stunned, but he loves it. He hugs her back and smiles at Regina. He hopes she'll get his 'thank you'.

Regina smiles and nodds towards Leopold. When she turns around to continue her way she freezes for a second when she sees Robin walking out of Granny's diner. She quickly walks away. She wants to go home and hide from the world. At least until she needs to pick up Emma from school. She hopes Robin doesn't notice her. It's too hard to see him, to be with him, to love him and not feeling his love in return like she did back in The Enchanted Forest.

Robin sees Regina, but when he starts walking towards her, she already disappeared from sight. He walks away, to his cabin.

The school bell rings and all the children pick up their stuff and walk outside. Emma looks around, trying to find her mom in the schoolyard.

"Hi sweetie!" Regina shouts at Emma. She kneels down so Emma can run over to her and give her a hug. "How was your first day in the first grade?" Regina smiles at her daughter.

Emma hugs her mother, "it was good, mom," she looks her mother in her eyes. "Miss Blanchard said I was very good at reading" she smiles.

"You sure are." Regina smiles. "Did miss Blanchard give you homework on this first day?"

"No she is giving us a week off," Emma says with a smile.

"That's nice of her." Regina smiles. She nodds towards Miss. Blanchard with a bright smile on her face. She likes to see her stepdaughter. "A whole week no homework, Miss Blanchard?" Regina winks at the girl.

"You're right, madam Mills," Mary Margaret says, "we have a relaxed start." She Lets her hands go through Emma's blond hair and smiles. "Emma is really good at reading already." She winks.

"I've heard." Regina smiles. "What shall we do with all this free time of no homework?" Regina acts like she's thinking very, very deeply. "I'm sure you don't want pancakes from Granny's, do you?" Regina winks at Emma.

"Yes yes yes! Mommy please can we!!?!!" Emma says with big eyes. She jumps up and down in front of Regina. Miss Blanchard starts to laugh.

Regina laughs too. "Yes, we can." Regina smiles. She takes Emma by her hand, greets Miss Blanchard and walks to Granny. When they enter Regina startles when she sees Robin sitting in a corner. She sits with Emma somewhere near him.

"Robin!" Emma shouts when he sees him. Robin looks over his shoulder and smiles, "hi there, Emma.” "Can't we sit with him, mommy?" Emma asks.

"Maybe we should ask Robin that?" Regina winks at her daughter.

"Yes of course you can join," Robin says before Emma can even ask him. He moves to the side and Emma sits down next to him. "How was your school day?" Robin asks and Emma starts telling them what she did at school.

Regina orders pancakes for the three of them before she sits down at the table across of Robin. She likes it when he and Emma talk. Robin is such a nice father figure. While Emma explains her whole day to Robin, Regina can't help but stare at him.

Robin smiles when their eyes meet, but then looks at Emma again. "I think you and miss Blanchard are my best friends," Emma tells Robin and she leans against his shoulder, "and mom of course, but that doesn't count."

Regina giggles. "You don't count me in? Maybe I should cancel those pancakes..." She winks at her little girl. "Kidding." She giggles again. She looks up at Robin. "Did you get a bit of rest today? You seem... You look less tired than you did this morning." she wants to know.

"I guess so," Robin says, "I slept a bit and wandered around in the woods," he fakes a smile for Emma. "You two should walk together," Emma says and she giggles.

Regina startles when her daughter says that. "Why do you think that, dear?" she softly smiles at Emma.

"So you can kiss of course," Emma says, "just like in the story miss Blanchard told us today!"

Regina feels her cheeks turning hot. She softly smiles. "Story? What story?"

Robin grins. "The story about Snow White!" Emma says exited, "but we just started reading."

Regina almost chokes on a piece of pancake. She quickly drinks a bit of water to swallow.   
"Snow... Snow White?" she mumbles.

Robin looks a bit worried, but Emma just answers, "you don't know that fairytale?"

"I'm not sure. What's it about?" Regina fakes a smile.

"About Snow White, the princess," Emma tells her mother, "about how she finds her prince and she calls him Charming." She laughs when she says that name. "I like the story, but miss Blanchard said, it will be less lovely tomorrow, so I'm really exited to hear the end!"

"Charming?" Regina thinks to herself. She has never heard that name before. Could it be Snow White has met him in the years she worked on the curse? But why aren't they together now? Were they afraid of the curse being a bad thing? Regina's head doesn't stop spinning.

"You don't like it?" Emma asks and she looks at Robin.

"I do like it, dear." Regina fakes another smile. "I'm actually curious to hear the end of the story. You tell me tomorrow, right?" Regina smiles again.

"Yes yes," Emma says and she stands up to go to the toilet. "What was that?" Robin says, "what's wrong with that story?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with that story." Regina doesn't look up at him. A tear runs down her face. She hates her mother so much. She destroyed everything by taking Snow and Robin away from her, not remembering her. Was it wrong to cast the Dark Curse? She has tried to make it not Dark. She tried to give everyone a good life. But somehow the Enchanted Forest knew she was working on this Curse... When families weren't with each other when she casted the Curse, they didn't end up together in Storybrooke. Maybe some people even were left behind.

"Well it seems like there is," Robin says, "Regina you almost choked..." He raises his eyebrow, "why this heavy reaction, it's just a story..." He sighs.

With all the energy she has in her body, Regina pulls herself together. "It is. It's just a story. I'm sorry." She wipes away the tear and pushes back the ones in her eyes. "Just a story." she mumbles when she looks at Robin. He's so different here than in The Enchanted Forest. Why is that? She really doesn't know.

Emma comes back and with giggle she sits down again. She is really out of breath. "The fairies almost got me," she laughs. She always makes imaginary figures in her head. She smiles, "but I was faster, right?"

Regina giggles. "Yes, you are faster than any fairy." she smiles at her little girl. "Do you finish your pancake, dear? It's getting dark outside and we should head home."

Emma sighs, "okay," she says and she takes the last piece of her pancake. She waves Robin goodbye and walks outside with Regina.

Regina smiles at Robin when she says goodbye to him. "I do hope you sleep a lot better this night." she smiles at him. She then walks outside with Emma. "You really like that story about Snow White, don't you?" she smiles at the little girl. "Tell me again while walking home?" she winks.

"Do you like it too?" Emma says with a big smile, "well the story starts when Snow White appears in a strange realm she doesn't know. I really want to know what happened before that... I'm going to ask... But Snow White appears in the woods and she seeks for a place to stay...".

Regina nodds. "Yes, dear. I like it too. Did Snow White found a place to stay?"

"Yes she did," Emma says, "do you know where?" A big smile appears on her face.

"I don't. I've never heard this story before. You tell me." Regina smiles brightly back at her daughter.

"That costs you..." Emma starts and she thinks of something good, "a kiss with Robin and a candy," she grins and looks at her mom.

Regina giggles. "I can get you that candy and I'm pretty sure Robin would love to get a kiss from you." She winks at Emma.

"No YOU need to kiss him!" Emma laughs.

"Me?" Regina giggles again. "Why do you want me to kiss Robin?"

"Because I want to see true love's kiss, a real kiss, not only words," Emma says, like it's the best idea of the world. "Snow White was woken up by Prince Charming with true love's kiss and it sounded like the best thing in the world!"

Regina stops walking and looks at Emma. "Woken up? How do you mean, Snow White was woken up?"

"The Wicked Witch put her under a sleeping curse," Emma says very seriously, "how can you not know that?"

"The Wicked Witch? Who's The Wicked Witch?" Regina wants to know. Her head spins again from all these new elements. She knows it's not just a story. It's her life. Her life back in The Enchanted Forest.

"I can't remember her real name... It sounded the same as your name, but really mommy I can't remember everything... Something with a 'Z'”.

"That's alright, dear. You don't have to remember everything right away. I'm proud of you for knowing all this about the story after hearing it just one time." Regina smiles at her daughter. She knows it's Zelena Emma is talking about but she doesn't say that name out loud. She can't make a mistake now. "The Wicked Witch had put Snow White under a sleeping curse and Prince Charming woke her up with a true loves kiss?" she then smiles.

"Yes yes," Emma says, "but we weren't there yet... Now you already know a big part..." Emma is a bit sad, "so are you going to kiss Robin for me?" Her eyes brighten again, "if you want to hear more...".

"How much I would love to kiss Robin, dear, that has to come from two sides. He has to want to kiss me too, otherwise it won't do anything good." Regina winks at her daughter. "You understand that, Emma?"

"Yes mommy I know that," Emma says, "but if I tell him you want to kiss him, he wants to kiss you too!" She already gets exited by the idea of telling Robin about it.

Regina bursts out in laughing. "Emma, it doesn't work that way." She giggles again. "He has to want it without being asked, you see?"

"Why is that?" Emma says, "that's not fair... I can try," she already turns around and starts to walk back to Granny's to find Robin and to proof her mother wrong.

"Emma!" Regina shouts at her daughter but there is no stopping her. She sees her going back into Granny's. Regina quickly runs after her and walks into Granny's as well, but when she sees Emma standing with Robin she knows she's too late to stop her daughter from asking that question to Robin.

"My mommy... Regina said she would love to kiss you," Emma says, "because I want to see true love's kiss, you want that too right?" "I'm sorry Emma," Robin says softly, "your mom and I are just friends...". Emma just stands there, "I don't believe you.”

"Emma, you've heard Robin. Come on." Regina softly says to her daughter. "We're just friends and friends don't kiss. Come on. You have to take a bath and go to bed. We need to go home." Regina doesn't look at Robin. His words hurt her.

When she feel her mother's hand on her arm she starts to cry, "I don't believe him, mom," Emma says through her tears.

Regina sighs. She lowers down to Emma's level and takes her into her arms. "It's alright. Come on. You are very tired."

"I'm not tired!" Emma shouts and she tries to get out of her mother's arms. "He is lying," she starts to cry now.

"Emma!" Regina now talks a little louder and with a stern voice. "It's time to go home!" Regina now does look at Robin. "I'm so sorry." she softly apologizes to him.

"I'm not going!" Emma shouts and she tries harder to get out, but Regina's arms wrapped around her tightly. "Let me go!" She screams and tears roll down her cheeks, "LET ME GO MOM!" "It's okay," Robin says back, "I'm sorry too."

"I can't calm her down, Robin. Maybe we should just get it over with?" Regina looks at him with desperation in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Robin says, "no Regina I'm sorry, I can't do that." "MOMMY!!" Emma screams. She is crying very hard.

"Emma!" Regina now shouts. "Can you please stop this nonsense? Come on! We're going home!" Regina takes Emma by her arm and pulls her outside. But Regina trips and falls flat down on the ground.

Emma runs away when Regina falls down. "I hate you!" She shouts. Robin quickly runs to Regina and gets her up, "are you all right?" he whispers.

"Yes, I am." Regina doesn't look at him. "I have to go." Regina quickly runs after her daughter. She's taller than her and also quicker. She grabs her by her arm. "What were you thinking, Emma?!" Regina snaps at her daughter.

"Let me go!" Emma only shouts very hard.

"Emma, what's gotten into you?!" Regina looks up when someone suddenly stands next to her.

"Need some help, madam Mills," Mary Margaret asks and she kneels down in front of Emma. "Calm down sweetheart," she whispers and Emma stops screaming. "I hate my mom! And Robin, I hate him too!" she says.

Regina looks over her shoulder to the diner and notices Robin is still lingering there. She also kneels down before Emma. "Why do you hate us, dear?" she whispers softly.

Emma looks away and says nothing to Regina. "You didn't do it!" Emma says, and I want that." "Emma you don't hate your mother," Mary Margaret says. Emma's anger becomes sadness and she starts to cry. She lets herself fall in miss Blanchard's arms and just cries on her shoulder.

"Emma, you've heard what Robin said. We're just friends." Regina whispers.

"You're not!" Emma shouts and she cries even harder, "I want to be with miss Blanchard not woth you! You two don't like me!"

Regina doesn't know what to say. A tear runs down her face. She turns around because she doesn't want Emma see her crying. She notices Robin is still at Granny's.

Mary Margaret lifts Emma up and strokes her back, "Emma you're just going home woth your mother," she whispers, "she loves you kore than anyone, I promise." "She doesn't!" Emma shouts. Miss Blanchard says nothing but just starts to sing a song. Emma starts to calm down a bit. Robin walks to them.

Regina looks up at Robin when she sees him walking towards them. She doesn't know what to say or what to do.

"I'll take a walk with Emma, if you two want to talk for a bit," Mary Margaret whispers to Regina.

"That's alright." Regina whispers back. She looks up at Robin when he stands next to them now. "Yes?" Regina just asks him.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see if you were all right," Robin says, "I'm sorry about what happened."

"That's alright. It's not your fault. Like you said... We're just friends, right?" Regina looks at Emma. "It just would have been easier to show her a kiss between the two of us wouldn't do anything special. But I've heard you, loud and clear."

"But we would lie to her," Robin says, "or at least... I would lie to her and one day she would find out about it anyways...".

"You're no help, I do hope you know that." Regina turns her back to him. "Emma, come on, we need to go." Regina says to her daughter with a stern voice.

"Fine," Robin says, "good luck," and he walks away. But when Emma hears her mother's voice she starts to cry again. She just calmed down...

"Robin!" Regina shouts out in desperation. "Just kiss me!" Regina pulls Robin towards her and gives him a long kiss on his lips.

"Don't," Robin whispers and he pulls back, "what were you thinking, Regina?"

Regina turns around to face Emma. "You see? Nothing happend. Like Robin said... We're just friends. Now come on. We're going home. NOW." Regina grabs Emma by her hand and pulls her with her.

Emma strarts to scream again, when Regina grabs her hand. She doesn't walk, but her mother is stronger and pulls her with her. "Regina please this is not the way," miss Blanchard says as she stops in front of Regina.

"I know you want to help, Miss Blanchard, but this is between my and my daughter who is throwing a tantrum and I'm sick of it." Regina looks over her shoulder. "Thanks for nothing." she snaps at Robin. "Emma, come on." Regina now picks up the girl and starts to walk homewards.

"I want to stay with miss Blachard not with you!" Emma shouts and she pulls up her legs so she falls down on her knees and can't walk. She looks even more angry than before and tries to free her hand, which Regina is strongly holding.

"You can't stay with Miss Blanchard, Emma, you need to come home with me, to your own bed. Come on, dear. I can imagine you must be very tired now." Regina picks Emma up again and softly strokes her hair. "Come on, dear. I didn't mean to get angry at you, I'm sorry." Regina looks at Emma, in those pretty blue eyes. "You can sleep with me if you want to?"

"Yes," Emma whispers through her tears. She still cries and her body shakes, but she starts to calm down. Regina's shoulders is completely wet.

Regina turns around to Miss Blanchard. "Thank you, Miss Blanchard. Robin." Regina nodds towards the man and then carries her daughter home. Before she even gets there, Emma has fallen asleep in her arms. Carefully Regina takes her daughter to bed and puts on her pyjama's. For a while there she strokes her blonde hair. Afterwards Regina sinks down on her own bed and immediately falls asleep. 

The next morning Regina wakes up Emma just like every other morning. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Regina asks her daughter while stroking her cheeks.

"Good," Emma whispers, "I wanted to sleep in your bed.” She is still tired and gets up slowly, her hair messy around her cheek. She smiles. "I love you mommy," she whispers very softly.

"I love you too, sweetie." Regina softly smiles at her little girl and gives her a big hug. She strokes through her messy hair. "What do you say about sleeping in my bed tonight?" Regina suggests.

"Yes," Emma says and she smiles, "I would love that," she hugs her mom back and then gets up.

"That's settled then." Regina smiles back. "Now come on. I've ordered breakfast at Granny's!" Regina and Emma get ready for the day and then take off to Granny's. While talking to Emma on the way over there Regina doesn't see exactly where she's going and she startles when she bumps into someone.

"I'm sorry, Regina," Leopold says and he looks up to her.

"No, I'm sorry." Regina quickly apologizes. "I wasn't looking where I was going so... I'm sorry." Regina looks up at Leopold.

"It's all right," Leopold says with a smile, "how are you doing?"

"Fine. Just fine." Regina looks at Emma. "Emma, this is the Sheriff of Storybrooke." she introduces the man to her daughter.

"Hi Sheriff," Emma says and she grabs her mothers arm. "Hi Emma," Leopold says, "you've grown so much," he smiles, "well... I don't want to hold you two up, have a great day.”

"Thank you. You too. Give my best to Eva, alright?" Regina and Emma continue their way to the diner. "Are you alright, Emma? You seemed a bit afraid of the Sheriff?"

"He looks so strong," Emma says, "and you didn't smile anymore."

"I didn't?" Regina softly smiles. "You notice everything, don't you?" She winks at her daughter while entering Granny's diner. She startles when she sees Robin sitting already in their favorite spot.

Emma smiles. 

When Robin sees Regina coming in, he stands up, "thank you Granny," Robin says and he lays the money on the bar. He walks past Emma and Regina and greets them. "Aren't you staying with us?" Emma asks Robin angrily. "No, I'm sorry, Emma, I'm busy today," Robin answers and he walks away, without looking Regina in her eyes.

Regina swallows away her tears and her sadness. "Come on, Emma. It's alright. We can sit at our favorite place then." Regina lets Emma take place and tells her to stay there. She then quickly goes outside. "Robin?" Regina asks him. "Why do you act like this?"

Robin sighs, "Why I act like this?" he says, "I think you know exactly why, Regina."

"No, I don't. So tell me?"

"If you want to act like nothing happened, fine, but I'm not going to do that!" Robin says.

"You're talking about that kiss? Robin, please, I just wanted to show Emma nothing would happen if the two of us kissed. Like you already said a thousand times by now, we are just friends and nothing more. I'm sorry about what I did, I really am, but I was desperated. She just wouldn't stop crying and screaming!"

"You knew I didn't want it," Robin says, "but you still did it. And it doesn't matter if it's a kiss or something else, I just thought I was clear about it! The kiss didn't even help, did it? You should have waited, she would have calmed down if you just gave her the time...".

"Maybe. Maybe not. I just... I just wanted her to stop. She would have keep wining for a kiss between the two of us and now that's done... She can't complain any longer. I'm sorry, Robin."

"I'm glad your satisfied," Robin says sarcastically, "I hopes Emma gets used to have breakfast without me, I'm going to be very busy next weeks."

Regina nodds very softly. "It's not her fault. I do hope you can see that through all your anger and not punish her for what I did." A tear runs down Regina's face when she turns around. She wipes away that tear and goes back into Granny's with a smile.

"I won't," Robin says and he walks away. "What did you do?" Emma asks, "why did Robin have to go?"

"He's just having a busy day, dear. It's nothing." Regina smiles. "Are you excited about hearing the rest of the story with Miss Blanchard?" she then asks her daughter.

"Yes," Emma says, "I still have to tell you the rest of the story I heard yesterday...".

"Will you do that? Please? You've made me very curious!" Regina listens carefully to her daughter when she tells the rest of the story.

"Snow White stayed with the dwarfs," Emma tells her mother, "they were very kind to her. And one day she met the prince in the woods, because she wanted to steal from him." Emma giggles.

"Snow White wanted to steal? But she's a Princess, isn't she? How come she had to steal?"

"In that new realm she wasn't a princes, mom," Emma says very seriously, "nobody knew her there and she just did the cleaning work for the dwarfs, but she had to steal to get enough money to survive...".

"Do you know in what realm that was, dear?" Regina curiously asks her daughter.

"No I've no idea..." Emma says with a sad face.

"That's alright." Regina smiles. "Maybe Miss Blanchard will tell you that today? So... What else did you read about yesterday?"

"True love's kiss," Emma whispers and she carfully looks up to her mom.

"Tell me. What's that all about?"

"The Wicked Witch was married with a boy, Daniel, they call him," Emma comes closer to Regina as if she wants to tell her deepest secret, "The Darkened Man," she whispers.

Regina looks up at her daughter. "The Darkened Man? What do you mean?"

"Someone darkened him, someone darkened his soul, but he and the Wicked Witch loved each other more than anyone! She had a black soul too."

"Who darkened his soul? And why would someone do that?"

"It was the Evil Queen," Emma says, "she was very evil, she lived in another realm, but Daniel got away."

Regina's eyes glance over to Emma's. "The Evil Queen?" she whispers softly.

"Yes," Emma says, "she pushed him away like he was nothing, after he tried to get to her for years! But she loved someone else and broke their promise. She blackened his soul, that's what happened."

Regina swallows. "I'm sure she didn't mean to do that, right?"

"Well she broke their promise, I think that's not really kind of her.”

Regina nodds. "Maybe that's true." she whispers. A tear falls down her cheek. "What happens next?"

"Why are your crying, mommy," Emma says and she almost starts to cry herself when she sees it, "don't you like it?"

"No, dear, I love it. It's just so sad for the Evil Queen, don't you think? Tell me, what happens to her and the rest of the people in the story?"

"Sad for the Evil Queen?" Emma says surprised, "you mean Daniel, don't you?"

"For the both of them. Tell me, Emma, what happens next?"

Emma is still surprised but she goes on, "With Snow White or Daniel?"

"Both. And The Evil Queen." Regina winks.

"The Evil Queen is another chapter, I don't know much about her, she lives in another realm like I told you," Emma says, "but Snow White and Prince Charming fall in love and Snow White becomes the princes."

"That's nice to hear." Regina smiles. "So Snow White and Prince Charming live a happy life then?"

"No because Snow White accidentally killed The Wicked Witch and Daniel's child when it was torturing another boy. Their boy was just as wicked and dark as they were." She grins.

"Snow did what?!" Regina shouts out. "Snow killed a child?"

"Yes," Emma says and she she gets a bit scared, "but it was an accident, and he was hurting someone else." She whispers.

Regina nodds. "I understand that. So what happened then?"

"You're acting strange mom..." Emma only says.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so curious about this story, dear." Regina smiles brightly. "Can you tell me?"

"The Wicked Witch created a sleeping curse for Snow White and forced her to take it in."

"Forced her? How could she force Snow White to take it in?"

"She captured Prince Charming," Emma whispers.

Regina whispers back to her little daughter. "So Snow took the sleeping potion? And... Let me guess... Prince Charming woke her up by a true love's kiss?"

Emma starts to smile very bright, "yes that's exactly what happened!" and that's were the story ended yesterday."

"That's one exciting story Miss Blanchard has chosen." Regina smiles. "Will you tell me how the story continues tonight? You can read me a bedtime story then. What do you think?" Regina winks at her girl.

"Okay fine," Emma says with a smile and she starts to laugh.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Regina giggles. They both finish their breakfast. Afterwards Regina walks Emma to school and gives her a hug and a kiss on her forehead when she hands her over to Miss Blanchard. "I'll pick you up after school, dear. You pay attention to the story." Regina winks at her daughter. She then turns around and without really looking where she walks she bumps against someone.

"Can't you look where you place your feet, madam Mayor," Cora says angrily when the coals fall out of her arms on the ground.

"I'm sorry." Regina doesn't look at her mother while walking away from her.

"You don't even help me picking it up," Cora snaps and she starts to collect her stuff.

Regina quickly turns around. "No. No, I don't, indeed. Because you don't deserve to be helped!" she snaps. Regina turns back around again and starts running home.

Cora looks at the mayor, "can you tell me why?" Cora shouts, when Regina runs away, "it was your fault!"

Regina doesn't look back. She hates her mother so very much, she's afraid she won't be able to control herself any longer. Regina runs towards her home and locks herself in her room. She doesn't want to see anyone. She doesn't respond on phonecalls and doesn't open the door when someone rings the bell.

Emma's school day is finished, but when she looks around the schoolyard she doesn't see her mother. She just sits down on the bench and starts to read the book Miss Blanchard gave her today. The book with all the tales she likes so much.

Just a couple of minutes too late Regina picks up Emma from school. "Hi dear." she smiles at her daughter. "Sorry I'm late." Regina sits down on the bench next to the girl. She's exhausted but she doesn't show that. "What's that?" she asks while pointing at the book.

"A book Miss Blanchard gave me," Emma says, not looking up, because she is to busy reading.

Regina softly giggles. "You are so busy reading in that thing. Shall we go home and maybe you want to read to me while I make dinner?" Regina winks at Emma and softly takes the book out of her hands. "Come on. Just a quick walk home and you can go on reading then."

Emma sighs, but gets up, "it's nice here," Emma says, "but I'll come with you," she walks home, sits down on the couch and starts reading again.

Regina smiles. "I know it was nice outside but I have to get you some food ready, don't I? Will you read to me while I make dinner, dear?"

"I rather tell you then to read to you," Emma sighs and she closes the book, "what do you want to hear?" She smiles.

"The story of the Evil Queen? How does that go?" Regina wants to know.

"Well you can only read the story through the eyes of the hero's, so the Evil Queen only has a story because of Snow White." She turns the pages to the start of the story of Snow White. She was a child of Eva and Leopold, but Leopold couldn't marry her, because he was already marrying the Evil Queen... Do you think she has a name, mom?" Emma interrupts her own story.

"I'm sure she has a name, dear." Regina smiles softly. "What else do you know about her?" Regina isn't pleased to hear that The Evil Queen, she, doesn't have a story of her own. Doesn't her side matter? How is she portrayed in the story of Snow White?

"Snow White's father died because of the Evil Queen, she is called evil because she did terrible thing, really terrible things, mom, but she kept hidden from Snow White that she killed her father... Why would she do that? Why would someone do such terrible things and kill the king? She must be very Evil don't you think?" Emma sighs and looks at her mother.

Regina looks at her daughter. "Maybe The Queen had good reasons, dear. There are always different sides to a story. Maybe the Queen didn't want to marry the King and was she trying to escape from that life?" Regina suggests.

"I don't think so mommy. She likes the power really much, so I think she wanted to be the Queen and pushed Eva away on purpose... And how can there be a good reason to kill people?"

"I don't know, dear." Regina whispers. The question her daughter just asked her made her think. Why did she have to kill all those people? A little voice inside her head knows the answers and she knows it's the truth. Because she had to. It was the only way to get out of that life with The King. Regina looks at her daughter again. "Maybe The Queen didn't like to be married to The King. Maybe he was a horrible husband." she softly answers.

"I don't like some the people in my class, but I would never kill them," Emma says, "killing is Evil and if she didn't like it, why did she still do it then?" She looks at her mother and doesn't know what's wrong with her. She almost says killing is good...

Regina softly smiles at her daughter. "Killing people is very Evil, dear, you've got that right." Regina continues getting dinner ready. "Go on. What's next in the story?"

"Well she is a very good mother for Snow White and they have a happy life together," Emma continues, "until someone send them away, I can't find who it was... Send Snow White and the Queen's new lover to another realm. And in the time between those things she abandoned Daniel, because of her new lover."

"It sounds to me that The Queen has had a rough life. Don't you think, dear?" Regina softly asks.

"I think she did," Emma says softly and she turns the page, "don't you like to hear the hero's stories? Heroes defeat the villains and get happy endings."

"Isn't The Queen a hero? What did she do when Snow White and her new lover were taken away from her?"

"Mom, no of course she isn't," Emma says, "heroes don't do what she did," Emma looks at her mother with a look full of surprise and she doesn't understand, "why do you think she is a hero?"

"I don't think she's a hero but I'm not sure if that makes her a villain. Maybe she's just a woman who has coped with life in the best way she thought possible?" Regina suggests.

"Mom that's nonsense, why are you on her side? I'm on the side of the heroes, like everyone, why don't you?"

Regina doesn't answer. "Put that book away, dear, it's time to have dinner. I've made your favorite; lasagna." Regina smiles at her daughter. "You can read again after dinner if you want."

"Can I read for a little while longer?" Emma says, "the lasagna is really hot like always... Please mom?"

"5 more minutes then." Regina smiles while taking the lasagna out of the oven. Emma is right. It's really hot. Regina sits down next to Emma on the couch. "So... What did that Evil Queen do when Snow White and her new lover were taken away from her?" she wants to know again.

"The book doesn't tell," Emma says, "like I said it's only about the heroes, but maybe later on in the book, when the queen comes across another hero... I haven't finished the whole book yet."

"Will you tell me when you find out something new about her?" Regina smiles at her daughter.

"Yes, but why?" Emma asks her mother, "she is a villain, don't you like to know more about the heroes? Like everyone?"

"I would love to hear everything that's in that book. Will you read it to me?" Regina smiles again.

"Okay," Emma says, "maybe I can read even better after that and maybe miss Blanchard will let me read for the class too." Emma smiles, "I'll read it to you."

"That's something I like to hear. I'm glad you're enjoying school and reading." Regina smiles at her daughter. "You read. I'll listen." Regina smiles and closes her eyes to focus solely on her daughter's voice.

"...and there lies Snow White, surrounded by the seven dwarf. They all cry. When they start to leave a man on a horse arrives...". Emma reads and she goes on. She tells her how she becomes princes and about the villains and other heroes, she tells her everything until she reaches the wedding. "Shall we eat now?" Emma says softly, she felt a bit hungry now.

Regina smiles. "Yes, of course. You must be very hungry, dear. You read so well." Together they start eating the lasagna Regina had prepared for them. "I really wonder what happened to The Evil Queen after Snow White and her new lover were taken away from her. Don't you want to know that?" Regina asks Emma during dinner.

"Why do you want to know that mom?" Emma asks without answering her mother's question.

"I just think she has an interesting story to tell. Don't you?"

"I think Snow White's story is interesting, because almost the whole book is about her, but I don't understand why you only want to hear about her...".

Regina softly smiles. "I don't understand myself either, dear." Regina giggles. "I'm just always curious at the background story of characters like her."

"That's really weird," Emma says with a laugh. "I wish I was a princess...".

Regina smiles. "You do? Why is that?"

"Princesses are beautiful and they live in a palace," Emma says with a sigh, "they can dance in beautiful dresses and kiss the prince they love, and I would always be kind to my people so they all love me...".

Regina softly smiles but doesn't say anything back. She knows that's not how it all works. "Have you finished your lasagna, dear? I'll do the dishes tomorrow. Do you want to read me some more?"

"You don't think I would be a good princess, do you?" Emma says, when her mother doesn't react. She doesn't move.

Regina startles by this reaction of her daughter. "Emma..." Regina sinks down before Emma who's still sitting on her chair at the kitchen table. "I think you would make an excellent princess." With love in her eyes Regina looks at her daughter.

"Then why didn't you says something," Emma says and she leans with her chin on her hands. She smiles to her mom.

"Because I think there's more to being a Princess than all the fun things. Princesses are taught from a very young age how to be a Queen and that's hard work." Regina winks at her daughter.

"How do you know that?" Emma says.

Regina winks again. "A little fairy told me." She giggles. "So... How about that reading?"

"Tell me about that fairy then," Emma laugs. "It's time that you tell me something." She smiles of excitement.

"Not before we've figured out what happens to that Evil Queen in your book." Regina teases her daughter.

"I won't tell you until you tell me.”

"Well..." Regina smiles while sinking down on the couch in the living room and pulling Emma against her. "Sometimes I get a little visit from a little fairy. Her name is Tinkerbell. She has told me some things about The Enchanted Forest and the life of a Princess and a Queen. She also told me..." Regina starts to tickle Emma. "To tickle you as often as I can because it makes you laugh!" Regina laughs while tickling her little girl.

"No no no," Emma shouts and she cant stop laughing. "Stop stop stop," she laughs even harder and when ahe finally frees herself from her mother's arms, ahe takes the book and runs to her room and locks it, still giggling.

Regina smiles. She loves to see her daughter like this. Happy like this. She shouts towards Emma's bedroom. "You better be reading that book there because I'm really curious about everything that happens in it." Regina smiles again. She startles when the doorbell rings. She opens the door.

"Hey Regina," Eva says. She holds Leopold's hand and smiles, "do you have time to talk for a little while? You can say no if your busy."

Regina looks up at Leopold, a little suspicous. "Yes. Yes, of course. Please, come in." Regina invites Eva and Leopold to come inside and shows them the way to her living room. "Please, sit down." Regina herself sits down across of them. "What do you want me to talk about?"

"Well," Eva says and she smiles to Leopold when she talks, "we are getting married," her smile grows even brighter.

Regina smiles back to the woman in front of her. "That's wonderful!" She looks over at Leopold. "Congratulations."

"We wanted to tell you first," Leopold says holding Eva's arm, "yeah," Eva continues, "since you're the one who brought us together." Eva looks at Leopold again and he squeezes her hand, "thank you for that Regina, we realized we never did that."

Regina softly nodds towards Leopold. "It's my pleasure." She winks at Eva. "I hope you two will have a wonderful life together. You deserve it, both of you." Regina smiles again, this time at Leopold. She can't read his eyes and she still feels afraid of him.

"Why are you still afraid of me," Leopold says suddenly. Eva looks surprised and grabs his arm when he stands up. But Leopold is stronger and walks to Regina.

Regina quickly gets up from her seat and stands closely before Leopold now. "Leopold..." she whispers softly.

"What are you doing," Eva whispers. "Yes," Leopold snaps without listening to Eva, "I'm listening...". Eva gets up and tries to pull Leopold away from Regina.

"Because of this. Because of the way you react." Regina whispers, while taking steps back away from him.

"But I was just sitting, Regina," he reacts, "I wasn't even doing anything, and I haven't been doing anything to you for a long time! And you're still looking at me as if I'm trying to kill you!"

"Don't yell at me, please." Regina softly says to him. "I can't help being afraid of you, Leopold. Just because you're a gentleman now doesn't mean I've forgotten all the things that happened in our past." Regina doesn't dare to look up at him, afraid of being punished for this. Will he dare to do that now Eva is here?

"Stop, please," Eva says and she now stands between the two , "can you please tell me what's going on here? Who's Leopold and what happened that make you so angry?"

Regina just looks at Leopold, waiting for him to answer Eva's question. When he doesn't answer, Regina does. "Leopold is his real name. He... He tried to start his life over, here in Storybrooke, using a new name." Regina whispers. "His life never was an easy one, so you can't blame him for that, Eva. It's alright. I've just... I've just always known him as Leopold, not as Graham."

"So you two have been lying to me this whole time?" Eva says with tears in her eyes. She focusses on Regina. She doesn't want to hear it from Graham... No Leopold, she loves him too much.

"I'm sorry, Eva, I really am. Leopold really is a good man. He deserves to have his happiness with you. You two are perfect for one another, believe me." Regina looks at Leopold now. "I'm trying not to be afraid of you, but it's not that easy to switch off."

"Why is he a good man?" Eva says, she feels almost desperate, "you don't seem to like him very much...".

"We... We have history together. Not shiny and blooming history. We both... We both have made mistakes. But deep down I know Leopold is a good man." Regina softly answers Eva's question. "It's just hard for me to forget what happened in the past."

"What happened then?" Eva asks Regina. She feels Leopold's hands around her and it makes her feel safe, but she still wants to know.

"That's between Leopold and me, Eva, you have to understand that." Regina softly answers.

"We are getting married," Eva bursts out, "I deserve the truth," she is almost crying, "sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm sorry," she takes a deep breath.

"It's alright. If anyone should tell you, it's Leopold." Regina looks up at him.

"Easy to pass the hard part over to me, but I will," Leopold snaps, "but not here.” Eva looks at Regina with tears in her eyes and leans against Leopold's chest.

Regina startles when he snaps at her. She just wants to give him a chance to tell their history in his own words. She looks away from him. "I think you two need to talk without me. It's getting late. I have a busy day tomorrow."

"You can just say it if you want us to leave," Leopold says, "you don't have to think of an excuse," he takes Eva to the front door. "Let's go home," he whispers in her ear and she nods. Without Eva looking he looks at Regina with anger in his eyes.

Regina just looks at him with fear in her eyes. Is he going to hurt her?

They walk away and close the door behind them.

Regina sighs with relief. She walks upstairs to the bedroom of her daughter, only to find her still reading in bed. "Still caught up in that book I see?" Regina smiles.

"I'm almost finished," Emma says, "it's so wonderful!" She turns the page and looks at her mother. She didn't hear a thing... And she had no idea what was going on down stairs. "You waited all the time until I unlocked the door?" Emma asks with a smile.

"I didn't know you had locked your door." Regina smiles. "Let's hear, what did you read about when I was downstairs?"

" I found out the Evil Queen's name!" Emma says full of exitement, "she has the same name as you have, Regina, not that that's really nice for you, but it's surprising, and of course Snow and Charming have a baby now."

"Well, I'm honoured I'm a Queen." Regina giggles. She then continues. "Snow White and Prince Charming have a child? Do you know his name?" Regina smiles at her daughter.

"Yes they do mom," Emma says, " and it's a girl," she giggles.

"A girl? Do you know her name too?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes I do," Emma giggles, she is really exited to tell her mom about it, "you have to guess!"

"Let me think..." Regina pretends to think very hard about it. "Eva?"

"No," Emma says, "but you're close.”

"Elsa?"

"First and last letter right, mom.”

Regina's heart freezes when she puts two and two together. "Emma?" she whispers.

"Yes Emma," Emma says and she almost jumps of excitement, "just like me.”

"What a coincedence." Regina whispers. She looks ar her daughter. "Did you find out something else?"

"Snow White fears that her stepmother, Regina, will cast a curse, but I haven't found out if that happens... It's in the end I think" Emma tells her mother, "and I found out something about the evil queen too!"

"What did you find out, dear?" Regina softly smiles.

"Everyone called the Queen, Snow White's stepmother, but Snow White herself didn't, she called her mother, not even stepmother and she said she was good, not evil! but no one believed her." Emma says, "I love Snow White...".

Regina smiles. Snow White indeed always calles her mother. How she misses that time. Everything was perfect before Cora took them from her. Now she at least can see her daughter Snow. She doesn't remember her but at least they are together in the same realm. A tear runs down Regina's face. "Snow White seems like a very nice person, doesn't she?" Regina agrees with Emma.

"Yes, she does," Emma says, "she keeps saying that her mother would never send her away to another realm, that it must have been someone else who send her away, maybe her mother, and that if she did it she would forgive her, because she found Charming in this new realm. But still no one believes her. She also doesn't believe she would cast that dark curse... Do you think the queen will cast it?" Emma interrupts her story.

Regina softly smiles. This is her chance. "I think so. I think that if Snow White was taken away from her by her own mother, I do think The Evil Queen will cast that curse. Do you know what The Dark Curse does, Emma? The Dark Curse sends everyone to another realm, another world. A world without magic where no one remembers who he really is. I do think The Evil Queen would cast that curse if that would mean she would be with her daughter Snow White again. Even though Snow wouldn't remember her." Regina looks at Emma to see if she understands what her mother just told her.

Emma is shocked, "how can you know what that curse does, mom?" Emma says, "I thought you didn't know the story..." Emma looks at her mom, "but your idea is great, yes..." Emma sighs, but then she turns to her mother again, "but how do you know about the curse?"

"Tinkerbell told me." Regina winks at her daughter. "Alright, maybe I do know the story a little bit. But not as good as you and certainly not everything about it." she now smiles at Emma. "So... What do you think about the Evil Queen now you know this about her?"

"You are lying to me," Emma giggles, "you know exactly how it works, you must have stolen my book when I was sleeping," she laughs and brings her eyes very close to her mother's and raises her eyebrows.

Regina winks. "Maybe I did." she giggles. Easy way out. "Now tell me. What do you think about the Evil Queen now you know about these things?"

"Not until you tell me the truth, how did you steal it?" Emma says very seriously, but she can't help but giggle.

"It wasn't that hard. You sleep like a rose and you wouldn't wake up when there's a bomb exploding next to you." Regina giggles back. "Now, tell me, Emma." she smiles.

"Oh you!" Emma laughs and she lets herself fall on the bed, "I don't know...".

"Do you still see her as The Evil Queen or more like a human being like everyone else?" Regina softly asks her daughter.

"A human being can also be evil, of course she is like everyone... But then a bit more evil...".

Regina smiles softly. "You're right, dear." She looks at the watch on her wrist. "It's time to go to sleep, Emma. Just 5 more minutes and then lights off, alright?"

"Yes," Emma sighs, "and don't steal my book tonight!"

Regina giggles. "I won't, I promise." She gives Emma a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, dear." Regina softly closes the door and reminds herself to check with Emma in 5 minutes to see if she has put out the light. She walks downstairs and startles when she sees the light on in the living room. "I've put that out." she whispers to herself. She walks into the living room and startles when she sees someone standing in the middle of it.

"Regina, what a pleasure," Leopold says, "I just wanted to thank you... For making Eva hate me."

"Leopold." Regina whispers. She immediately takes a step back. "How did you get in here?"

"I still have a key," Leopold says.

Of course he has, Regina thinks to herself. "You've said your thanks. Now go." she snaps at him.

"O no," Leopold says, "I won't go of course, that would be to good for you."

Regina bumps to the wall while taking steps away from him. "What do you want, Leopold? There is nothing for you here. Please go."

"You are here and that's enough for me," Leopold says and he walks towards Regina, "and o yes, Emma is also here, hurting her would be a good way to hurt you...".

"Don't touch her. She's just a child." Regina snaps again. She walks towards Leopold as well. "You can hurt me all you want but leave her out of this." she whispers.

"I already thought you would say that," Leopold says, "too bad," he sighs.

"Leopold, please." Regina whispers, now standing very close before him. "Please." She looks him straight in the eyes and leads his hand to the zipper of her dress.

"O you want this," Leopold says and he brings her zipper down, "you are trying to distract me." He brings his hand to her throat.

"Don't you want this too?" Regina whispers. She pushes down his pants and looks at him. "I know you do." she whispers now.

"I do, indeed" Leopold says while he starts to undress Regina, "but I also want something else."

"Hmm?" Regina inquires while undressing him too. She needs to keep him down here, with her, and not let him go upstairs to Emma. When they are both naked, Regina pulls him above her on the couch.

Leopold strokes Regina's cheeks, "so how is Emma doing," he whispers in her ear, "is she just as weak as you are?"

"She's not." Regina whispers. She looks Leopold into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers.

Leopold goes on, but then he stops and gets of the couch. "I think I'll have a look of Emma is alright," he grins and he starts to dress himself.

"Leopold, no, please." Regina begs. She quickly gets out of the couch and stands in front of him. "I'll do everything you ask of me. Please." she whispers. "Please, Leopold."

"Sorry" Leopold whispers, "not this time," he walks to the door, "now get dressed and tell Emma to come with me... If you don't I'll hurt her" he smiles.

"I won't do that." Regina whispers. "Eva will never forgive you if she knows about this." Regina looks Leopold in his eyes. "Everything. I'll do everything you ask of me. Please." Tears run down her face.

"All I asked for was love, and you gave me that," Leopold says, "but then you ruined it again. I told her the truth and now she hates me. I don't care what's she thinks of this, I've lost her anyway...".

"If you hurt Emma she will never forgive you. Please, Leopold, let me talk to Eva for you. Let me try to fix this." Regina now stands very closely before Leopold and lets her hand slide down his pants. "Please." she whispers. "I promise I can fix it for you."

"Okay, I'll give you a chance," Leopold whispers and he holds her very close now, "but if it doesn't work, I'll get Emma, you can be sure about that."

Regina slowly nodds. "I understand." she whispers. She kisses him softly. "You like this, don't you?" she smiles at him.

"The time for fun is over," Leopold whispers.

"So you don't want me?" Regina takes a step back. "Fine. I will talk to Eva tomorrow. You can go now." Regina turns around.

"Nobody wants you," Leopold snaps. He walks away and leaves Regina's house.

Regina quickly dresses herself. She knows Leopold is right. No one wants her and she can't blame them. She's a horrible person. That night Regina cries herself to sleep. She wakes up very early the next morning. She sends a text to Robin to see if he's alright. *Are you alright?* she sends him.

*yes I'm fine, what about you?* Robin sends back. He is surprised Regina sends him something and he is almost sure something happened...

*I'm fine too.* Regina sends back. *I want to say sorry. About kissing you that day. I'm really sorry about that. It won't happen again. Can you forgive me?*

*It's okay, of course I forgive you, I just needed some time. But why do you tell me this now?*

*I just wanted you to know I'm really sorry. Do you think I'm a horrible person, Robin? Honestly.*

*No of course not, don't think that. Shall I come to you, we can talk about it if you want*

*Do you really want to come over? Emma is staying home today. Is that alright?*

*that's fine, doesn't she have school?*

*She doesn't have to go to school today. I don't want it. When do you want to come over?*

*huh? You can explain me later. Shall I come now? I have a day off*

*If you want to, yes, please.* Regina quickly goes upstairs to Emma and sees she's still sound asleep. She doesn't want to send her to school today, too afraid Leopold will get her there. Regina dresses herself for the day and makes coffee. When Robin knocks on the door, she opens it and welcomes him with a big smile. She doesn't want him to know how bad she's feeling and she hopes he doesn't notice any of it. Her lips may smile but her eyes certainly don't.

Robin smiles back, but Regina can't make him think she's happy. Her eyes are almost more sad than he has ever seen them. "Hi," Robin says, and he winks, showing her that she can stop pretending that she is happy.

Regina leads him into the living room. "Do you want some coffee? It's pretty early in the morning, I'm sorry." she whispers softly.

"Yes please, thank you," Robin says and he sits down the table. "It doesn't matter, I always wake up early."

Regina softly nodds and quickly walks over to the kitchen to get some coffee for Robin and herself. She then sits down next to Robin on the big couch but she keeps her distance. She wants to sit close to him but she doesn't know if he wants that. And besides that... She doesn't like being touched by a man right now. She's too afraid. "I do hope the coffee is good." she whispers softly. "I don't make it as good as Granny's."

"I doubt if anyone can make better coffee than Granny, I think it's impossible," he says and he takes a bit of his coffee, "but this one is also very good, thanks." He just sits and drinks his coffee in silent, "it's okay..." he then says, "it's okay about the kiss," he smiles a bit.

Regina shakes her head. "No, it is not. I shouldn't have done it." she softly whispers.

"I'm not saying that you should have done it, but I accept your apology, Regina, so... It's okay now.”

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers. She looks up at him but keeps her distance.

Before Robin can says something, Emma runs into the room, "mom!" she says, but she almost shouts, "you forgot to wake me for school, now I will be too late," she runs to the kitchen to eat something.

"Emma?" Regina calls Emma back to the living room. "You're not going to school today. You can stay with me and read in your book. I thought you'd like that." Regina smiles at her daughter.

"I'm sorry mom, I can't," Emma says, while she pics up a piece of bread, "she told me I could read in front of the class today, and I really want that and besides that why would I stay home?"

"Because I say so. You can read in front of the class another time, dear. Today you're staying home." Regina decides with a stern tone of voice.

"No mom, I really want to go, please" Emma begs, "there is no reason to let me stay here, and I will go!"

"No, you won't. Today you are staying right here with me. End of discussion." Regina directs Emma to the table in the dining room so she can keep an eye on her daughter.

"Why?!" Emma shouts and she immediately gets up again.

"Because I say so!" Regina snaps. "Now sit down. I don't want to hear anything about it!" A tear runs down Regina's face. She doesn't want to be angry with her daughter but this is the only way she can think of to keep her safe.

"It's not fair!" Emma yells and she runs away to her room, ready to climb out of the window. She will go to school!

Regina knew her daughter would do such a thing. She runs behind her to her room and pulls her downstairs. "I said SIT DOWN." Regina snaps, this time with a louder voice. "I don't want to hear anything about it anymore!" When Regina walks back to the living room, her hands shakes. Her whole body shakes.

"It's not fair," Emma yells again and she starts to cry, "this May be my only chance and you are ruining everything!" She is really angry now.

"Emma, I promise I will tell Ms. Blanchard to let you read in front of the class tomorrow. I promise. Is that a deal we can make for you to be good again?"

"No! I want it now!" Emma shouts, "miss Blanchard and I made a deal!"

"And right now I'm making a new deal with you. You can read in front of the class tomorrow and really, Emma, I don't want to hear anything about it. Just sit down and be good!" Regina finally walks back to the living room. Her whole body shakes.

Emma doesn't do what her mother says. She is really angry and walks after her, "then tell me why I have to stay home!" she says still crying. Robin still sits on the couch. He doesn't want to interrupt the fight.

"Because I say so isn't going to be enough now is it?" Regina sighs. She sits down on the couch and takes Emma on her lap. "I'm sorry, Emma. I know you want to read in front of the class and I know you will do an excellent job, but it's just..." Regina sighs and looks at Robin for support. "It's just... There is someone who wants to hurt me and he wants to do that by hurting you." she whispers softly.

"I'll run and he won't get me," Emma says, "I really really want it mommy, please.”

"No, Emma. Please, don't make it any harder than it already is. I promise you can go back to school tomorrow and you can read in front of the class. Please?" Regina looks her daughter deep into her eyes. "Please?" she whispers now.

"But is that someone gone tomorrow then, I'm sure you'll say exactly the same tomorrow and keep me home again!" Emma snaps and she gets off her mother's lap, "Who is that person anyway?"

"No, tomorrow I have fixed his problem so you can go back to school tomorrow. I promise, Emma. Did I ever break a promise I've made you?" Regina knows she hasn't.

"No, but I've also never broken a promise I made with miss Blanchard," Emma says, she is not giving in.

"You're not breaking your promise with Ms. Blanchard, dear. I am. And I will apologize for it tomorrow. Alright?"

"Okay promise... But that doesn't mean you haven't ruined my day," Emma says and she walks away to her room to finish her book. She is still angry...

Regina sighs while sitting down next to Robin again, still keeping her distance. "I'm sorry about that." she softly apologizes to him.

"Don't be," Robin says, "those things happen, what happened that she can't go to school today," he asks and he looks at her.

"Leopold treathened me." Regina whispers. "He's in a serious fight with Eva and he blames me for it. He was here last night." Unconsciencely Regina takes more distance from the man sitting next to her. She doesn't dare to look up at him.

"I already thought that," Robin says and he looks at Regina, "what did you do that made him angry?" He smiles a little bit, "you don't have to be afraid of me, okay, I'm not like him,"

Regina softly nodds. "I know." she whispers. "I'm sorry. I don't want to be afraid of you. I'm not afraid of you, actually. I'm just... I don't know. I... He..." Regina isn't able to put the words into a sentence. She softly looks up to Robin. "Eva and Leopold came to tell me they are getting married. I don't know exactly what I did, but he got angry with me for being afraid of him. But I am still afraid of him, Robin. I'm sorry. I'm a horrible person." Regina starts to cry.

"Now come here," Robin says and he sits down close to her. He wraps an arm around her. "Stop saying you're a horrible person, because you are not horrible. Everyone makes mistakes, including you, and sometimes people get angry because it. But those people can forgive remember, like I'm doing now. You're allowed to make mistakes and people are allowed to get angry, but realize that anger won't last forever."

"But Leopold treathened Emma." Regina cries. "You saw what he did to me a few years ago. He will hurt Emma if I don't fix this with Eva."

"Yes and you will," Robin says strictly, "calm down and you can go to her this evening, it will be all right."

Regina looks up at him. Although she doesn't like being talked to that way, she knows she needs this. Him, Robin, being strict with her and telling her what needs to be done. "You're right." she softly says. "Can I ask you something? Will you stay here, with Emma, when I go to Eva this evening? I only trust her with you. I know... I know she's safe with you." Regina looks down, afraid for his answer.

"Yes if that's what you need right now, I will," Robin says and he smiles a little.

Regina softly nodds. "You would really help me out, Robin. Thank you." she whispers to him. She notices he's still holding his arm around her. She looks up at him.

"I'm sorry, I thought you could need something that shows you your not alone," Robin says, but he pulls his arm back, "never mind," he whispers. He doesn't want to give her false hope.

"That's alright. I like it when you do that." she whispers. A tear runs down her face.

Robin lays his arm around her again and smiles, "what will you tell Eva?" he whispers.

Regina's face lights up with a bright smile when Robin puts his arm around her again. "I'm telling her the truth. That Leopold and I have history together and that history isn't all sunshine but that he's a changed man. She changed him. How does that sound to you?"

"Well it doesn't really sound like the truth to me. He threatened you and Emma... Did he really change Regina?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe he's a good man with her. We didn't match but they do. I've seen them together in town. They are happy together. I don't want to ruin that."

Robin laughs a bit, "you aren't ruining it, he is doing that, but I understand and maybe she will too."

"Leopold said if I can't fix things between him and Eva... He will get Emma. That's what he said. Robin, that can't happen." Regina looks up at him with panic in her voice now.

"He won't," Robin says and he looks her in her eyes, "you can do this."

"What if I can't? What if..." But Regina can't finish her sentence because the doorbell rings. "I'm sorry, I don't expect anyone." Regina gets up to open the door.

"Hi Miss Mills," miss Blanchard says, "ehh... is Emma with you? She wasn't at school today and nobody knows where she is. " She softly smiles, "sorry if I'm bothering you, I just wanted to know if she's okay."

"Yes, Miss Blanchard. I'm sorry, I forgot to call you. Emma is alright. I've kept her home today, I'm sorry. She wanted to come to school today because you told her she could read in front of the class? Is it alright if she reads tomorrow for the class?" Regina's eyes almost seem to beg.

"Is she sick?" Mary Margaret asks a bit surprised, "and of course she can read tomorrow, that's totally fine of course."

"Thank you." Regina smiles at the young woman in front of her. Her stepdaughter. "She's not sick. It's... personal. I'm sorry I forgot to call. Emma will be at school tomorrow." Regina looks up and sees Emma looking at the both of them from behind her window. Regina signs a thumbs up as a sign it's alright and she can read tomorrow in class.

Miss Blanchard smiles, "well it's okay," she says, "I'll see her tomorrow then, thank you miss Mills and have a nice day."

Regina nodds Miss Blanchard goodbye. Before she can close the door she sees Eva walking by across the street. Now or never. Robin is still with her so maybe he can help her. And this way she doesn't have to leave Emma. "Eva? Can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Yes, yes of course," Eva says. She is really tired, tired of hating Leopold, "did something happen? Did he hurt you again?" she says quickly, "I'm sure he did, I'm sorry."

"Eva." Regina takes Eva's hands in her own. "Leopold didn't hurt me. He came by yesterday evening because he was upset. He doesn't want to have a fight with you. He loves you. I promised him to clear the air. Look..." Regina takes a deep breath. "Leopold and I, we... We have a past. Not a great past, but that doesn't matter anymore, because you are his future, Eva. I've seen you two in town and you both look so happy. I'm sorry if I did anything to screw that up."

"You didn't screw it up, he did that," Eva says, "and how can I love a man who did such terrible things, Regina, every time I look at him I now see the things he did..." She sighs.

"Just give him a chance, Eva. He loves you. I know because the way he looks at you... He never looked at me like that. And that's alright. He really is a good man. He just needs the right woman by his side and that woman is you. I really mean that." Regina looks up at Eva. "Will you please give him another chance?"

"What will he do if I don't give him a chance?" Eva only whispers.

"He didn't threaten me, Eva, he really didn't." Regina whispers back. "He really, really loves you. I'm sorry for still being afraid of him but that's my fault, not his. I have to let go of my past with him. He's a changed man and that's because of you, Eva. I really mean that."

"Don't lie to me, I've had enough lying from both of you," Eva says with tears in her eyes, "you can't talk like this after everything he has done to you, so tell me...".

Fear appears in Regina's eyes now. "Emma." she whispers very, very softly.

"No," Eva whispers and she closes her eyes. "I'll pretend I love him... For you, we can't let anything happen to her." How can she possible love a man who does such things...

"No, Eva, I can't expect that from you. You don't owe me a thing. I'll... I'll figure it out. Thank you for listening." Regina quickly closes the door. She slowly walks back to Robin. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone for a while." she mumbles while walking back to the living room. Her face has turned completely pale.

Eva rings the doorbell again, hoping Regina will come back. She can't let anything happen to Emma... She really can't....

Robin lets Regina sit down, "take a deep breath Regina," he whispers, "do you want me to open the door?"

Regina just stares in front of her. How is she going to fix this? Leopold will come back this evening, she knows he will, What is she going to tell him? Regina gets even more pale now. She doesn't have her breathing under control.

Eva sits down on the doorstep and just wait. She will try again after a while. 

"Regina, you need to calm down and get your breath under control," Robin whispers, "there is no need for panic, please, take a deep breath and look at me, we will find something, okay?"

Slowly Regina calms down. "Thank you." she whispers to Robin. "Thank you."

"It's okay," Robin says with a smile.

Eva rings the bell again and knocks on the door. "Please Regina, let me in!"

Regina nodds to Robin as a sign he can let Eva in. When the both of them walk into the living room, Regina looks up at Eva. "It's really alright, Eva. I understand if you don't want to give him another chance."

"But I'll try for you, really we can't let anything happen to Emma and if I can stop him I will," Eva says. "What about bringing Emma to another place, safer than here," Robin adds, "until everything is all right again.”

Regina looks up at Robin. "Do you have an idea, Robin?" she whispers.

"Well maybe we can bring her to... I don't know... Maybe Miss Blanchard? I know Emma likes her," Robin says.

Regina sighs. "Leopold will find her everywhere. I'd rather have her with me. I can protect her against him." Regina looks at Eva. "He really does love you, Eva. Did he ever hurt you?"

"He didn't," Eva says, "but he hurt you, what he did was just terrible..." She sighs, she does love Leopold, but when she looks into his eyes she can only see what he has done to Regina.   
"He will come here," Robin says, "we can be sure about that, but Miss Blanchard? I don't think he will go to her immediatly... It will give us some time...".

"Time for what?" Regina snaps. "Time for him to get more and more angry with me and to take his anger out on Emma." She looks at Eva again. "The only way out is for you to be with him, to give him another chance, but I can't ask you that." she whispers.

"O of course not, I'm just thinking okay? Do you have a better plan?" Robin says calmly and he walks away. Eva looks at Regina, "so what are you suggesting?" she says, "there is one way to stop him, so I have to do it. I know you want it."

"But I can't ask you that, Eva. You have to give him a chance because you want to do that, not because it's the only way we can think of right now." Regina looks at Robin. "I'm sorry I snapped at you." she whispers.

"Sure you are," Robin sighs. "But what else can we do?" Eva says more desperate now.

"I just.... I just need to deal with it. It will be alright." Regina whispers. "Really. It will be okay."

"It's not about you, Regina," Robin now says, "it's about Emma! She can't deal with it and he will get to her if she stays here...".

"Then I'll protect her. I can protect her." Regina answers him.

"Regina you can't," Robin says, "I'm sorry to say this to you, but it's the truth...".

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina snaps again.

"You know what he's capable of," Robin says, "I don't know what you'll try to do, but you won't win a fight...".

"Yes, I will. I need to. I need to for Emma." Regina startles when someone rings the doorbell again. She sighs and walks over to the front door to open it.

"I see you have found some allies," Leopold grins, "very well...".

"What do you want, Leopold?" Regina snaps at him.

"You know exactly what I want," he says, "Emma," he winks, "but I see you're busy... I'll be back in an hour, make sure Emma is ready to go."

"She's not coming with you." Regina clearly states.

"Okay, then I'll TAKE her with me," he snaps.

"No, you WON'T!" Regina snaps back. "You'll leave us alone!"

"No, definitely not," Leopold says, "see you in an hour," he smiles and walks away.

"NO!" Regina screams after him.

He just walks away. "Regina, is everything all right?" Eva says from the living room and she quickly walks to Regina.

"He said he's going to pick up Emma in an hour." Regina whispers. "I have to get her out of here."

"I told you," Robin whispers as he hears Regina talk. "I can still try," Eva says, "don't stop me okay," she walks outside , after Leopold.

Regina walks back inside. She doesn't dare to look up at Robin, afraid of him being angry with her.

"We still need to hide her," Robin whispers, "just to be sure...".

Regina knows he's right. She slowly nodds. "She won't come with me though. She's still angry with me."

"I'll get her then," Robin says and he walks upstairs to get Emma. After a while he returns with her. "Where will I go, mom?" Emma asks.

"Miss Blanchard. Is that alright with you?" Regina whispers.

"Yes, but before I go I want to know one thing," Emma says very seriously, "and Robin can't be here when I ask it."

Regina winks at Robin when he leaves the both of them alone and waits for them outside of Regina's house. Regina bends through her knees to come at the same height as Emma. "Yes, dear? What do you want to ask me?"

"You need to promise you will tell me the truth, because you owe me a favor," Emma says very clear. She imitates Rumplestilskin from her book. He said that too.

Regina nodds. "I promise. I really do."

Emma looks at her mother.

"Are you the Evil Queen?"

Regina starts to laugh but then she sees how serious her daughter is. She can see it in her eyes. "Emma..." Regina whispers. "Why... Why do you ask me that?"

"Because I think you are the Evil Queen," Emma says, "and I think that this is your curse."

"That's just a fairytale, Emma." Regina whispers.

"Then why are you so interested in the Evil Queen and why does she have your name?" Emma whispers.

"I like it when you tell me things about the story. I don't know why she has my name though."

"Promise me that you are telling the truth," Emma says and she looks into her mother's eyes, "promise," she whispers.

Regina can't promise that. "Say it is true. Say I am The Evil Queen and this is my curse. How would you feel about that?" Regina whispers, not denying a thing.

"I would feel like finding a way to break it, so everyone is free again," Emma says, "because if you are the Evil Queen, you trapped them, and that wouldn't be really nice of you, and then we should try to fix it."

"We? You won't be angry with me if it were to be true?" Regina whispers.

"No," Emma says as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

"Would you be able to understand why I cast this curse?" Regina now wants to know.

"So it's true?" Emma only says.

Regina slowly nodds. She doesn't dare to look Emma in her eyes.

Emma's eyes grow big, "but..." she whispers, "she really can't believe it, "you... You never told me."

"I couldn't, Emma. You were too young to understand, but now you can understand everything." Regina whispers back.

"Why did you cast the curse, mom?" Emma asks her mother. The book doesn't tell, because Regina is not a hero. It only says that she does it, not why." 

"Are you almost ready?" Robin shouts from the other room, "we don't have much longer...".

"Yes, we're almost ready!" Regina shouts back. She looks at her daughter again. "My mother, Cora, took away my stepdaughter, Snow White, and Robin from me. To a realm where I couldn't find them and with them not having any memories of me. This was the only way to be with them. They don't remember me, but at least I'm with them." Regina whispers softly.

"You mean..." Emma grabs her mom's hand, "you and Robin were in love? I mean... This Robin, who stands there?" She whispers his name and points at the door. "And he doesn't remember that he loves you?" She feels so sad now. "And Snow White is here too? And your mother?" She has a lot of questions, she wants to have all answers, right now.

"Yes, dear. But what do you say we talk about it when we get to Miss Blanchard? Just the two of us?" Regina smiles at her little girl.

Emma is stunned. She can only nod and waits for her mother to call Robin.

Regina calls Robin and the three of them walk over to Miss Blanchard's place. In there Regina and Emma have a private moment in Miss Blanchard's bedroom. "What do you want to know?" Regina asks her daughter.

Miss Blanchard is really surprised when Regina, Robin and Emma knock on the door. She lets them in, of course. She likes it to have visitors. When Emma and Regina are away, she locks the house and Robin tells her what happened. 

“Was Robin your true love out there?" Emma asks.

Regina nodds. "He was. He is, but he doesn't remember any of it. We were happy, for a little while."

"Why did your mother send him and Snow White away?" Emma says, "and I don't understand, if you two are soulmates, he should love you here the same...".

"Cora send them away because she didn't want me to be happy with them." Regina sighs. "My mother is a very difficult woman. And Robin... I don't know why he doesn't love me here, dear. My mother must have put something extra in her spell for him to forget about me."

"How can she not want you to be happy mom?" Emma says, "why would she do something terrible, I just don't understand...." She sighs, "but you were evil too, once, so do you know why?"

"Cora wanted me to stay Queen. I didn't want that anymore. Snow White was going to be 18 and she was to be Queen. My mother wouldn't let me give up the throne." Regina sighs.

"But wasn't that what the Evil Qu- you wanted?" Emma says, "you killed the king to become Queen, so why didn't you want that anymore?"

"No, dear, I didn't kill the King to become Queen. I killed the King to get out of that life with him." Regina whispers. "He has hurt me very much, Emma, and I didn't want that anymore."

 

"I hoped that you would say, that you didn't kill the king..." Emma says with a little sigh, "I hoped that the writer of this book was wrong... That someone else did it." She can't help but feel a bit disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Emma." Regina whispers. "I truly, truly am sorry. I just... Needed to get out of that life."

"But when I am angry with you... I would never kill you, or anyone else, but... How could you do that?"

Regina sighs. "I can't explain it, dear. It's too... Too complicated." Regina looks at her daughter. "I wasn't angry with him, I think. I was desperate. And when someone is desperate... They can do terrible, terrible things."

"Yes," Emma whispers, "and Snow White? She is here too?"

Regina just nodds. "Yes, she is. But she doesn't remember she's Snow White."

"Who is it?" Emma asks.

"Miss. Blanchard." Regina whispers. "But you can't say anything, Emma, because she doesn't remember anything. Do you understand that?"

"Miss Blanchard is Snow White!" Emma bursts out, "we... we... O no... Are you really sure?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, she is." But then Regina puts two and two together. If Miss Blanchard is Snow White and Snow White has a daughter Emma in that storybook...

"But she can't, you... You didn't send Charming and... Emma here?" Emma asks and she almost starts to cry.

"I don't know, dear. If they weren't together when the curse hit The Enchanted Forest... I don't know if they are here or not."

"Snow White wanted them to stay together, but Charming wanted to flee. He didn't trust the Ev- you... Can it be that he and Emma didn't come here? What if...".

"Maybe they did but then they don't remember one another. Maybe they didn't and then they're back in The Enchanted Forest. I altered the Dark Curse so it didn't destroy The Forest."

"What if I'm their daughter," Emma says abruptly, but she is shocked because of her own words.

Regina smiles. "We can't know that for certain until the curse is broken."

"They won't recognise me anyway... IF it's me, which I don't think..." Emma says and she suddenly feels even more sad. She lays down on the bed with her back to her mother.

"Emma? What's wrong? Why are you so sad?" Regina wants to know.

"I'll never find my real parents," Emma whispers, "my real mom and my real dad, have you ever seen them?" Sometimes she thinks of her parents, especially when she is laying in her bed. Then she tries to find out why they gave her away and if they had ever loved her.

"I'm sorry, Emma. I don't know who your real parents are." Regina whispers softly. She knew, being an adoptive mother, that this would come up sooner rather than later. "If you're older and you would want to find them, I will stand by your side and help you find them. Alright?" Regina sighs. "But for now... The reality of your storybook is a secret between the two of us, alright, dear?"

"Yeah, I promise," Emma says and she turns around, "and who is the one we are hiding from?" she whispers.

"My ex-husband. I thought he was dead but he isn't." Regina whispers back.

"King Leopold?" Emma says and her eyes grow big.

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, dear. What does the book tell about him?"

"He is Snow White's father and he was a good king. You killed him... That's the only thing I know... What if he sees Miss Blanchard?"

"He loves his daughter very much. He won't hurt her." Regina whispers. "Don't believe the book when it comes to him, Emma. He may have been a good King for the Kingdom, but he certaintly wasn't a good man in the Castle."

"Why not," Emma says and she looks at her mother, "tell me about him." She smiles.

Regina shakes her head in denial. "I'm sorry, Emma, I can't. It's too hard right now." she whispers. "He's just... Not a very nice man."

"But how can I know you're right if I don't know what he did..." Emma says.

Unconsciencly Regina strokes over her own lip. "You just have to believe me, Emma. Can you do that?"

"No," Emma says with a smile, "the book says he was good... And you lied to me before...".

"The book doesn't know everything, dear. There are always different sides to a story. You remember that, alright?" Regina gets up and wipes away a tear from her cheek. It hurts to notice her daughter doesn't believe her. "You get some rest now. I'll be right downstairs with Robin and Miss Blanchard, alright?"

"No," Emma whispers. And she stares at her mom.

"No? No to which one?" Regina simply asks.

"Never mind, you can leave me," Emma whispers with her face in her pillow. She doesn't think her mother hears her, "I'll go to sleep," she says a bit louder.

"Do you want me to stay with you? Are you scared alone, Emma?"

"I'm not scared," Emma says and she lays the blanket over her legs.

"Alright then. If you do get scared or you just want to be with me, you come downstairs, alright?" After giving Emma a kiss on her forehead, Regina walks downstairs. With a sigh she takes a seat at the table where Robin and Miss Blanchard are also sitting at.

"Robin told me," Mary Margaret says, "I'm sorry to hear and remember you're always welcome here." She smiles.

Regina smiles back at the young woman in front of her. "Thank you, Miss Blanchard." she whispers. She startles when someone knocks on the door. Regina looks up at Robin with panic in her eyes.

"You two can hide in the bedroom," Mary Margaret whispers, "I'll open the door."

"You two can hide in the bedroom," Mary Margaret whispers, "I'll open the door." "No need for panic," Robin whispers to Regina, "nothing will happen to Emma."

"I'm not hiding. I stay right here." Regina quickly decides.

"Regina," Robin says, "and what will you do when he comes in?"

"We'll see. You can open the door, Miss Blanchard." Regina gets up from the chair and stands next to the woman when she opens the door to her appartment.

Before miss Blanchard opens the door she looks at Regina, "what if he hurts you," she whispers.

"Just open the door."

Snow White opens the door slowly, Leopold looks at her and takes a few steps back. He looks from Snow White to Regina and back, "Regina, what's this?" he asks softly, "you..." He takes a deep breath.

"What do you want, Leopold?" Regina snaps at him. She's so tired of this thing between the two of them.

"Why are you here?" he asks. He tries to sound nice for Snow White. How could his daughter be here? It makes him even more angry. "Please come with me," he says.

Regina steps outside of the appartment. "I will be right back." she promises Miss Blanchard and Robin Hood. Regina and Leopold walk down the stairs. Regina stops there. "What do you want?" she asks him again.

"You know what I want," Leopold snaps and he pushes Regina to the wall, "Emma, and really what is this? Are you trying to hurt me or something? It's not going to work! And besides that, do you really think I believ that Eva will come back to me? She came to me, but I don't believe her for a second!"

"That's what you wanted. Why don't you believe her? She loves you and you love her. Why do you make it so complicated?" Regina looks at Leopold. "You're not getting Emma. Never."

"She said she loves me, but I know it's a lie, you made her say it!" he snaps and he starts to choke her. "And I will get Emma, don't worry." He grins. 

Then Robin runs downstairs, "let her go!" he shouts and he pushes Leopold away.

When Leopold starts to choke her, Regina immediately feels small again. Worthy of nothing. Like she felt back in The Enchanted Forest. She moans of pain. "Leop..." she tries to whisper but he pushes to hard on her throat.

When Robin pushes Leopold away from her, Regina sinks to the ground. She coughs up a bit of blood. When she looks up she sees Emma staring at her from the middle of the stairs. Robin has Leopold on the floor now. "Emma." Regina whispers softly.

Snow White runs after Emma, but it's already too late, she has seen it all. Emma starts to run to her mother, but Snow White stops her and wraps her arms around her. "Mommy!" Emma screams and she tries to get away. "It's okay, your mommy will be all right," Mary Margaret whispers, but Emma keeps crying. 

Robin wants to beat Graham, but when Regina whispers Emma's name he stops and gets him up, ready to hurt him when Miss Blanchard has carried Emma inside.

Slowly Regina gets up from the floor. She walks over to Leopold and brings her face very closely against his ear. "Unless you want your daughter to see who you really are, you stop this right here and right now. Leave me alone or you won't survive it next time. With or without my magic, I can still find ways to kill you for real." she whispers in his ear.  
Regina then walks over to Emma. "It is alright, dear. I'm fine."

"I'm not afraid of you, Regina," Leopold whispers back, "don't think this is the end," he looks at Regina and gets out of Robin's grip. He walks away without looking back. 

Emma holds her arms tightly around miss Blanchard's neck. "He made you bleed, mom," Emma says, she is really afraid now and doesn't dare to move. Robin comes up and stands next to them.

"It's alright, dear, it really is. It's over now." Regina smiles at her daughter. She takes her over from Miss Blanchard. "It's getting late. Do you want to sleep here, with Miss Blanchard, and go to school with her tomorrow or do you want to come home with me?" Regina asks Emma.

"I want to sleep here with Miss Blanchard" Emma whispers. She doesn't dare to go out. She lays her head on her mother's shoulder.

"That's alright, dear. I'm sure Miss Blanchard loves to have you over. Do you want me to stay with you?" Regina now asks her daughter. She feels the little girl trembling in her arms.

"You and Robin can have a night alone," she whispers. She wants them to be together again, she wants to make everything all right again. "Are you hurt?" she asks.

Regina smiles. "No, I'm really fine." She then giggles. "I don't think Robin will spend the night at our house, Emma." But when Regina looks at Robin, the pain she's feeling in her exhausted body shows clearly in her eyes.

"Don't worry Emma, I think it's a good idea. If your mother wants that of course," Robin says and he smiles. He can see Regina can use some help, and besides that it isn't safe to let her go home alone.

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you, Robin. And thank you, Miss Blanchard. I'll pick Emma up right after school." Regina gives her daughter a kiss on her forehead, wishing her a good night's sleep and promising they will see each other tomorrow. She then hands Emma, who's almost sleeping in her mother's arms, over to Miss Blanchard. Regina and Robin walk over to Regina's house. "Thank you for staying. You really don't have to do that." she whispers to him.

"No problem," Robin says, "are you all right?" Regina looks weak and he is a little bit worried, "did he hurt you a lot?"

"I'm fine. Just fine." Regina lies, hoping Robin doesn't see the pain she has at her throat.

"Just fine..." Robin says and he raises his eyebrow, "don't lie to me Regina, where does it hurt?"

Regina looks up at him and, unconsciencly, strokes her throat.

"Let's get some ice for that bruise," Robin says and they walks to Regina's house.

"Thank you." Regina whispers when they arrive at her home and Robin puts ice, in a towel, on her throat. "It really hurts, actually." she whispers.

"You see," Robin says, while he softly pushes the ice to her throat, "you can say the truth without looking weak." He smiles. "I'm afraid it will hurt for a few more days...".

"That's alright. I'm glad Emma is okay." Regina softly smiles at him. She likes him standing so close to her. Robin is holding the towel with the ice on her throat and Regina holds her own hand on his.

Robin feels Regina's hand on his, but he lets her. He smiles a little and then looks away. "I think you have to stay at home tomorrow...".

Regina nodds. "I will. I'll just pick Emma up after school. I promise." Regina smiles at him. "Do you want to stay with me?" she whispers.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Robin reacts.

Regina looks at him, looks him deep into his eyes. He's standing very close to her. "Would you mind if I do?" she whispers again.

"I wouldn't," Robin whispers.

"Please stay." Regina whispers again, their lips almost touching one another.

"I will," Robin says, but he steps back, "I can't do that, I'm sorry," he whispers and he looks away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Regina whispers back. Why doesn't he fall in love with her, like back in The Enchanted Forest? "I'm sorry." Regina repeats herself.

"No it's okay, this is...probably my fault," Robin says and he looks out if the window.

"No, it's really not. I'm really sorry. I won't do that again." Regina takes away the ice off her throat. "It's getting late. Where do you want to sleep? I have a guest room you can use if you want to?"

"Yes that's good, thank you," Robin says, "you should keep that ice on it for a while longer." He smiles.

"Yes?" Regina asks him. "I don't know. Do you think so?" Regina puts the towel with the ice back on her throat.

"Yeah," Robin says, "keep it on as long as possible, it will make it less painful... Want some tea before you go to bed?"

"I don't, but you do? I will make you some. After all, you're staying here for me so I should make you your tea." Regina smiles and walks over to the kitchen.

"No no," Robin says, "that's all right, I only want if you do".

Regina giggles. "I'll make us some tea then." she smiles at him. When she walks over to the kitchen a tear rolls down her cheek. She wants so badly for him to love her again but nothing she does seems to work.

Regina is away very long, so Robin goes to her. When he reaches her he sees her eyes are red, "did I hurt you?" Robin whispers, "I'm so sorry...".

Regina startles when Robin walks into the kitchen. "No. No, I'm sorry. No, you didn't." Regina's hands shake when she pours hot water in two cups.

Robin almost doesn't dare to look at the hot water and Regina's shaking hands. "If you want me to go, it's okay," Robin says, "I understand." He takes over the cups of hot water, because he doesn't want Regina to drop them.

"No. Please. Stay." Regina whispers. She looks up at him. "Please?"

"Yes," Robin says and he sets the cups down on the table, "I'll stay."

"Really? Thank you. Thank you, Robin." Regina whispers. Another tear rolls down her cheek.

"What is it that makes you so sad, Regina?" Robin asks, "just tell it all, it's hard to see you cry so often."

"I... I can't explain. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina now cries out loud. She hates that, showing emotions to anyone, but she just can't stop it.

Robin wraps his arms around her and lets Regina cry on his shoulder. He knows it will only make it worse, but he can't let her just sit there. "It's okay, just let it all out, you're safe now."

Regina keeps on crying for a little while. She feels exhausted and cold. Her hands don't stop shaking.

"Let's get some sleep," Robin says while he tries to calm down Regina's hands.

“Yes. That sounds like a good plan." Regina whispers. She starts walking up the stairs to show Robin her guestroom, but she has to stop in the middle of the staircase because she's just too exhausted, too tired.

Robin helps Regina up the stairs and then lifts her up and carries her to her bed. He turns around so Regina can undress herself.

"Thank you." she whispers. "The guestroom is right over there." Regina points at a door at the end of the hallway upstairs. She greets Robin goodnight and thanks him again for everything.

In the middle of the night Regina wakes up screaming.

Robin runs to Regina's room and sits down on the side of the bed. "It's okay," he whispers, "you're safe here remember," he wipes her hair from her face and looks into her eyes. He takes a deep breath.

Regina looks around her, almost completely in panic. "Emma! He's getting Emma!"

"He isn't getting Emma," Robin says, "she is safe with miss Blanchard, she won't open the door and he will never get her. Take a deep breath, Regina," he says calmly.

Regina looks up at him. She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for waking you up." she apologizes to Robin.

"Don't be, it's not a problem," Robin says and he walks to the bathroom to get her a glass of water.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She takes over the glass of water and drinks a bit. She then puts it on her nightstand. She almost falls asleep again.

Robin lets her sleep again. He sits down on the chair next to the bed and looks at her. He wonders why he can't fall in love with this woman... He really wants to know, but of course he can't get an answer.

When Regina wakes up she sees Robin sitting in the chair next to her bed, looking at her. "Did you sit there all night?" Regina whispers.

"Yeah," Robin says and he smiles.

Regina softly smiles back at him. "I don't understand why you would do that for someone like me, but... Thank you."

"It's really no problem," Robin says, "and I don't understand what you mean by 'someone like me', because I think you totally deserve this."

"You do?"

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't says it," Robin says, "so how are you feeling? Does your throat still hurt?" He looks at her and sees her throat is swollen and blue.

"It hurts a bit." Regina whispers. "Will the ice help?"

"It can help to let the pain fade a bit," Robin says and he walks downstairs to get the ice.

Regina quickly follows him. She doesn't want to admit it but she's scared alone. She looks behind every door to make sure nobody is in her house.

Robin takes the ice and lets Regina sit down on the couch, "I hope this will make you feel a bit better," he says with a smile.

"Thank you, Robin. Really." Regina smiles back at him. Regina keeps looking aroud to see if Leopold isn't hiding somewhere.

"There is no one here, Regina," Robin says, "we locked all the doors remember, he can't get in."

Regina looks at Robin with a little bit suspicion in her eyes. "Sure? Really sure? You promise?" she whispers.

"Yes, really sure," Robin says.

Very slowly Regina nodds. She startles when someone rings the doorbell.

"I'll go," Robin says. He opens the door and sees Eva standing there, "come in," he says and they walk to the living room.

Regina looks up at Eva, holding the towel with ice against her throat. "Eva. Why are you here?" Regina asks with a soft tone of voice.

"O my gosh Regina," Eva says, she doesn't even hear what Regina says. She only sees the bruises from under the ice, "what did he do to you?" Eva walks to the couch.

"It's alright. It doesn't hurt." Regina lies. "Why are you here?" she whispers again.

"Don't lie," Eva says, "I'm here to see if you're okay, where is Emma?" She doesn't feel comfortable here, Regina definitely doesn't want her to be here.

Regina relaxes. "Emma is with Miss Blanchard at school right now. I'll pick her up after school." She softly smiles at the woman who now sits down next to her on the couch. "Thank you for coming over to see how I'm doing. That's really nice of you." She softly smiles again.

"O it's the least I can do," Eva says, "but I won't bother you for long, don't worry." She smiles a little, "I did try, but he didn't believe me, I'm sorry."

Regina nodds. "I know you tried. And I want to thank you for that. But it's alright. You did what you could, so... Thank you." Regina softly smiles again. "You don't bother me, really." She smiles again.

Eva nods, but doesn't really believe her. Robin comes in with some tea and sets it down in front of them. He sits down on the chair on the opposite side of the couch.

"Do you want some tea?" Regina suggests to Eva. When she nodds again, Regina pours water in a cup and adds the tea. She then hands the cup over to Eva. Her hands shake a little bit.

"I'm so sorry about what happened," Eva whispers, "I wish I was enough for him..." She takes a deep breath, "then nothing of this would have happened."

"It's not your fault, Eva. It's mine. Mine and his." Regina whispers back. She looks at Robin. "I just hope Emma is alright." She startles when the front door opens. Someone with a key.

"Hello," Leopold says when he enters the living room, when he sees Eva he is a bit shocked, but he doesn't say a thing. "Is something wrong with your neck?" Leopold asks as if he doesn't know what happened.

Regina doesn't answer that question. "What do you want now?" she whispers.

"Simple," he says, "you, Emma or Eva," he now looks serious. Eva stands up and walks to him, "let's go," she says to him.

"No, Eva. If he wants to hurt someone I'd rather want it to be me and not you." Regina interrupts. She looks at Leopold. "Of won't you hurt her? You love one another."

"It's okay, Regina, he won't hurt me," Eva says before Leopold pushes her through the door.  
"Thank you, Regina, I hope your bruises will hurt soon," Leopold snaps and he leaves.

Regina looks up at Robin. "She will be safe, right? He loves her. He wouldn't hurt her, would he?" Regina doesn't feel very sure about this.

"I don't know," Robin says, "I don't think so," he wants to say he is sure to make Regina feel better, but he would lie if he did that...

"I don't think so either." Regina softly smiles. "We just have to wait, don't we?" she whispers. It is almost lunchtime but she isn't hungry. "Do you want to eat something?" she asks Robin. "I can make some pancakes or eggs?" Regina gets up and walks to the kitchen.

"Yeah," Robin says, "If you eat something too, I would love to." He winks and smiles. He knows Regina doesn't want to eat something...

"I'm not that hungry." Regina whispers. She makes pancakes and sets the table for the two of them. She serves Robin and herself, but she doesn't start to eat.

"You need to eat, Regina," Robin says, "you've only had a cup of tea today."

"I can't eat." Regina whispers. "It hurts."

"We can go to Granny's to take a smoothie or something else you can drink, because you can't live a day on tea...".

"Sure I can. I have done it before." Regina smiles. "Please, it's alright."

"Okay, but promise me you won't starve yourself," Robin says and he eats a piece of his pancake, "are you sure you don't want one? They are delicious".

"I promise." Regina whispers. She looks at Robin eating the pancakes she just made. "They look delicious though." she whispers even softer, barely hearable.

"Then just try one," Robin whispers back.

Regina shakes her head in denial. "No. Not hungry." she mumbles.

"Do it for me," Robin says, "I heard you say they look delicious so...".

"What do I get in return?" Regina teases him. She immediately startles when she hears herself saying that. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...".

"What do you want in return?" Robin says with a grin. He sees Regina is almost frightened of her own words. So he just takes it easy.

"Just... Just a hug? For one bite?" Regina whispers softly. She doesn't dare to look up at him but she's almost desperate to feel him close to her again.

"One hug for half a pancake, a big hug costs you a whole pancake" Robin says with a wink. He smiles, "one bite is nothing."

Regina giggles now. She slowly eats a whole pancake. When she's finished she puts down her fork and knife and looks up at Robin.

"Come here," he whispers and he smiles. He takes Regina in his arms and gives her a long hug. His hands stroke softly over her back, while her head leans on his shoulder.

Regina enjoys this moment for a very short time. She doesn't want to get disappointed again.

Robin nods and lets her go. "I hope it was worth it," Robin says.

Regina smiles brightly. "It sure was. What about if I eat another pancake? What do I get then?"

"You want a kiss, don't you," Robin smiles, "well that's fine for me, but maybe it's a little... Painful," he whispers, he almost doesn't dare to say it.

"Why? Because you're not a good kisser?" Regina can't stop teasing him. She giggles again.

"Well if you want it... That costs you two more pancakes," Robin says, if she teases him, he will do the same to her."

"I only want that if you want to give me one." Regina whispers softly.

"I know you want that, but if it makes you eat it's worth it..," he says. He has seen that Regina doesn't eat a lot and he wants to protect her.

"Imagine I eat like a normal person. Would you still want to give me a kiss?" Regina wants to know.

"You don't eat like a normal person, so that doesn't matter," Robin says.

"It does for me." Regina whispers.

"The truth?" Robin says softly, "I wouldn't... I wish I would...".

Regina nodds softly. "I know." she whispers. She cleans up the kitchen table and puts everything away. Now she's really not hungry anymore. She looks up at Robin. "You really don't have to stay with me if you don't want to." she whispers softly.

"I want to stay," Robin says, "I'll stay as long as you want me to stay. I can leave at every moment if you want...".

Regina nodds again. "No. I don't want you to go." she whispers. "But you have to stay because you want to, not because I want that."

"Don't worry about that," Robin says and he helps to clean the table.

"Alright." Regina softly smiles at him. "Alright then." She startles when they bump into one another while walking in the same direction, to the fridge.

Robin smiles, "you can go first," he says and he looks at her.

Regina doesn't move. She feels frozen. She loves this man so very much but he doesn't remember her, not even a spark of his love remains.

"Are you okay?" Robin says, "shall I leave alone for a moment?" he whispers now. Maybe it's better for him to go. He can't imagine how she feels, it must be so painful to love someone, who doesn't love you back in the same way. He just wants to protect her...

Regina doesn't answer. She has, unconsciencely, protected herself from getting hurt by separating her mind from her body. There is no fysical threat but Regina doesn't know that any longer.

Robin doesn't say a thing. He gives her some space and keeps his distance, but he still keeps an eye on her in case something happens.

For a very long time Regina just keeps standing there. She breaths superficially which is exhausting but she doesn't dare to move. Not yet. She needs to feel safe first before she can move or even talk. After a very long time Regina's body finally relaxes. She takes a deep breath before looking up at Robin. "I'm... I'm sorry. I... I... That just happens. I don't want to react like that but I... It's stronger than myself. I can't control it. After all those years I still can't control it." Regina whispers those last words to no one in particular, mostly to herself. She looks up at Robin again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't say sorry for that, Regina," Robin says, "can I do something for you?" He doesn't know what to say. He wants to help her, but he doesn't know how without hurting her even more and that makes him so sad.

"No. I'm fine now. Thank you." Regina smiles softly. A fake smile. "I should pick up Emma. School is almost out."

"Well okay," Robin says, "I'll go home then I think," her fake smile hurts him a bit, he doesn't know why.

Regina slowly nodds. "Thank you for staying, Robin. Really." She gives him a quick kiss on his cheek before they go their separate ways. 

Regina walks over to Emma's school and is right on time when the school bell rings. Emma runs outside with the storybook in her arms. "Emma!" Regina smiles before taking the little girl in her arms.

"Mommy!" Emma says and she runs into her mother's arms, "I know what we have to do!" She laughs.

"What we have to do for what, dear?" Regina smiles.

"To break the curse," Emma whispers.

Regina looks at Emma. "What do we have to do then?" She wants the curse broken as much as Emma.

"We need to find Prince Charming," Emma whispers full of excitement.

"Prince Charming?" Regina sighs. "Where do you suggest we look? Because if he wasn't with Snow when my curse hit The Enchanted Forest, maybe he isn't here in Storybrooke."

"What if I'm their daughter," Emma says, "then he must be somewhere around the place where you got me, then he travelled with me... Maybe..." She looks up, "we can try."

"You want to go to New York?" Regina laughs. "We will never find him there. It is much too big."

"His name is David," Emma says, "we can try mom, please."

Regina sighs. "Emma... We really can't do that." she whispers. "What do you think if we start our search here in Storybrooke? Maybe he is somewhere here, we just don't know it."

Emma sighs, "so you don't want to break the curse?" Emma says. She is very disappointed, "if he was here then they would have found each other already... They always find each other."

Regina nodds. "Alright then." She looks at her daughter. "You do know we will have to take the plane to go to New York?"

"Oo... Okay," Emma says, "that's all right!" She really wants to go.

"Alright then. I will call the airport tonight for tickets. We will go as soon as possible. Is that alright with you, dear?" Regina smiles at her little girl.

"Yes," Emma says, "that's perfect.”

Regina takes Emma's hand and walks home with her. Across the street she sees Eva and Leopold walking. Regina and Leopold look at one another.

Leopold looks angry, then he grins and turns his head away. He is not done with her.

Regina knows that look. He's not done with her. Regina quickly focusses back on Emma. "What do you want to eat tonight, dear? Do you want to eat something at Granny's?"

"Yes that's fine," Emma says and she giggles. She thinks her mother doesn't want to make food.

Regina and Emma eat dinner together at Granny's. That evening Regina calls for airplane tickets; the two of them can leave the day after tomorrow. Regina also books a room in the hotel she stayed in with Mr. Gold when they went to New York to adopt Emma. Regina tells Emma this news the next morning at breakfast. "Our plane leaves early in the morning so we have to go to bed early."

"Awww," Emma says, "but okay, have you booked everything already then? And school, will be be back before it starts again?" She is really exited, but also a bit scared.

Regina smiles. "I have booked the hotel for 2 nights so we better find that Prince Charming before we have to leave. I will talk to Miss. Blanchard when I drop you off at school after breakfast, alright? You make sure you take that book with you, Emma."

"Perfect," Emma smiles and she runs upstairs to make herself ready for school.

Regina smiles and does the same as her daughter. She's actually looking forward to this little trip with her girl. Away from Leopold, away from Robin. And maybe, just maybe, they'll find this Charming, what a name, and they can break the curse. But as soon as that thought crosses her mind, Regina thinks about something else. What about Emma? Will she stay with her? Will she want to be with her real mother, Snow? Regina raised her for the past 6 years. Emma is her daughter, isn't she? Regina sighs. 

When Emma and Regina get to school, Regina explains the little trip with Emma as a spur of the moment thing. Just being away from everything for 2 days. Miss. Blanchard can see how tired Regina is from just a look on her face.

"Yes of course that's fine, but..." Miss Blanchard says with a sigh, "do you really think it's a good idea?" She sees the tired look on Regina's face and can't help it but feel a little bit worried. "Emma can stay with me for a few days and you can have some rest..." she says, "please don't get me wrong, but it look like you can have some time for yourself."

Regina smiles. "That's very nice of you, dear, but after what happened, I want Emma close to me, away from that man. So this trip is exactly what we need. Thank you for your concern."

"Okay I understand," miss Blanchard says with a nod, "I hope you two will have a good time together, and...". She smiles and looks at Regina, "please know you can call me if you want me to look after Emma for a while, so you can have some rest, and you can always call me if you need some company."

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. But she knows she won't do that. It is too painful to be around Snow White and her not remembering her stepmother. Regina waves Emma goodbye for now and promises to pick her up after school. When Regina turns around she sees Leopold looking at her. Waiting for her.

"Regina, what a coincidence," Leopold says with a grin. He strokes her cheek, "how are you doing?"

Regina takes a step back but he holds her hand. "Leave me alone."

"Ehh... No," Leopold clearly states and he pulls back again, "how about fight this out in your house." He winks.

"I will go home without you." Regina turns around and walks to her house. She enters her home but Leopold is one step behind her.

When he closes the door, Leopold immediately picks up his knife. "Do you really think I believe that Eva loves me? Just like nothing happened?" he says.

Regina acts like she's not intimidated by his knife. "She does love you. You're just too angry to see that."

"She doesn't, Regina," Leopold says, "what does she tell you about me?"

"She doesn't tell me anything about you." Regina snaps.

"So when I see her come in here, you two only talk about nonsense? I don't think so!" he walks closer.

Regina doesn't take a step back. She just looks at him. "She doesn't come here. And if she does it's to ask me how I'm doing. That's all."

"And why would she be interested in you?" Leopold snaps.

Regina doesn't look away from him. "I don't know. Because she cares about me, I guess."

"You're lying!" Leopold snaps and he pushes her with one hand to the wall. He hates it when he can't control her.

"I'm not." Regina simply answers him. She doesn't avert her eyes from him.

He now places his hand on her throat. "You always ruin everything do you know that!" he staps and he starts to choke her. The only way to control her is to hurt her.

Regina doesn't make a sound. She still just keeps looking at him.

Leopold pushes her harder against the wall and lets his knife go over her cheek. He doesn't say a thing.

A glare of fear appears in Regina's eyes but she still doesn't make a sound.

Leopold grins. He is almost there, so he slowly starts to make a straight cut on her cheek.

It's getting harder and harder but Regina doesn't want to make a sound.

Leopold makes the cut deeper and deeper and goes down to her neck. "Hard, isn't it?" Leopold whispers in her ear.

Regina bites on her bottom lip until it starts to bleed and bangs her head against the wall but... No sound comes over her lips.

Leopold stands very close to her, letting his finger go over her wound while he makes another cut on her shoulder.

Regina now closes her eyes but doesn't make a sound. She won't. She just won't give him that satisfaction.

"Say something!" Leopold shouts and he stabs her in her shoulder. He removes the knife and chokes her again. She will talk.

A tear runs down her cheek but she won't. She just won't.

Regina makes Leopold so angry and he makes her pay for it. "I'll make sure you suffer, don't worry," he snaps.

"Try me." Regina whispers with a soft voice.

"There it is," Leopold grins, "your voice is back," he now laughs and moves the knife to her back.

"Just not how you want it I'm afraid." Regina smiles. "I won't do what you want me to do. Beg. Scream. You're not getting any of that."

"O I'll make you beg," Leopold snaps, "don't worry about that... you still have that little girl remember?" he whispers with a grin.

Regina doesn't flinch. "You can't treathen me. I'm stronger than you." Regina feels her body is exhausted and she's losing a lot of blood fast now. She's getting weaker with every passing second.

"Are you?" Leopold says with a laugh, "so if I hold Emma in my arms, you'll overpower me," he now laughs very hard, "yes I can see you're really capable of that, Regina."

Regina feels his knife against her bare back now. She still looks at him.

"So that's a no?" Leopold says. Now that Regina breaks a little, he starts enjoying the moment. He pushes his knife in Regina's back now and feels the warm blood drip on his hand.

A very, very soft moan of pain passes Regina's lips. Her body can't hold on any longer. She coughs up a little bit of blood.

Leopold grins, but he isn't satisfied yet. He just makes a few more deep cuts, he can't think of a better way to hurt her right now, so he just goes on.

Regina's body almost collapses from exhaustion. She can't do anything else but put her arms around Leopold's neck to not sink to the ground. Her legs can't hold her any longer. This makes her really afraid because now she's completely in his power.

This is how he wants to have it. He just goes on and lets the knife go over her arms, waiting for her to collapse. He looks into her eyes and grins, "this is what happens when you make everyone I love hate me," he whispers.

Regina coughs up more blood. She lets go of Leopold when he starts to cut her arms and sinks to the ground. She doesn't move.

Leopold walks away and sits down at the table. He just looks at her and takes a deep and satisfying breath.

Regina looks up at him and looks him in the eyes. She doesn't say a word.

Leopold doesn't speak either. He just enjoys the moment.

Regina coughs up more blood. She loses a lot of blood very fast. She gets weaker with the second. "Are you done?" she whispers.

"I am," Leopold says, but he still waits. He wants to see her unconscious... Then he will go.

Regina tries to get up but fails. She startles when someone rings the doorbell. She looks at Leopold. "I need help." she whispers softly.

"Yes you do indeed," Leopold says, "unfortunately no one wants to help you." He grins and ignores the doorbell.

Regina's eyes start to turn away. The next thing she remembers is being woken up by someone.

"Regina," Robin says with a sigh of relief, "I'm so glad you woke up." He sits next to her and looks into her eyes. "We need to go to the hospital okay," he says softly.

"Emma." Regina whispers. "She's not safe from him." Regina coughs up blood again. "No hospital." she whispers.

"Emma is with Miss Blanchard, don't worry," Robin says, "she called me when you didn't come to pick Emma up from school. Why don't you want to go to the hospital, it's certainly the best place to go right now, you need a doctor...".

"No." Regina softly moans of pain. "No hospital. He will get me back if he knows I'm getting help." Regina looks up at Robin. "I need to stay here." Regina tries to get up but fails again. Her body shakes.

"I'll get you to your bed," Robin whispers and he carefully lifts Regina up in his arms. He knows this must hurt very much, but he can't let her stay there. When he lays her on the bed he starts to clean the wounds. They are really deep and Robin is really worried.

"They will never heal, will they?" Regina whispers. She turns away her face so Robin can't see it. She knows it's scarred for life.

"They will heal, but they will leave marks," Robin whispers, "can you tell me what happened?" He is almost done cleaning the wounds.

Regina still coughs up blood. Her body is just exhausted. "Leopold." she whispers.

"What did he tell you? What made him so angry?" Robin says and he bandages Regina's wounds. They don't stop bleeding and he doesn't know what to do with the cut on her cheek.

"Emma can't see me like this." Regina whispers. She doesn't answer his question. She knows the answer but she's afraid Robin will agree with Leopold. Which is that nobody cares for her.

"I'll call Miss Blanchard and otherwise she can stay with me, that will be all right," Robin says and his voice becomes softer, "now tell me... What made him do this?"

"Thank you, Robin." Regina whispers. She doesn't dare to look up when she tells him why Leopold did this. "I... He asked why Eva comes by my home. I told him... I told him because I think she cares. I don't know." Regina sighs. "Leopold said that's a lie. Nobody cares about me." A tear rolls down Regina's face.

"Don't let his words break you, Regina," Robin says, "people do care about you.”

"Maybe." she whispers. "Maybe not. Maybe you all just want to be nice. I don't know." Another tear rolls down her face.

"Don't say that," Robin says, when he is done bandaging the wounds. He looks at the wounds on her face now and dries Regina's tears, "I care about you, we all do, why would we help you or even talk to you if we didn't...".

Regina finally looks up at him. "I don't know. But he made it sound so... So believeable." she whispers to him.

"That's because he wants to hurt you," Robin says clearly, "so please don't listen to him. He certainly doesn't care about you, but that doesn't mean no one does."

Regina nodds. "You're right. Thank you, Robin." She softly smiles at him. "My back hurts the most." she whispers now.

"Can you turn around?" Robin says, he hadn't seen the wounds on her back yet and he is sure it won't look good.

Slowly Regina turns on her right side. She hates it when someone touches her back but she trusts Robin completely.

Robin looks at the wounds and closes his eyes. How could someone do this... The wounds are even deeper than on her arms and a lot of blood drips down on the bed. "This will hurt," Robin whispers and he starts to clean the wounds very very carefully.

Regina moans of pain. She coughs up more blood this time. Her body starts to shake.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath," Robin whispers, "try to focus," he stops touching her wounds for a little while, so Regina can calm down a bit. "Are you really sure you don't want a doctor, Regina?" he says.

"He won't stop." Regina whispers. "He won't kill me either because then his fun with me is over. He will never stop." Her body still shakes even when Robin stops touching her. "I'm... I'm cold." Regina whispers. "I'm so cold."

"Don't think of that right now," Robin says, "I'm almost finished, then you can sleep a bit," he now bandages Regina. When he is finished he lets Regina rest, "I will let you rest now, I'm going to clean everything up downstairs okay?" He won't go home. He will stay here to watch Regina.

Regina wants to ask him to stay with her but she doesn't. She doesn't think she's worth that and she doesn't want to be disappointed.

"I'll be back right after I cleaned it okay," Robin says when he sees the look on Regina's face. He wants to clean up the blood, before Emma comes home.

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers. She softly smiles at him, relieved he comes with that suggestion. When Robin is downstairs, Regina feels very anxious. She waits impatiently until he gets back.

It's hard to get all the blood from the floor, but after a while he is finished. He walks upstairs again and sees Regina is still awake, "I thought you would be sleeping," he whispers as he closes the door behind him, "how are you feeling?"

"I can't sleep. I'm too scared." Regina whispers. She looks up at Robin. "I'm not tired." That's a lie. But she's afraid Robin will leave her and Leopold comes back. And besides she doesn't want to sleep alone. She wants him to hold her so she can feel safe but she doesn't dare to ask.

"I can see you can use some sleep," Robin says, "I'll be right here," he picks up a chair and places it next to the bed, "nothing will happen, I promise," he whispers.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She looks at Robin while trying to fall asleep but she just can't. She feels very tired but can't sleep without someone holding her.

"Can't you sleep?" Robin whispers after about half an hour, "can I do something for you?"

Regina looks at him like she did the past half an hour. "You can but you're not going to want to do it." Regina softly smiles. "I've always slept better when someone holds me." she whispers.

Robin smiles a little, "if it makes you sleep better, it's okay," he says and he walks to the bed. He lays down and holds Regina's hands first, scared he will hurt her if he lays her hands around her. "I don't promise I won't fall asleep with you," he whispers.

Regina softly smiles. "You can sleep, I don't mind. May I lay close to you?" Regina dares to ask very softly.

"Yeah," Robin whispers and he lets Regina lie close to his body, "now try to get some sleep," he whispers.

Regina now lays very close to Robin, with her head on his chest. She finally feels safe and falls asleep. She wakes up screaming.

"You're safe, you're safe," Robin whispers very quickly, his heart beats fast. He looks in her eyes and makes her do the same, "everything is fine," he whispers with a smile.

"No, it is not fine! The Curse needs to be broken! I need to go to New York to find Prince Charming! I need you to remember me!" Regina sounds delirious.

"What?" Robin says calmly, "Regina..." he sighs, "you're not thinking straight right now,"   
He doesn't know what she is talking about, "I think you have a fever Regina, we really need to go to the hospital."

"Robin, please, why don't you just remember me? Why didn't our kiss work! We are each other's true love, it had to work!" Regina looks at Robin. "Why didn't it work?" She moans of pain on her back.

"Regina please... I'm going to call a doctor now, I'm sorry," Robin says and he sits up. True love? What is she talking about?

"Please stay." Regina whispers very softly. She looks anxious at Robin. Is he going to leave her alone?

"I need to call a doctor, I'm right back," he says.

"No hospital." Regina whispers. "No hospital. He won't like it."

"But Regina... You're talking like..." Robin sighs and doesn't finish his sentence. He sits down on the bed again.

"Like what? What did I say?" Regina really doesn't remember.

"You're talking like you're out of your mind, Regina," Robin says.

"I'm sorry." she whispers. She doesn't look up at him now. She's so tired and she just wants to sleep but he doesn't lay next to her any longer.

Robin sighs, "try to sleep a little more," he says and he takes her hand in his, "just try."

Regina nodds. She feels her back bleeding again. "You... You will feel better if you call a doctor, don't you?" she asks him.

"I definitely will," Robin says softly.

Regina nodds again. "Call. But he has to come here. I really don't want to go to the hospital." When Robin goes downstairs to make the phonecall, Regina falls asleep again. Robin wakes her up when the doctor arrived.

Robin smiles when he sees Regina is sleeping.

"So, miss Mills, tell me what happened," the doctor says, "and tell me what your injuries are, please."

Regina explains what happened and shows her back, her shoulder, her neck and face and her arms to him.

The doctor puts down his bag and picks up the medicines inside, "there is a big chance you'll get an infection if we keep it like this, so I need to clean it," he says, "it will hurt," he adds and he drips the first medicine on the wounds on Regina's back.

Regina gasps for air. It really, really hurts very much. She moans of pain when the doctor continues. Her body starts to shake again. She can't hold on much longer now. Her body is exhausted from all the tortures.

Robin sits down on the bed and grabs Regina's hands. "Squeeze if you feel like it," he whispers and he looks into her eyes, "hold on, you can get through this."

Regina focuses her eyes on his. "Please." she whispers. "Make it stop. I'll be a good girl. I promise. Just make it stop."

"Regina, this is not about being good," Robin whispers, "this is to make your wounds better, so hold on a bit longer," he speaks in a calm and soft way.

Regina softly nodds and is relieved when the doctor is done. She has bitten on her bottom lip so hard that it started to bleed. She doesn't stop looking at Robin. "Don't leave me alone." she softly begs.

"I won't," Robin whispers and he turns to the doctor, "thanks a lot," he says and he walks downstairs with him. When the doctor is gone, he immediately goes upstairs again. "The pain will fade soon the doctor just said," he says.

Regina nodds. She doesn't dare to move. "Is Emma staying with Snow?" Regina wants to know. She feels weak and miserable and doesn't know what she's saying.

"Snow?" Robin says surprised, he doesn't know anyone with that name... Maybe he didn't hear it well.... Or she was hallucinating again. "She is safe with miss Blanchard, Regina," he says then.

"That's what I mean. Snow." Regina whispers. "Will you lay next to me again? So I can sleep?" she softly whispers.

Robin shakes his head and doesn't ask for explanation anymore. She doesn't know what she is saying... "Yeah..." Robin whispers and he lays down beside her.

"Thank you. Thank you." Regina whispers. She falls back asleep with her head on Robin's chest. After what seems like ages she wakes up again. He is still with her.

"Well hello," Robin whispers.

"You're still here." Regina whispers, almost stunned. She was almost sure he would leave her. "I'm glad you are." she then softly smiles. "Will you take a look at my wounds?"

"Of course I am," Robin says with a smile. He sits up and stretches his legs. "How are you feeling?" he asks while he looks at her wounds.

"A bit better." Regina answers him. "How are the wounds?"

"They look better," Robin says, but he can see the wounds will need a few more days to fully heal, "I think you can better stay in bed today," Robin says.

Regina nodds. "I will. Do you think Emma can stay with Miss Blanchard for a couple of days?"

"I'll ask her, but I think that will be all right," Robin says, "I'll make you some breakfast," he says and he walks downstairs to make it.

When, after a little while, Robin comes back upstairs with breakfast, Regina shakes her head. "I'm not hungry." she whispers.

"You should eat something," Robin sighs, "eating can only help the eating," he grins a little.

Regina shakes her head again. She can only think about her time with Leopold, when she needed to lose weight, to get as thin as possible. Maybe if she does that now, he won't hurt her again?

"Why not?" Robin asks.

"I'm not hungry." Regina lies. She doesn't look at Robin, afraid he will see through her lies.

"You can still eat something, even if you're not hungry..." Robin says, "Regina, what's the real reason?"

Regina, unconsciencely, strokes over the scar on her lip. "Too fat." she very silently whispers.

Robin sees Regina touch her lip and he knows this has something to do with Leopold, "don't let him get to you Regina," Robin says, "you're not fat and you know that."

Regina sighs. He knows her so well. How can he not remember her and their love? A tear runs down her face.

"Please try to eat something, Regina," Robin says, "and if anything else is bothering you, you can tell me."

"I will eat something but only because you want me to." Regina whispers. She eats half a pancake he made for her.

"Good," he says, "I think I'll go to Miss Blanchard before school starts, I'll come back after that, but I need to work a few hours this afternoon, so you will be alone then, I'm sorry."

Regina nodds. "That's alright. I think I'll sleep for awhile. Thank you, Robin. Thank you for everything." She smiles at him. When Robin leaves for Miss Blanchard he doesn't leave her alone for long. But Regina doesn't notice because she's fast asleep. She wakes up when someone strokes her hair.

"Hello Regina," Leopold whispers with a grin, "how are you feeling, I can see your boyfriend takes good care of you... Beautiful words I must say." He holds a piece of paper in his hand. He makes sure Regina can't read it.

Regina startles when she hears Leopold's voice. She keeps her eyes closed, wishing this is just a dream. A nightmare.

"Dear Regina..." Leopold starts reading the letter, "you're not interested at all are you?" He puts the letter in his pocket, "stop pretending you're sleeping..." he sighs.

"This is just a dream. He's not really here." Regina whispers in front of her, not opening her eyes. "He's not here. He's not here."

"Oh I am here, Regina, don't worry about that," Leopold says, "so how are you?"

Regina finally opens her eyes. She looks straight in Leopold's face. "Please. Don't make them bleed again. It hurts so much already." she immediately begs.

"Who says I'm going to do that?" Leopold grins. He is definitely going to do that, "I asked you a question."

"Please. Please, I'll do anything." Regina keeps on begging. She doesn't remember his question. She's too scared.

"Not necessary," Leopold says, "I won't hurt you a lot this time," he lays down next to her, still stroking her wounded cheek.

Regina looks up at him. "Please." she mumbles. "I'm yours. I will be yours. Just don't hurt me. Please. Please." she begs.

"You know what it is, Regina..." Leopold sigh, "the only fun thing I can do in this boring town is hurt you...".

"You can have fun with me without hurting me. Please." Regina begs once more.

"Tell me how," Leopold says amused, "I can't think of something."

Regina turns around on her back and moans of pain. She bites her bottom lip and pulls Leopold above her. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Go on." she whispers.

Leopold grins and kisses her. After a long kiss he just pulls back and moves next to her again, "no, I don't feel like it..." he laughs.

"Then what do you want?" Regina just whispers.

"I want to have fun."

"Just do it. So you can leave me alone."

"Leave you alone won't help me," Leopold says, "it's too boring...".

Regina looks at him. What is he going to do this time?

Leopold doesn't stop laughing, "that look on your face is amusing," he grins and he just looks at her.

Regina just keeps looking at him. Her back hurts and she turns back on her side.

Leopold doesn't like it and he grabs her arm. He squeezes it long enough to make it bleed again. He wants to see her tears now. His body is suddenly full of anger.

Regina moans of pain. A tear runs down her face. "Please." she begs very silently.

"I'll go," Leopold says and he stands up, but nog before pushing on Regina's back very hard and making the deepest wound bleed again. "Have fun with yourself and good luck with your boyfriend," he holds up the letter Robin wrote, "you don't seem very interesting in him, maybe that's why he doesn't have interest in you. That's why no one loves you."

"At least he's there when I need him. You can't say that about Eva. You drove her away with your obsession with hurting me." Regina snaps at him

"O I'll make sure he won't be there anymore, not even when you need him," Leopold snaps, "it's not that hard." He feels the anger growing.

"I can do the same to Eva. You remember her, right? The woman you truly love and who loves you? Wait... No... That's over now, isn't it?"

"O can you?" Leopold says, "it's hard to do that to someone I already lost... because of you. And besides that, before you even get to her I can kill Emma a hundred times...".

"You won't kill an innocent child. You're too weak to do that. If you could do that you already would have." Regina smiles. She knows she's stronger with words than he is.

"No, I will kill her at the right moment, when you will break the most," he snaps and he walks back at her.

Regina laughs now. "We both know you can't. You're WEAK."

"I can show you I don't," Leopold snaps and he pick up his knife again, the safe weapon that always works, "when shall I kill her? Tomorrow? Or the day after that? O no... Let's do it now!"

"WEAK." Regina says again.

Leopold stabs Regina in her shoulder and makes sure it's a deep cut. Them he pulls it out and moves it to her legs. "I'm not weak." he snaps.

"Yes, you are." Regina whispers. She doesn't scream and she doesn't moan of pain. She won't give him that satisfaction. "You're weak. You can't control your feelings. That's WEAK!"

Leopold is out of his mind now. He goes on making cuts in Regina's legs and arms, until her whole skin is red. He is so angry and not in control anymore. "Emma is mine tomorrow," he snaps, "and I can't control my feelings, that's because it makes me block love... Love is weakness and you know that!"

"It's not." Regina whispers before she passes out.

"Oh my god, Regina!" Robin says when he comes into the room, he already found it weird when Regina didn't react. He tries to wake her up, her body is covered with blood, only her face has been a bit spared. This wounds are even worse than before...

"The Curse needs to be broken so I can heal myself." Regina mumbles.

"Regina what are you talking about?" Robin whispers.

"My Curse. The Dark Curse." Regina mumbles. "Emma knows what I'm talking about." Her body starts to shake, even worse than before. "I'm so cold." she whispers. "You have to go to New York with Emma to find Prince Charming. Robin, please." Blood drips out of her mouth. Regina is exhausted, her body can't take this any longer. "Please." she whispers.

"The dark curse... Regina," he sighs, "you're just hallucinating, I can't just go to New York... It's... I mean, how can I possibly find a man... Charming... You must have been reading to much fairytales Regina." He picks up the phone to call the doctor.

"Please. Ask Emma." Regina whispers. Her body shakes again. "I will die if you don't find him." She coughs up a bit more blood. "Please."

"But how do we get there?" Robin asks and he pics up Regina's hand, "you won't die," he whispers. He calls a doctor and waits.

"Plane. Use my tickets. Go, please, with Emma. She knows how to break the Curse. Please, Robin." Regina mumbles. "Please." she whispers now.

The doctor arrives. He talks to Robin for a while and then starts to give Regina the medicines again, but he knows it's useless. "It doesn't look good," he says and Robin looks shocked. 

Robin runs away to Emma and miss Blanchard. When he tells Emma she really wants to go. Miss Blanchard insists in going with them and they leave Storybrooke. 

While Emma, Robin and Miss Blanchard are away to New York, Regina's condition gets worse. She still doesn't want to go to the hospital. When the bell rings she can't go downstairs to open the door. She now lays under three blankets and still feels very cold. When the door opens she doesn't dare to look up, afraid that Leopold is back again. But when she hears a soft and warm voice, she dares to look up.

"Hey," Eva whispers, "I'm sorry I frightened you," she holds up a warm water bottle and lays it down under the blankets, "to keep you warm," she says and she also sets down a cup of tea. "How are you feeling?" she asks, but she already knows the answer.

Emma, Robin and miss Blanchard missed the plane, but Mary Margaret managed to get a ticket for the next plain. When they are on their way Emma writes down all the Davids in New York, which cost her a very long time. "You can choose, miss Blancard," Emma says, knowing she and Charming will always find each other.

Regina looks at Eva, relieved it's her and not Leopold. "I've been better." she softly whispers. Regina tries to smile but starts to cough up blood again.

Miss Blanchard looks at Emma. "But there are so many, Emma. How do I choose?"

Eva smiles back and wipes away the blood. "I... I just wanted to see you, so I stole Leopold's keys," Eva says, "I wish I could do more, but I'll make sure he won't get his keys back, so he can't come in anymore... Really, I'm so sorry."

"Just pic the one that feels good," Emma says, "one day you'll understand," Emma smiles, feeling great that she can say that to an adult instead if the other way around. But then she starts to think. No one has told her what happened to her mom and why she didn't come with them.... she is really curious... Maybe her mother just didn't feel like going with her...

"This is not your fault." Regina whispers. Her eyes start to close again. "I'm so tired."

Miss Blanchard reads all the names. "That one. David Nolan. How about that?" She really doesn't think that this will help Regina in any way, but Emma seems so determined.

"You can sleep," Eva says, "you can call me if you need anything and I'll make sure Leopold can't come in... O Yes, I made Some tea for you." 

"Okay," Emma says with a smile. They talk a lot while flying to New York and they arrive in the evening. Robin suggests to take a hotel and find David tomorrow.

"Please. Stay." Regina almost begs before falling asleep. "I don't want to die alone."

Miss Blanchard agrees with Robin. But on the other hand, Regina is really sick and not good. So maybe they need to find this David as soon as possible? Miss Blanchard suggests this to Robin.

"No Regina," Eva whispers, 'you won't die," she takes Regina's hand in hers.

"Yeah, you're possible right," Robin says. He looks at Emma who seems very tired. He takes her in his arms and she almost immediatey falls asleep. "Let's go then," Robin says with Emma still sleeping on his shoulder. So they leave the airport and drive to David Nolan. "Maybe you can go," Robin carefully asks, "I don't want to wake Emma...".

"Yes, I will." Regina whispers. "I know I will. I can feel it." Regina coughs up more blood. She looks at Eva with fear in her eyes. "Do you want to ask Miss Blanchard to take care of Emma for me?" she whispers.

"What do I say?" Miss Blanchard asks Robin. "Because telling him what Regina told us and what Emma so strongly believes in? I think we will be on our way to a mental asylum before we can do anything else."

"Regina," Eva says louder now, "you won't die, don't say that," tears start to roll down her cheeks. "Stay here, please."

"Just say hi and then turn back, we tell Emma nothing happened and..." He really doesn't know what to say.

"Just... Don't let me fall asleep." Regina whispers softly. She hears the doorbell ring. She looks up at Eva. "I don't expect anyone."

Miss Blanchard nodds. "I will do that." She walks to the front door of this David Nolan's house and rings the bell.

"We just won't open," Eva whispers, "the door is locked so no one can come in." 

"Hello," David says when he opens the door, but when he looks at the woman he sets a few steps back, "Snow?" he says.

Regina keeps looking at Eva. Is she really not going to leave her alone?

Miss Blanchard takes a couple of steps back too. "That's what Regina called me. How do you know that?"

Eva takes a deep breath and keeps looking at Regina. "Tell me something," she whispers.

"Regina?" David says. So she is here, the evil queen and he was right about the curse, Snow doesn't remember him... "Do you have time for a little talk?" he whispers.

"What do you want to hear?" Regina wants to know.

"I actually don't. A friend is waiting for me with Regina's daughter. Do you know Regina?"

"Just anything... " Eva says, "tell me about Emma".

"I... I do," David says, "since when does Regina have a child?" he asks, he just wants to know.

Regina's eyes grow full with tears. "Emma..." she whispers before she starts to cry.

"How do you know Regina? And why do you two call me Snow? I'm Margaret Blanchard."

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," Eva says and she sits down on he bed, drying Regina's tears with her sleeve, "she loves you so much and she will always love you, remember that. And she will be back." 

"Your name was... is Snow," David says, "you just don't remember," he is speechless, "how did you get here?"

"I know she will be back. I just won't be here to witness that." Regina cries louder now.

"Regina told me and Robin to take her daughter, Emma, to New York to find some Prince Charming." Miss Blanchard giggles. "I know it sounds ridiculous. But..." She gets serious again. "Regina's condition is getting worse with every minute and she seemed desperate and if that is her final wish..." Miss Blanchard sighs.

"Yes you will," Eva says clearly, "you will survive, Regina, trust me.”

"She told you to find me?" David says, "why would she do that? And... Emma? Are you sure about all this?"

Regina looks at Eva. She almost falls asleep but she knows when she does that, she won't wake up again. She moans of pain in her exhausted body.

"Regina kept talking about some curse she wants to be broken and the only way to do that is by finding this Prince Charming. I know, I know, it really is ridiculous. Emma agrees with her mother, though, and she searched all of the David's in New York and you're the first one I talk to but no curse is being broken, I mean... I don't feel different, so I'm sorry for bothering you." Miss Blanchard wants to turn around.

"Keep talking," Eva says, "you need to stay awake," she wipes away the other tears. 

"No please wait," David says and he waits until Snow looks at him again, "do you and your friend and Emma need a place to stay for the night?" he asks, "you can stay with me... Because you... You have found the right person, Margaret." He smiles.

"I'm so tired, Eva. I just want to sleep. Please." Regina whispers.

Miss Blanchard turns back around to this stranger who seems somehow familiar but she doesn't know from where. "Yes. We actually do need a place to stay but we wanted to find a hotel. We don't want to bother you."

"You can't," Eva says, but she sees Regina's eyes are closing, "look at me Regina! Don't go.”

"Please, it would be an honor," David says, and then he knows what to do to convince her, "and besides that... I know how you can safe Regina.”

"I'm trying." Regina whispers. "I really am. I'm just... so.. tired..." she whispers.

"You know how to safe Regina? How's that?" Miss Blanchard wants to know.

"I know you're tired, but you need to stay strong," Eva says. She is talking very strict now, she can't give in now...

"Stay and you'll see," David only says.

Regina just looks at Eva. Blood drips out of her mouth.

"Alright. You're making me curious. We'll stay." Miss Blanchard decides. She waves at Robin to come to her and this David Nolan.

"Good," Emma whispers and she softly wipes away the blood.

Robin pays the driver and walks to the house. "Hi," he says and he shakes David's hand. He looks at Snow, waiting for her to say why he had to come.

"I'm so cold." Regina whispers. 

"Robin, this is David Nolan. He knows Regina and he knows how to safe her." Miss Blanchard looks at David now. "We can stay with him if we want to. That way we don't have to stay in a hotel."

Eva just makes sure Regina keeps looking at her. Her heart beats very fast and she is really afraid Regina will go...

Robin nods and they walk inside, Emma still sleeps and David shows them a bed. Robin makes sure Emma goes to bed and he leaves David and Miss Blanchard alone for a while.

"I don't want to lay down. I want to walk. If I don't, I'll fall asleep." Regina whispers to Eva.

Miss Blanchard softly smiles at this David Nolan when she's alone with him. "So..." she starts. "You know how to safe Regina? Where do you know her from?"

"Your wounds will start bleeding again," Eva says, "maybe it will help if you sit up." She says and she helps Regina to sit. "Try to drink something..." she whispers.

"She is...”. Yeah what does he have to say? Snow doesn't remember anything.... "We didn't really have a good connection, but my... Wife liked her so I started to like her too, if that makes sense.”

Regina nodds. "Do you mind getting me some water downstairs?" she dares to ask Eva. "If you don't... I... I understand."

Miss Blanchard looks down. "You're married?" She looks around. "I would like to meet your wife." she smiles.

"Of course I don't mind," Eva says, "but you have to promise me to stay awake, okay?" 

"I was married," David says, "I even had a child... A girl, but I lost both of them a long time ago."

Regina just nodds. But she knows she will close her eyes as soon as Eva leaves her bedroom.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Miss Blanchard whispers. "I'm so sorry, I... I didn't know." She looks up at him. "If you want we can leave. It's really not a big deal."

"I can see you don't mean it," Eva says strictly, "you need to promise." She walks to the door.

"No of course not," David says, "and you couldn't know, so don't feel sorry, it's okay." He smiles, "want some tea?"

Regina sighs. Why can't she just sleep? She feels so tired. "I can't promise you that." she whispers softly.

"No, thank you. I just really want to know how we can safe Regina. Her condition is really worse."

"Please," Eva says with tears in her eyes and then she can't hold it anymore and runs downstairs to get the water. She is afraid she can't keep Regina awake for long...

"It's complicated," David says, "do I look, just in any way, familiar to you?"

Eva returns into the bedroom within seconds. Regina is barely awake, but she's still awake. "I'm... I'm not sleeping." Regina mumbles when she hears Eva returning in her bedroom.

Miss Blanchard doubts before she very slowly nodds. "Yes. A bit, I guess. But I don't know from where."

"Good," Eva says and she wakes Regina up completely, "try to drink something," she whispers. This can't be the end... Can it?

"You loved me once," David says, "and I loved you, it may sound crazy, but it's true."

Regina takes the glass of water Eva hands her over. "Thank you." Regina drinks and feels a bit more awake. "Thank you, Eva." she repeats herself.

Miss. Blanchard starts to laugh. "I'm sorry, but you're not really saying what I think you're saying, right? That stuff... It's just in a fairytale and I'm really not this Snow White. I'm Margaret Blanchard, nothing more."

"It's all right," Eva whispers, "it's the least I can do," she smiles and turns her eyes to the ground.

"As you wish," David says and he doesn't continue. "Well, where are you from, tell me a little bit more about yourself."

Regina closes her eyes. "I'm so tired, Eva." she whispers. "I.. I really want to walk a little bit."

Miss. Blanchard thinks a second about that question. "I have always lived in Storybrooke for as long as I can remember. I'm a teacher there." she smiles.

"Okay," Eva whispers and she takes Regina's hands to get her on her feet, very very slowly. "If it hurts we need to stop okay.”

"Can you remember how you grew up?" David says, knowing she won't.

"Yes. I know. Thank you." Regina smiles.

Miss. Blanchard hesitates. "I... No..." she whispers.

"Try to take a step," Eva says. It costs a lot of strength to keep Regina on her feet and to not let her fall, but she is happy she can distract her a little.

"That's because you didn't grew up in Storybrooke," David says. He doesn't want to give too much information all at once.

Regina very slowly walks a couple of steps. She startles when the frontdoor opens and a familiar voice sounds through the house.

"Then where did I grow up?"

"How is that possible?" Eva whispers as she hears Leopold's voice and she guides Regina to the bed again. Before she can go downstairs, Leopold comes into the room.

"In another realm," David says, "the enchanted forest."

Regina looks up at him. "Leopold." she whispers in fear. "Please. Please, leave us alone."

Somehow that place sounds familiar. But that's... That's crazy, isn't it? She looks at David Nolan with doubt in her eyes.

Before Leopold can say a thing, Eva pushes her lips against his. She only does it to distract him, but almost feels good. "Can you go away please," she whispers.

"It doesn't sound crazy to me," David says, still smiling.

Regina holds in her breathe. She's really afraid of him.

Miss. Blanchards slowly gets up. "That's not true. It can't be." she whispers. A flashback goes through her mind, one of her and Prince Charming.

Leopold steps back, "please go," Eva whispers again and Leopold walks to the door, "I'll be back as soon as possible." she adds, only to make sure he will go...

David sees Snow her eyes change for a very short moment. "What if it is true," David says.  
"You lived in a big black castle, that's what you told me," it was only a tiny part of the thins she told him, but he tries to get her memories back piece by piece.

Regina looks at him. Is he really going to go? Just like that. She almost sighs with relief.

Miss. Blanchard looks back at him. She takes a step towards him. "I don't know. It feels so... surreal...".

Leopold stands in the doorway. He looks at Regina with anger in his eyes, but the sight of Eva makes him calm down. He closes the door and leaves. Eva breathes heavily and fast when she closes the door behind him. "I'm so sorry," she whispers, still out of breath.

"I know it does, but that will fade," he says and he carefully steps closer to her too.

"I'm so glad he left." Regina whispers. She sighs with relief, finally. "Thank you, Eva. He... He really loves you, you know."

When their hands touch, by accident, Miss Blanchard looks David Nolan in the eyes. She sees something, but she isn't sure what she sees. "How can I remember?" she whispers.

"I know," Eva whispers and she looks at her feet. Maybe she still loves him too... But she can't, "but it's over between us." she says.

"Stop thinking," he whispers and their hands touch again, "only feel," he whispers and he looks into her eyes.

"It doesn't have to be." Regina softly smiles at Eva. "I won't blame you if you love him too, even after all he did to me. I would understand. You can't fight true love." A tear runs down Regina's face when she thinks of Robin when she says that.

"Feel." Miss. Blanchard repeats with a very soft voice. Her lips touch his.

"I can't give him what he wants," Eva says, "then he truly won, from both of us, so you need to stay alive and I need to hide my love...".

Their lips touch and David softly lies his arms around her. Then the truly kiss. 

A weird wave of energy seems to spread over the world...

Broken.


	12. Back And Forth

When The Dark Curse gets broken by Snow White and Prince Charming kissing in New York City, the wave of energy that spreads over the world also hits Storybrooke. Regina feels the well known electricity of magic flooding through her body. "Robin." is the first name she whispers. She carefully looks up at Eva to see if The Curse is broken completely and to see if she has all of her memories back.  
In New York City Miss. Blanchard can't stop crying from happiness. She and David startle when the door from the bedroom opens and Robin appears in the living room.

"He... He is the king," Eva says, "and you are the queen," Eva says and she sinks to the ground. She can’t believe what just happened. "I'm crazy,".

Robin laughs, "you did it!" he says and he hugs the both of them, Emma comes running down the stairs. "Did it work?" she asks with the biggest smile she ever had. Robin nods and then looks at Snow, "I need to see Regina." he says, but then he remembers something else...

Before going over to Eva, Regina first heals herself completely. It has been years since she did that so it takes a little while longer than it usually did, but within minutes she has healed herself. She takes a deep breath and sighs with relief. She really was barely still there. She walks over to Eva and helps the woman sit on the couch in her bedroom. "Eva." Regina whispers. She lets the woman look at her. "Thank you. Thank you for staying with me." She softly smiles at her. "Leopold isn't the King any longer and I'm certainly no Queen. I... I didn't want to marry him, Eva. I hope you know that. I don't love him. You do." Regina looks down now. "I took care for Snow White. I promised you that." she whispers.

Snow White looks at Emma with tears in her eyes. "Emma." she whispers. "My baby. My sweet, sweet baby!" Snow lowers to the ground and opens her arms, waiting for Emma to give her a hug.

Eva looks up and sees Regina, alive and healed. She jumps up, "o my gosh Regina!" she says and she starts to cry, "I almost thought you would really die," she hugs her tightly. "Thank you for taking care of Snow," she whispers, she is still in shock but her mind is clearer now, "is she here?" 

"So it's true," Emma says with a smile on her face, "but how do you know?" She walks closer and hugs her... Real mom. David feels happier than ever. He lost Emma when they arrived here. When they had jumped through the portal they didn't arrive at the same place. He has been looking for her ever since and now she found him.

Regina smiles. "Yes. She's in New York now, but I do hope they will be back very soon." Regina's smile gets brighter. "I just hope nobody is angry with me. I know it is The Dark Curse but I have altered it as much as I could. I gave everyone a good life." A tear runs down her face. "I just wanted to be with Snow and Robin even if they didn't remember me. My mother, Cora... She ruined everything." Regina whispers. Her eyes grow wide with fear now. "She's here too. And now she remembers everything too." Regina whispers softly. 

Snow White hugs her daughter tightly. "I'm so happy to have you back, Emma. Thank you for breaking The Curse. We couldn't have done it without you." Snow looks at Robin. "Why would Regina cast that Curse? She knew what would happen, didn't she?"

"They won't hate you, don't cry" Eva says with a smile, she wipes away the tear with her finger, "but your mother... Do you know where she is?" 

Emma keeps hugging Snow and Charming. Robin looks at them he really wants to see Regina, to hug her and kiss her and to say sorry for everything, and to tell her that one thing...

Regina looks down. "She's here in Storybrooke. She's the only one I gave a miserable, miserable life." Regina smiles, proud of what she did to her mother. "I have to kill her before she can do anything to me again."

Miss. Blanchard sees Robin looking at them. "Why don't we fly back to Storybrooke right now?" she suggests. "We can sleep a bit on the plane. You want to go to Regina, right?" She winks at Robin and gives him a big smile, remembering the years they were te best of friends after Cora send them away from Regina. Now The Curse has been broken, she remembers that too. Snow looks at Emma. "I think we will have to talk to Regina about you. It is a bit of a difficult situation, isn't it?" She smiles. She herself being the stepdaughter of Regina and Emma being Regina's adoptive child who's her biological child. Not an easy situation if you ask her.

"What? No!" Eva says louder than she expected, "you can't do that!" 

"Sounds like a good plan," Robin says, glad to have Snow back, they spend a lot of time together in the enchanted forest, he even learned her how to shoot with a bow and arrow. He smiles when he thinks of it.   
"I want to go to my mom," Emma says, "my... Other mom, I mean... I miss her and I want to tell her we did it."   
So they leave New York...

Regina looks at Eva. "Why not? If I don't kill her, she will kill me."

Eva stays with Regina to prevent her from doing stupid things. After a couple of hours Regina startles when the door to her house opens. "Who's there?" she shouts downstairs, prepared to fight.

"I'm glad you're home," Cora says and she appears in front of Regina, her millers-clothes disappeared and she was her old evil self. "Hello there Eva," she says with a bow. On her face is a soft, but evil grin.

A fireball appears in Regina's hand and without hesitation she throws it to her mother. Anger and hatred glare up in her own eyes.

"Regina stop!" Eva shouts, but it doesn't help. The fireball doesn't hit Cora, instead she takes it over and lets it burn in her own hand, "what a warm welcome," she says with a grin.

Regina's eyes grow dark with hatred. "I'll give you one chance to get the hell out of my town." she threatens Cora.

"What will you do if I don't get the hell out of your town," Cora says and she looks at her daughter.

"I will kill you, mother. And that's not a treath. It is a promise." Regina hears the front door open again. "Now go!" she yells at her mother.

"Do you think it's that easy?" Cora snaps, "you brought me here, so I'm allowed to stay,".

"I gave you a miserable life and I will see to it you don't get anything else." Regina snaps back. "Now go! I don't want you here!" Footsteps are running up the room.

Cora grins when Leopold enters the room. She can't use him here right now, so she poofs him away from the room. She can't torture Eva when he is in the room. "You should be thankful," Cora says, "you don't want me here, but what if I want to stay?"

"Thankful? For ruining my life? Never." Regina snaps. "Now go!"

"Thankful for giving you the opportunity to be queen," Cora says, "and besides that I just did you a favor by removing the king from this room."

"I can take care of Leopold myself." Regina snaps again. "And I never wanted to be Queen!"

"You liked the power," Cora says, "I saw it myself, but tell me, why did you cast this... Dark curse."

"That's none of your business!" Another fireball appears in Regina's hands, bigger than the previous one. "Go, mother."

"Fine," Cora snaps and she pins Eva to the wall. "Kill me and she will die," Cora smiles, "so tell me, why?"

"Why I cast this Curse? To get Snow and Robin back. The two people I loved most in the world and who genuinely cared about me and who you took away from me!"

"And you thought it would be funny to take me with you too?" she snaps and chokes Eva a little.

"As a matter of fact, I enjoyed seeing you so miserable!"

"Then you know how I feels," Cora says clearly, "then you know how it feels to enjoy evil."

"No." Regina mumbles. "I hate it. But when it comes to you, I'll make an exception! Now let her go! Eva had nothing to do with this!"

"Do you really hate it," Cora laughs, "I doubt that," and she chokes Eva even harder.

"Stop it!" Regina throws another fireball at her mother, who has no other choice than to release Eva.

Cora poofs away and appears on the other side of the room, quick enough to immediately pin her daughter to the wall. Eva falls on the ground, trying to catch her breath.

Regina gasps for air. "Let me go!" she yells at her mother. "Eva, go. Save yourself."

"No, I can't just leave you here with her," Eva says, "please Cora, let her go," but it doesn't work at all.

"Mother!" Regina yells. "Please!"

Cora lets Regina go and takes a deep breath. "Have a nice day," she whispers and she poofs away.

Regina sighs with relief. Where are Snow, Robin and Emma staying? She so badly wants her daughter back with her.

"I think I'll go home again," Eva whispers, she looks at ther ground, "Robin and... Snow can be back soon and I don't want to interrupt your special moment," she smiles and walks to the door.

"Eva? Thank you. Thank you for staying. I'm so sorry about my mother. I will make sure she won't be able to hurt you again." Slowly Regina casts a protection spell over the woman in front of her. "There you go. She won't be able to hurt you now." Regina smiles. When Eva has left her house, Regina quickly puts on a soft dress and magically removes all the blood in her room. She can't wait for Robin, Snow and Emma to come home to her.

"No problem, I'm glad I could help," Eva says, "don't worry about me, I'm fine." He laughs, but it isn't a true laugh. "Thanks and I hope you enjoy your day, I'm sure they will be so happy to see you!" She walks outside and when the door is closed her smile immediately disappears. She locks herself up in her house and she is not planning to ever come out of it again. They lied to her... About everything... Again...

Robin rings the doorbell. David carries Emma in his arms and Snow holds his hand. Robin really wants to see Regina, to see if she is all right.

Regina quickly runs downstairs and opens the door. She looks straight in Robin's face. "Robin." she whispers softly. She looks at him with hope in her eyes.

Robin smiles, "Regina," he whispers back and he takes her in his arms. "I'm so glad your okay," he whispers in her ear, "I've missed you so much," he hugs her tightly and looks at her, "how do you feel?"

"Do you remember me? Everything? Also the fact that my mother took you and Snow from me?" Regina looks up at him again, still with hope in her eyes.

"I do," Robin says, "but something happened when your mother took me away, I'll tell you soon," he whispers and he kisses her on her cheek.

Regina gives him a long kiss on his lips. "I have missed you so much." Regina starts to cry now.

Robin holds her close, "I'm so sorry I ever doubted you," he says and he smiles.

"It's alright. You didn't remember." Regina whispers. Over Robin's shoulders she looks at Snow. "Snow." she whispers.

"Mom," she says with tears in her eyes and now she hugs her.

"Snow! I've missed you too!" Regina starts to cry even louder now. She looks at the man next to her. "You must be David." she smiles at him.

"Hi," David says, not really happy, "yes I'm David, nice to meet you Regina," he reaches out his hand, with Emma on his other arm.

"Nice to meet you too." Regina smiles at him. She then turns towards Emma. "You did it. You did it, Emma!" She smiles through her tears while holding up her arms to take Emma over from David.

"Yes! It worked," Emma laughs and she wraps her arms around Regina's neck, "Robin and Snow helped me," she smiles, "where were you? Why couldn't you come with us?" Emma asks, but the smile doesn't fade.

"I was really sick, Emma. I'm sorry I couldn't come with you. You know I would have if I could, right?" Regina answers the girl honestly. She hugs her tight as if she's never going to let her go again. "You all must be so tired from flying back and forth to New York. Please, come in, let me make you some food." Regina suggests. She doesn't let go of Emma and tears of joy and happiness run over her face.

Everyone sits down at the table, indeed very tired, but also full of energy. Emma plays with Robin for a while and then she walks to her mother, "why are you crying?" Emma says, when she sees the tears on Regina's face, "aren't you happy that the curse is broken?"

"I am, dear." Regina smiles at Emma. She gives her another hug. "When someone is really happy, they can cry too. But that are tears of happiness." she explains. She looks Emma in the eye. "I know it is complicated now though. I mean... Where are you going to live? Where do you want to stay? I know Snow is your real mother, but..." Tears of fear now show up in Regina's eyes. Is Emma going to leave her?

"But you are my mom," Emma says, "and I want to stay with you, do you want me to leave?"

"No, of course not! I would love for you to stay!" Regina's smile couldn't be brighter. She gives Emma a big hug again. "I love you, Emma." Regina then looks at Robin. "What did you want to tell me?" she wants to know.

Emma looks at him too. "It's not that important, I'll tell you later," he says and he fakes a smile. "I don't want to ruin this special day," he whispers this time with a real smile.

"No, tell me. I want to know. I won't stop thinking about it if you don't tell me." Regina whispers.

"Emma why don't you go and talk with David and Snow, I'll help Regina to finish dinner,"   
Emma sighs but walks away, when she is out of sight Robin looks at Regina. "Well..." he starts, "before Cora send me and Snow to another realm, she took my heart." He takes a deep breath, "my love is gone...".

Regina looks at him with empty eyes. "No..." she whispers. "No... That can't be." She shakes her head. "Please tell me that's not true." Regina starts to cry. She's exhausted from fighting this war against her mother.

"I'm sorry Regina," Robin says and he takes her in his arms, "that's why true love's kiss didn't work," he whispers.

"No. Let go of me. I... I can't." Regina steps back from him. "I... I'm sorry." She sinks down to the ground and can't stop crying.

"I'm so sorry, Regina," Robin whispers and he sits down next to her. He doesn't dare to touch her. "But please..." he doesn't know what to say.

"We will get your heart back. I promise." Regina whispers. "She can't get away with what she did to us." She looks up at Robin. "Do you want to hold me? Please?" she softly whispers.

"Yeah," he whispers and he gets her up, he wraps her arms around her again and kisses her, "let's go and eat something, we can worry about it after dinner," he smiles.

"But do you... Do you still care about me?" Regina whispers in his ear. She looks at him with fear in her eyes. "You're never going to leave me? You still want to be with me?"

"Of course I want that," Robin says and he looks into her eyes, "I'll never leave you.”

Regina sighs with relief. "Thank you. Thank you." Her whole body shakes when she holds him tight against her. "I love you. I've missed you so much."

He smiles, "I missed you too, even though I didn't remember anything," Robin says, "I'm glad I have them back now."

Regina nodds. "Me too." she whispers. She puts the food, her famous lasagna, on the table and invites everyone to start eating. She notices David looks a lot at her. "Do you want to ask me something?" she asks him.

"No not really," David says, "just trying to figure everything out a bit," he doesn't like Regina very much, but he knows he should, because Snow does, so he doesn't say a thing.

Regina looks him right in the face. "You're a bad liar." Regina feels a lot stronger now she has her magic back. She feels more sure about herself. "You're a bad liar." she repeats herself. "You don't like me very much, do you?"

"How can I like someone who tore my family apart?" David says. He doesn't want to say these things when Emma is there, but she doesn't seem to hear him, because she is too busy reading in her book.

Regina keeps looking at David. "My mother took Robin and Snow from me." she whispers. "It was the only way to get the people I love back into my life." A tear runs down her face.

"That doesn't mean it was the right thing to do," David says. It was selfish, he wants to say, but he doesn't. "And they weren't the only people you send here; our family wasn't the only one you destroyed." He says it in a calm way. Snow takes his arm and wants him to stop, but she doesn't dare to say it.

Regina remains silent. "I'm sorry." she whispers. She gets up from her chair and locks herself up in her bedroom. She starts to cry. She knows this David is right. But she wanted so badly to get Snow and Robin back.

Robin gets up, "I'll look of she is okay," he says and he leaves Emma, David and Snow. He walks upstairs to the bedroom. 

"Regina?" he says and he softly knocks on the door, "can you let me in?"

Regina waves with her hand and the door unlocks. She sits in her closet; the only place she has ever felt safe when she was alone.

Robin slowly opens the door of the closet, "Regina..." he sighs and he reaches out his hand. "Come.”

Regina shakes her head. She doesn't dare to look up at him. "He's right, isn't he?" she whispers.

"You were hurt, Regina," Robin says, "you can't blame yourself.”

Regina looks at him. "I blame my mother." she whispers. "It's her fault. She made me cast that Curse. I've altered it as best I could but it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough."

"You can't blame your mother either, Regina," Robin says, "she may be one of the reasons you cast it, but she didn't force you to do it... And no, it wasn't the best plan to do it, but we can't change that anymore," Robin reaches out his hand again, "we need to make the best of it now and forgive ourselves."

Regina doesn't take his hand. "I had to kill the thing I loved most." she whispers. "To enact the Curse." She looks up at Robin again. "But you and Snow were somewhere I didn't know so I... I had to kill..." she whispers.

"Who did you kill?" Robin says, but he already knows it. He takes a deep breath. "We can't turn it back anymore," he says. It's wrong, she did the wrong thing, but they have to live with it...

Regina looks away. "My father. I killed my father to get you and Snow back." she whispers. "He was the only one who ever believed in me, when I didn't know you yet. He was the only one who ever cared about me." Regina startles when she hears loud knocks on her front door and a lot of noise outside.

Robin doesn't react on the fact that she killed her father, he needs to take it in a bit first.  
"I think you now have a lot of unhappy people...".

"They are going to be so angry with me." Regina whispers softly. She climbs out of her closet, walks downstairs and opens her front door. She looks at the crowd in front of her.

The people stop yelling and the street is silent now. They all look at the woman in front of her. Then they start to speak, well... It was more like screaming, "where are our families? Where is our home?!"

Regina waits until everyone has calmed down again. "I don't know where your families are. If you weren't together when the Curse hit our lands, they might as well be still there. I have altered the Curse as best I could. I didn't want to hurt anyone." Regina whispers those last words.

"You failed!" a few people shout. "You did hurt us, so bring us back!" "As best as you could? You shouldn't have done it!"

"I had no other choice. My mother, Cora... She took my daughter and my love away from me. Because she wanted me to stay Queen. She wouldn't let Snow White take over my Crown." Regina tries to explain.

"You're selfish! You only helped yourself, but with that you broke us," a man says, "your family is back, but ours is destroyed! You don't even know where they are... What if the curse killed them all!"

"No one is killed." Regina whispers. "I promise you that." She looks at Robin. When their eyes meet she knows she has done the right thing. She couldn't live a day longer without him.

"How do we get them back then?" a woman shouts.

Regina shakes her head. "I don't know. I don't know how to get back to The Enchanted Forest." she whispers.

A few people start to cry and the crowd is now silent. A few people come forward, ready to attack the former queen. Robin pushes Regina a bit after him, "what about a meeting, tomorrow morning, you can ask everything then," he says clearly, "because screaming and fighting won't get us anywhere." He looks at Regina.

She softly nodds. That's actually a great idea. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers to him. "Yes, please. You can ask me everything then and I promise I'll try to answer everything as best as I can." Regina adds.

The people step back and start to walk away. Robin closes the door and takes a deep breath. "Let's go to the living room again," he says, "the closet isn't a really good place to be.”

"Yes, it is." Regina protests. "I feel safe there and I won't destroy other people's lifes." she whispers.

"You also won't do that if you come with me to the living room," Robin says, "you can't hide now, people want answers...".

Regina softly nodds. She doesn't say it but she's really scared of facing David again.

Emma is playing with Snow and David. They have fun together. "Maybe it's better that we go," Snow says, when Regina walks in."

"No, please. Stay." Regina looks at Snow. "I have missed you for so long. Can't you stay a little while longer?"

Snow looks at David and back to Regina, "yeah you're right," Snow smiles, "who were that outside?"

"Some angry people." Regina whispers. She looks at Snow. "But you understand why I had to cast this Curse, right?"

"Of course I do," Snow say and she hugs her mother again, "but I also understand that those people are angry."

"You do?" Regina whispers softly. "I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina looks her daughter in the eyes. "What about Emma?" she whispers. "Emma wants to stay here." Regina whispers even more softly.

"I already thought that," Snow whispers, "she grew up with you," she is very sad of course, but she doesn't know what to do about it.

"But you don't want that, do you?" Regina turns around. She doesn't want Snow to see the tears running over her face. How could everything be so messed up? "I understand." Regina whispers now. She turns back around to Snow. "Just know... Just know Emma can come to you whenever she wants or whenever you want. You can come here too. I... I won't stand in your way. I promise." Regina looks Snow in her eyes, waiting for an honest reply.

"But you won't give her up will you?" Snow says, she shakes her head, "thank you," she whispers, "I'll come when I can."

"Do you want me to?" Regina softly asks. "Maybe... Maybe we should talk with Emma together?"

"No, no, she... She is yours..." Snow says. She almost starts to cry, "it's just hard, but I'll get over it, I promise." She takes a deep breath.

"No, Snow. This is not the way. We need to talk to Emma together. I really think that's best. We need to do this the right way. For Emma." Regina takes Snow and Emma for a private moment to her own bedroom. The three girls sit together on the bed.

"What's it?" Emma says. She is a bit worried when her moms don't seem happy...

"I think the three of us need to know when and where you are going to stay, dear." Regina looks at Snow before she continues. "We want to do what's best for you so we need you to tell us what you want. Can you do that?" Regina smiles at her little girl.

"No," Emma says, "I can't choose between the two of you... I don't want that".

Regina looks at Snow and then back at Emma. "Well, we can't exactly cut you in half now, can we?" She starts to poke Emma to get her to start laughing again.

Emma tries to look serious, but the Regina makes her laugh, "stop mom!" she says, pretending to be angry.

Regina laughs too. "You are so tickelish!" She smiles bright. "Do you know who else can't stand that?" Regina winks at Emma before they both start to tickle Snow White.

"No stop it," Snow laughs, "stop stop stop," she can't stop laughing. She Rolls from the bed and runs to the other side of the room, out of reach for Emma and Regina. She tries to catch her breath.

Regina's smile couldn't be more bright. How she enjoys moments like these. She knows she and Snow will figure this out. Snow and Emma are both her daughters. Maybe not by blood but sure as hell by love.

After their little moment without the boys, Regina, Snow and Emma return to Robin and David. Regina looks at Robin. She softly dares to smile at him.

Robin and David sit on the couch. When Regina smiles at Robin he smiles back. They have had a good time, while the girls were away. They were also kind of friends back in the other realm, because Robin and Snow were friends.

Regina sees there's place to sit down on the couch between Robin and David so that's where she sits down.

Snow takes Emma on her lab and sits down on a chair.

Regina smiles when she sees her two girls sitting like that. She slowly looks up at David.

David knew she would do that, so he looks back and gives her a small nod, "I'll get over it," he whispers and he tries to smile.

Regina softly smiles back. She then looks back at Robin. "What do I say tomorrow morning?"

"I think that's up to you," Robin says, "I know nothing about it... But I'll stand by your side," he smiles.

Regina softly nodds. "Do you... Do you want to stay tonight?" she whispers at him.

"Sounds good," he smiles. He takes her hand softly kisses her on her cheek.

"Really? You're really going to stay with me?" Regina looks Robin deep into his eyes to look for some kind of lie but she doesn't find that. She only sees kindness. She startles when the front door slams open.

"After all those years of missing you, you don't think I will really leave you tonight," he whispers and she squeezes her hand a little bit. The door slams open and Lady Tremaine comes in, "I'm so sorry," he grins, "that door was less heavy than I thought, or maybe I'm stronger than I think." She smiles and calms down a bit, "it's so good to see you all here," she whispers.

Regina looks at her old nanny, truly stunned. "How... Why..." she mumbles. She doesn't know what to say or do.

"You don't look very happy to see me," lady Tremaine says with sadness in her voice, when she sees the unhappy faces in front of her.

Regina quickly gets up from the couch. "No. I... I mean... I mean yes. Yes, of course I'm happy to see you!" Regina smiles with some hesitance. She hugs her old nanny.

Lady Tremaine hugs her back, "you really are?" she says, not knowing what to think of it anymore, "the truth," she whispers and she looks into Regina's eyes.

"I'm just surprised to see you." Regina whispers back. She feels Lady Tremaine's hand holding her chin tightly. "I really am happy to see you, Lady Tremaine." Regina smiles sincerely. She looks her old nanny back in her eyes.

"I'm happy to see you too," lady Tremaine says and now truly hugs her. "And Snow you're here too, how are you all?" she says very enthusiastically, "and who is this sweet girl? I won't bother you for long, don't worry, but it feels good to see you here."

"You don't bother us. You'll never bother us." Regina smiles. "That sweet girl is Emma. Snow's daughter. And my daughter."

"Oh well that's quite complicated," she says. She laughs and looks at Emma, "you have two great mothers," she winks, "and Robin hi," she says, "good to see you here too."

"David, meet Lady Tremaine. She has always been my nanny, from my childhood and even when I was married to Leopold. She was always there when I needed her." Regina smiles at Lady Tremaine.

"Thank you Regina, and hello David, nice to meet you," she says with a smile and he gives him a small hug when he stands up to greet her.

Regina gives Lady Tremaine something to drink. "Forgive me asking, Lady Tremaine, but... How did you find me? How did you get to Storybrooke?"

"With a magic bean," lady Tremaine said, "when the castle was empty, because you took most of the people with you while I was away, rumplestilskin protected me from your curse, I found a lot of magic stuff in your mother's vault, including a box with magic beans inside it."

Regina stares at her old nanny. "Did you bring them with you?" she wants to know immediately.

"I did," lady Tremaine says, "why?"

"The people of Storybrooke want to go back to The Enchanted Forest." Regina explains. "Maybe if I give them a choice, staying here or going back home, maybe... Maybe then they won't be angry with me any more?" Regina looks at Robin because she feels insecure about this idea.

"There are not many people left in the Enchanted Forest," lady Tremaine says, "they all got away before the curse, otherwise they would be here in Storybrooke... Don't you think?"

Regina nodds softly. "Yes. Yes, I think so." she whispers. "But... But how can they find their families? If I can't give them an answer to that question by tomorrow morning..." Regina looks back at Robin. "They will kill me." she whispers.

"Regina, they won't kill you," Robin says, "we need to be honest about it, they got away and we don't know how and where they are now...".

Regina nodds again. She then looks at her old nanny. "Why did you bring those beans with you?" she wants to know.

"I though they could be handy someday," she says, the real reason was that she wanted to be able to go back, if Regina didn't want her here...

"You're right. They will be handy. Will you save them for me?" Regina wants to show Lady Tremaine she trusts her. Regina then lays her head against Robin's shoulder. She's exhausted.

"I'll keep them safe," lady Tremaine says, "you look tired dear," she says and she sees Snow looks tired too. Emma already sleeps on Snow's shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. I'm not tired." Regina quickly pulls herself together. "I will go make beds for everyone so you can all stay here." Regina hurries upstairs and starts to make the bed for Snow and David in the guest room. But she's really exhausted and it takes ages before she finishes.

Snow runs after Regina, "we'll go to my house.” she says, "then lady Tremaine can sleep in the guest room and you and Robin van have some time together."

"No. I want you to stay. Please, Snow." Panic sounds through Regina's voice. She doesn't want to lose her daughter again. "Please." She starts to cry.

"But why," Snow says and she wraps her arms around her mother, "you won't lose us if we sleep at my house, please don't cry.”

"You promise?" Regina whispers. She doesn't let Snow go before she promises to come back the next day to go to the Town Hall together to talk to everyone. Maybe seeing The Queen and The Princess of The Enchanted Forest together will make them less angry. Regina says goodbye for now to Snow and David after Snow has tucked Emma into bed. Regina shows Lady Tremaine the guest room. She then turns towards Robin. "Do you... Do you want to sleep on the couch or do you want to stay with me?" she softly asks him.

"Do you mind if I stay with you?" Robin winks, "it's far more comfortable." He smiles, but doesn't understand why Regina is so careful, "you can ask me everything, Regina, even without a heart."

Regina softly nodds. "I would love for you to stay with me." she smiles at him. The two of them go upstairs to Regina's bedroom and sleep in one another's arms. The next morning Regina wakes up early and makes pancakes for Lady Tremaine, Robin, Emma and herself.

Robin comes downstairs when he wakes up, "how do you feel today," he says and he yawns. She lays his arms around her waist and looks at how she makes the pancakes.

"Nervous. Just nervous." Regina whispers. Actually she feels terrified, but she knows Robin knows that too. She likes having his arms around her but it makes her scared at the same time. Will he ever get his heart back?

"Don't worry about it, it will be fine," Robin whispers in her ear. "Just tell them the truth, that's all you can do."

Regina nodds. "I will. Thank you, Robin." She softly smiles. She likes it, him being so close to her, but it also frightens her. He's a man and men scare her.

When he feels Regina gets frightened, he kisses her on her cheek and sits down at the table. "Maybe they know where their family went and then they can use the beans to get to them, if lady Tremaine wants to share them."

"I hope so. I hope Lady Tremaine wants to share them. It was really smart of her to bring them with her." Regina smiles at Robin while putting the pancakes on the table. She walks upstairs to wake up Emma and carries the girl downstairs.

Emma grins when she sees Robin, "so..." Emma says as she sits down at the table, "Robin is your true love, isn't he? Did you kiss tonight," she giggles by the idea.

"Emma." Regina smiles at her daughter. "That's not something you ask." She gives her a wink. They all startle when Lady Tremaine walks into the kitchen.

"Good... Morning," lady Tremaine says, "is... Everything all right?" She wants to turn around.

"Yes, everything is alright. Please, come in and take a seat. I have made pancakes." Regina smiles at her old nanny.

Lady Tremaine sits down, Emma stares at her, "who are you from the Enchanted Forest?" she asks.

"Emma." Regina smiles. "This is Lady Tremaine. She has always been my nanny." Regina notices Emma doesn't seem to like her.

Emma looks at lady Tremaine with a very intense look, "was she a kind nanny?" she says without moving her head.

"She was." Regina smiles. She doesn't tell the bad stuff because Lady Tremaine has only helped her after those events.

"Okay," Emma says and then she smiles, "welcome in our family, nanny," she says and she takes a piece of her pancake. Robin does the same and together they eat breakfast.

After breakfast everyone gets ready to go to the Town Hall. Once there, Regina hands Emma over to Snow so she can look after her. Regina walks to the front and turns to the people of Storybrooke. She waits for them to ask their questions.

"What did you do?" Someone on the front row asks, "what exactly did your curse do?"

Regina looks at the man in the front row. "The Dark Curse would have sent everyone here to live a miserable life without any memories about The Enchanted Forest." Regina starts to explain. "I didn't want you to have a miserable life so I've altered the Curse as best I could. I have tried to keep all families together but I couldn't manage to preserve your memories. And I couldn't let you be with your family if you weren't together the moment the Curse hit our lands." Regina softly continues now. "I have tried to be the best Queen you all deserve. Snow White was about to turn 18 years old and first, I didn't want to give up my Crown. Robin convinced me to do that." Regina softly smiles at him. "On her 18th birthday I wanted to take a step back. I wanted Snow to take her rightful place at the Throne." Regina stops for a moment before she ends her story. "But my mother wouldn't let me. She wanted me to stay Queen. I never wanted to marry The King in the first place. She made me marry him. And she wanted me to stay Queen. So... So she took Snow and Robin away from me. I love Robin and I have always seen Snow White as my own daughter. I was devastaded." Regina whispers. A tear runs down her face. "This Curse was the only way to get them back into my life. With no memories of me or anything but at least... At least they would be near me." Another tear rolls down her face. "I didn't want to break families apart. I really didn't want to do that."

"But you still did that," a woman whispers loud enough for Regina to hear it. Now another person speaks, "but you knew everyone would lose their memories, and you could have known people would flee from the curse, so why did you still do it?"

"I'm sorry." Regina can only whisper. "I just wanted them back in my life."

"So you think you... One person... Is more important than all of us?" a woman snaps, her face is wet from tears, she wants her husband and children back.

"No." Regina whispers. "I can only say how sorry I am." A tear runs down her face.

"You're not allowed to cry!" the woman shouts, "and you're not sorry! You have your family back!"

"I really am sorry." Regina whispers. "I want to help you all to get your families back."

"How can you if you don't know where they are," a man says now.

"I don't know but I want to try. We have some magic beans that might be helpful."

"Magic beans are useless as we don't know where to go," another woman says calmly. "They all went to a world without magic, so they were safe for the curse... They can really be everywhere.”

"Not all of them." Regina softly answers. "Most of them, if they were far enough, are still there in The Enchanted Forest. If they ran far enough from The Curse and where it would hit."

"But still The Enchanted forest and all the places around it... We can never find them!" the woman says louder now. Then she is quiet "and if... They are still alive," a young lady whispers.

"They are. Nobody who stayed behind in The Enchanted Forest was killed by The Curse. I made sure of that." Regina answers.

"Can you track them?" a man in the back of the room says.

"If we would be in The Enchanted Forest, then yes. But we're not. We're here."

"So...?" a lady on the front row asks with a kind voice, but before Regina can answer a man shouts very hard, "so that means we are trapped here forever! She will be happy and we will be lonely forever. She doesn't even care about us!" A few other people start to shout too.

"No..." Regina whispers. "That's not... Not what I meant..." She looks at Robin. She feels afraid when someone screams at her, let alone a bunch of people.

"Please keep it calm everyone," Robin says with a loud voice. The crowd calms down a bit and the people now look at him, "anger won't get us anywhere."

Regina has taken a step back. She feels really, really scared right now. All those people who are angry with her while she only wanted to get her life back.

"We can't turn back time," Robin continues, "so the only thing we can do now is try to get your families back, but we need you to help us, we need to do this together. I know you want Regina to find a solution, because she caused all this, but she doesn't have one, so stop shouting and help each other." The people are now silent, you can only hear them breathing. Robin looks at Regina.

Regina very softly smiles at him. She looks down to the ground afterwards, afraid to look up at the people in front of her.

"For the people who know their family stayed in our realm, the Enchanted Forest, we can find a way to unite you again, if not, we'll find another way to track them. We succeeded in finding David and we found out he remembered everything. If your family traveled to this world without magic, they remember you too." He doesn't know how this words come out of him, but maybe he can stay calm, because his heart is missing. "So here is my plan...".

While Robin talks to the people of Storybrooke, Regina keeps walking backwards until she can hide in the darkest corner of The Town Hall. She slowly sinks down to the ground, pulls up her legs and rests her head on her knees. Her body shakes from tension. She startles when someone sits down next to her.

Snow sits down next to Regina and lies an arm around her mother's shoulder. "You need to stay strong, mom," she whispers.

Regina startles even more when Snow touches her, even if it's just laying her arm around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry for what I did, Snow." Regina whispers.

“I know you are," Snow says. She feels her mother startles when she touches her, but she doesn't pull back. "It will be all right," she says with a smile, "it seems like Robin has everything under control," she laughs.

"He does, doesn't he?" Regina smiles softly at her oldest daughter. "I don't like it when someone touches me, Snow." Regina whispers then.

"Not even when it's your daughter," Snow whispers and she suddenly wonders of Regina still sees her like that.

"I only like it when it's my daughter." Regina winks at Snow. "Snow... You know... I've really, really missed you." she then whispers. "When my mother took you and Robin from me... I've spent every day working on the Curse to get you back into my life."

Snow smiles, "I love you, mom," she whispers, "Robin and I were too busy with surviving to make plans to go back and soon we heard all the people in the villages talk about a curse... And about the evil queen...".

Regina shakes her head. "You didn't remember me. Cora made sure you two forgot all about me." A tear runs down Regina's face. "I've missed you so very much."

"I missed you too, even when I didn't remember you," she smiles, "and David will like you too, don't worry about that, I'll make him love you so much that he wants to marry you," she winks and laughs very hard now, "sorry" she whispers, "just... I'm in a weird mood."

Regina giggles softly. "You're as sweet as I remember you, dear." she smiles at Snow. Regina startles when a shadow falls over the both of them. She immediately crawls back in her shell and doesn't dare to look up.

"Two little girls," Leopold says, "how sweet." Snow doesn't startle at all, she looks at the man in front of her and then takes her mother's hand. "Father?" she says and she looks from her to her mom, "you didn't tell me.”

Regina doesn't react to Snow White. She looks up at her ex-husband. "Don't hurt her." Regina says to him with a strict tone in her voice.

"Hurt her? Never," Leopold says, but he doesn't mean it. Snow gets up, "mom... Why would he hurt me? And... I thought he was dead, what happened?"

"You explain it." Regina tells Leopold while standing up as well. She won't let him hurt her daughter.

"Regina tried to kill me, but he failed," Leopold says, "I was smarter than she was and I got away. I wish I could go back to you, but I couldn't she would certainly kill me for real," Leopold says and he wants to wrap his arms around Snow, but she steps back.

"Leave her alone." Regina snaps at Leopold. "I'm not going to let you hurt her like you did with me!"

"Mom..." Snow says and she looks at her, "don't worry.” "I can’t go back to you father," Snow then says, "I'll lose my mom if I do that and don't want that."

Behind Snow White's back Regina smiles at Leopold with a glance of triumph on her face.

Leopold walks to Regina and pushes her against the wall. He chokes her very hard. Snow runs to them and tries to stop him, but it's useless.

"You lose." Regina softly whispers to him. "Everyone can see who you really are now."

"I don't care," Leopold snaps and he chokes her even harder. Snow starts to beat Leopold, "please let my mom go!" she says and she almost starts to cry. She tries to get his arm away from Regina's throat.

Regina smiles and poofs herself away. She re-appears behind him. "Nobody wants you here, Leopold. Go away!"

Leopold hits Regina on her cheek and walks away. "You won't win," he snaps. Snow just stands still and looks at her mother.

Regina looks at Snow White. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Snow." she whispers to her eldest daughter.

"You can just poof away?" Snow only says and she stares at the wall.

"I... I can." Regina mumbles. "I don't like using magic though. I only use it when I need to. For a long time, I couldn't do it anyway, only since The Curse was broken."

Snow only nods, "maybe it's time to go back to the people and hear Robin's plan," she whispers.

"You go. I'll stay here." Regina whispers before she disappears into the shadows again, in the darkest corner of The Town Hall.

"You just defeated Leopold and you're afraid of those people?" Snow says almost angry, she walks away not to Robin, not to Regina, just to nowhere.

Regina sinks back to the ground and protects her body like she did before Snow White came to sit next to her. Her daughter may be right; she did just defeat Leopold (but one battle doesn't make the whole war), but what Snow doesn't now is how terrified Regina feels.

"Did you really think it was that easy to get away from me," Leopold grins and he steps into the light, "you just send your own daughter away and you don't even go after her, exactly what I need." He comes closes and he makes sure he grabs her hands, so she can't use magic.

"Leopold." Regina whispers. She knows that when she can't use her magic, she's fragile and scared. And that numbs her, numbs her ability to speak, to fight or flight, to do anything but obey.

"Where is your strength now?" Leopold grins and he pushes her trough a door and locks it. It's just an empty room for meetings, but no one will see them there. He now pushes her to the wall, "where is she?" he snaps and he starts to choke her with one hand.

"Leo.p.." Regina mumbles. He pushes really hard on her throat. "Le.." Her eyes already start to turn away. "Pl..e..a..." Regina grabs his hands on her throat and tries to pull them away, tries to breath.

Leopold gives Regina a bit more space, so she can breathe, "where is she!" he says louder now.

Regina coughs up a bit of blood. "Who?" she whispers. "Who do you mean?"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about!" Leopold says with a voice full of anger.

"Snow walked away from me." Regina whispers, with fear in her eyes. "I don't know who else you mean."

"Eva," he snaps and he looks her deeply in her eyes, "she was with you and after that she was gone! So where is she!"

"I... I don't know." Regina mumbles. "She went home. Just home."

"Don't lie to me!" Leopold says and she pushes her to the wall very hard, "tell me, or I'll kill Snow, I don't care she is my daughter.”

Regina laughs. "You won't kill your own daughter. You're too weak for that." She looks him deep into his eyes. "Let go of me."

"I will kill her," Leopold says, "and if I don't you still have Emma and Robin and I truly don't care about them! So tell me where she is! NOW!" Leopold starts to choke her even harder.

"H.oo.me." Regina whispers. She tries to use her magic but being this frightened and paniced doesn't make her able to. "L.e.o.p.." she mumbles.

"You really don't know where she is do you?" Leopold snaps, "she isn't home, Regina, her house was empty." He stops choking her but doesn't let go of her hand.

Regina coughs up more blood now. She tries to catch her breath and get it back under control. "If she's not at home then I don't know where she is." Regina is finally able to whisper. "Please." she begs. "Please. Don't hurt me. I'll be a good girl."

"Where can she be," Leopold says, he has been worried since the moment he discovered she was gone. He takes Regina's chin in his hand and makes her look at him. "What did she tell you before she left your house?"

Regina tries to remember but she doesn't answer as quickly as Leopold wants her to.

"Tell me!" he snaps and he hits her on her cheek.

Regina moans of pain. She wants to protect her face with her hands and arms but Leopold still doesn't let go of her hands. "I don't remember!"

"You won't find her without my help." Regina whispers. "If something happened to her, you will need my magic." She looks up at him again.

"I know that," Leopold snaps and he looks into her eyes.

"Then you need to stop hurting me or I won't help you." Regina snaps now.

"This is not about me Regina!" he says and he gets angry again. He wants to break her, more than ever. "You will help me, if you want it or not."

"No, I won't." Regina just whispers at him.

Leopold gets furious and hit her without stopping, then he starts to choke her again and brings his lips to her ear, "you will," he snaps.

"N.oo.." Regina coughs. "Noo..".

He chokes her harder and harder, "yes," he says clear and loud, "you will."

Regina's eyes start to turn away. She can't catch any breath. "N.oo." she whispers one last time.

Regina falls out of his hand on the ground, just the same as al those other times he choked her this hard. He sighs and kicks her a few more times. Then he leaves the room.

Regina doesn't feel herself falling on the ground. She has lost her conscience seconds before that. The first thing she remembers is someone stroking her hair.

"Mom!," Snow says with tears in her eyes, she wraps her arms around her neck, "I thought you would die." she says still crying.

"I'm alright. I'm alright." Regina softly whispers. She looks at her daughter. "How did you find me here?"

"I walked away from you when you used magic... I was angry..." Snow says, "but when I was outside I felt bad that I reacted like that and I wanted to appologise... When you weren't there and also not with Robin I started looking for you. I found you here, what happened?"

"Someone was very angry with me." Regina just gives her daughter as explanation. "It's over now." Regina walks outside of this room and sees Robin coming towards her.

"Where were you?" Robin says, "why did you walk away? Are you okay?" He says and he lays his hands on her arms.

Regina looks at him with suspiciousness in her eyes. She loves Robin so very much but when it comes to men, her walls are built up high throughout the years.

"Please tell me," Robin says and he looks into her eyes. He just had to calm the people down because Regina just walked away from them. They weren't happy...

"I don't like it when someone touches me without me agreeing." Regina whispers very softly. She takes a step back.

Robin sighs and looks away, "I know," he says, "but can you please tell me what happened? Why did you leave me alone with all those people who wanted answers from you?"

"I didn't leave you alone!" Regina snaps. "I was still there; I was sitting in the corner because I'm scared!" She takes another step away from Robin. "He took me to another room, HE almost choked me to death!"

"I know you're scared," Robin says calmly, "I just want you to stay with me, so HE can't get to you and besides that you need to know that I don't know anything about your curse and I don't know anything about magic... I need you to explain that."

Regina softly nodds. "Alright. Are they still there?" she wants to know. Honestly she just wants to go home and sleep.

"They have gone home now, but I planned some other meetings, I'll tell you about it when were home okay?" Robin says and he reaches out his hand, "it looks like you can use some help," He can see the bruises on her arms and he knows that they will be on her legs too. "What did he want this time?"

"Eva isn't at home." Regina whispers. "He thought I'd know where she is but I don't." Regina looks at Robin. She takes his hand. "Thank you for taking care of the people of Storybrooke for me." she smiles at him.

"No problem," Robin says and he smiles back, "so... Eva is gone? Is he sure about that? Do you think she left town?"

"I don't think so. I don't think she would do that. She startled big time when The Curse was broken and she realised I was The Queen, but I thought she left my house in a good way." Regina mumbles the next words. "I've always been good at spotting a fake smile from miles away."

"It's kind of weird don't you think?" Robin says, "what if something happened to her?" They start to walk home together, it's not going very fast, but it doesn't matter. Snow went home with David.

"I know. I'm concerned too. But let's think about it tomorrow, alright?" Regina smiles softly at Robin. She walks closely beside him towards her home. Emma walks next to her mother. "Are you alright, dear?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes," Emma says, "but why do we walk so slowly?"

Regina smiles. "I don't know. Come on. You have school tomorrow so it's to bed early for you."

"Aww," Emma says and she giggles. They walk into the house and Emma puts on her sleeping clothes and brushes her teeth.

Regina smiles when she sees her daughter listening so good to her. She really did raise her well, didn't she? Regina looks at Robin. "Do you want to spend the night with me?" she softly asks him.

"Sure," he says and he smiles. "I'll make tea while you bring Emma to bed," he winks.

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She gives him a little kiss on his cheek. She then brings Emma to bed and reads her a little bedtime story. Her favorite: Snow White. "How do you feel about your mother being Snow White?" Regina smiles at her daughter.

"It's very awesome," Emma says with a big smile, "it's the best!"

"And what about your adoptive mother being The Evil Queen?" Regina asks now, this time more softly.

"That's amazing!" Emma says and her eyes grow bigger, "but what happened to all those dresses? They look so great!"

"They really weren't all that great." Regina whispers. "I've left them behind in The Enchanted Forest. I can magically poof into one of them but I don't like wearing them."

"Please do that!!" Emma says full of excitement, "and you also have to chance your hair and your eyes and your nails!! Please mom!"

"Are you sure?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes Yes Yes!!!" Emma says, "but why don't you like to wear them?"

"Because I have to wear a corset beneath those dresses, otherwise they don't fit." Regina whispers. She waves with her hand and re-appears with very long hair in a ponytail, long nails with black nailpolish and wearing a long, black, leather dress. She looks at her daughter. "Don't be afraid of me now, alright? It's just my look that's changed for this one time, but I'm still me." Regina whispers.

"Yes," Emma whispers, and she looks at her mother with amazement in her eyes, "I wish I was that beautiful," she whispers. Emma stands up and walks to her mom.

"Oh dear, you are beautiful. You don't need dresses like these to be beautiful." Regina looks at her daughter when she walks over to her.

Emma softly touches the leather dress and then takes her mother hand to look at the nails. She looks up and laughs, "your hair is... Different," she giggles.

"It is very long, isn't it?" Regina giggles. "I'm going to change back now, alright?" She smiles at her daughter.

"Okay," Emma smiles and she steps back. She keeps looking at her mother and her dress, until the smoke appears and she wears her normal clothes again. Emma giggles.

Regina smiles at her daughter. "Time to go to sleep." she winks. Regina puts Emma in bed and tucks her in. She gives her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Emma." Regina smiles. She then puts out the lights and goes back downstairs to Robin. "She's asleep." Regina smiles at him.

"What did you two do?" Robin laughs, "I heard Emma's giggle here." He gets the tea bags out of the mugs.

"She wanted to see me in a dress that I used to wear back in The Enchanted Forest, when I was The Evil Queen." Regina smiles. "It made her giggle." Regina sits down next to Robin on the big couch and takes over a mug with tea.

"I made a few deals with people," Robin says while he drinks a bit from his tea, "do you want to hear it, or are you too tired? Then I'll do it tomorrow." He smiles.

"No, I would want to hear them. I'm listening." Regina smiles while she sits down close to him.

"Well I've planned some meetings," Robin starts, "some people know where their familie members are, we will open a portal with the beans and they can go back. That meeting will be tomorrow morning," he smiles, "then in the evening there will be a meeting for the people who know their family went to a land without magic, this world, maybe we can help track them, and bring them here, so they can live in Storybrooke, and then the day after tomorrow we have the meeting of the people who rally don't know where their familie members are. In the mean time we need to talk to Lady Tremaine and make plans...".

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Robin." She smiles at him. She looks him deep into his eyes. "It is still early." she whispers to him. She softly kisses him on his lips.

Robin kisses her back, "what do you want to say," he whispers with a grin and he kisses her again.

"I think you know what I'm saying." Regina giggles softly. She kisses him back.

"No I really don't know," Robin says with a grin on his face, "really what do you mean?"   
He now starts to laugh.

Regina strokes his chest and kisses him again. She then pulls out her shirt. She looks at him.

He smiles and kisses her again. He lets his hand go over her back and lets her pull out his shirt, "it has been a long time," he whispers, still grinning.

"It has. It really has." Regina whispers. Regina pulls Robin closer to her and kisses him more violently.

Robin follows her and he lifts her up, carrying her to the bed. He lays her down and winks. He undresses himself and lies down beside her.

Regina smiles. She lets him undress her completely too. When their naked bodies touch, Regina breaths a bit faster. It has been a long time since Robin and she...

"Are you afraid," Robin whispers when he feels Regina's heart beating fast. He holds his arms around her so her lips are close to his.

"No. Am not." Regina isn't really sure. Suddenly she's worried. Robin doesn't have a heart. Will he notice it if she does get afraid?

"Okay," he whispers, and he moves his hands to her hips. Her heart still beats very fast.

Regina looks him deep into his eyes but she doesn't see love. She only sees empty eyes. She gasps for air when he touches her where she likes it, but she's afraid.

"Even without a heart, I can see fear, Regina," Robin whispers and he moves his hands up to her back again. Then he lets his arms go and looks at her.

"I told you I'm not afraid." Regina whispers. She takes a deep breath. "Go on." she smiles.

"Regina..." he sighs and he keeps looking into her eyes. "I won't go away if you want me to stop, I won't leave you if you feel afraid, so please be honest," he slowly moves his hands downs again.

"I like that." Regina smiles. She pulls him above her now. "Go on. Please." Regina looks Robin deep into his eyes. "I want you to."

"Okay," he whispers and he slowly goes on. He wipes her hair away from her eyes so he can look at her. He softly kisses her.

Regina closes her eyes to feel him even more intense. She softly smiles. "I love you, Robin." she whispers.

"I love you too," Robin whispers back, "you know that right?"

"Yes, I do." she smiles. And she really does. But when he slides into her, she gasps for air. "Robin." she whispers.

Robin lets her go and lies down beside her again, only holding her hands, "what's it?" he whispers.

"No, don't stop. Go on. Please, I want to feel you. Please." Regina whispers.

"Regina," Robin says and he lets her look at him, "I can't go on like this," he kisses her on her cheek, "this is enough," he whispers and he wraps his arms around her.

"You don't want me? You think he destroyed me?" Regina asks him.

"Of course I don't think that," Robin says, "but the fear in your eyes is enough for me to stop, I can't just go on now...".

Regina smiles now. "Thank you. Thank you." she whispers. "Will you hold me while we sleep?"

"Of course," he whispers and he takes her in his arms. "Sleep well.”

Regina sleeps good that night. And that's good because she needed it. The next morning, she and Robin take Emma to school after breakfast. They then walk over to The Townhalf for their first meeting. Lady Tremaine attends too.

The people start to walk in, "Regina," Robin says, "I promised that you would be there today," he looks at her, "you can do this okay, the people aren't kind, but they need you."

Regina nodds. She looks at the people in front of her. "If I understand correctly, you all know where your families are?"

"That's correct indeed," a man in the front row says.

Regina looks at Lady Tremaine. "Lady Tremaine, are you willing to share the magic beans with us so I can send them to the place where their loved ones are?"

"I am," lady Tremaine says, "if you have a good plan, I'll share my beans," she winks at Regina.

"The plan is to open a portal to where their families are so they can step through it and go to them. If they are back in The Enchanted Forest, they haven't lost their memories."

Lady Tremaine nods. "How do that beans work?" asks a woman.

"You tell me where your loved ones are and I open a portal to that exact place. You just have to step into the portal and it will take you to them. But it is a one-way trip." Regina explains.

"What if they aren't there?" a man says, "what if they moved?"

"Then you're on your own and you'll have to find them yourselves. I can only bring you to the place where you think they are." Regina sighs. She's getting tired of these questions.

"But you have magic..." the man says again, "can't you track them or something?"

"Not when I'm in the same realm, which I'm not. If I'm correct, your loved ones are in The Enchanted Forest, right?"

"Then that's your price!" a man shouts, "this is all your fault so it's more than fair that you come with us."

"If you all would have believed in me a bit more, then you wouldn't be in this mess." Regina snaps at the man.

"Believe in you?!" the man says, "how can we probably believe in someone who wants to cast the DARK curse! And besides that, you did exactly what we thought you would do!" Other people start to say these things too. Robin grabs Regina's hand and looks at her, "don't let them get to you," he whispers.

"They are annoying me." Regina whispers back to Robin. She then looks back go the people in front of her. "If you had sticked together we wouldn't be standing here right now." She looks around. "Do you want me to open portals or not?"

Robin turns Regina to him, "you can't say that!" he whispers, "you can't blame them!" he is a little bit angry now.

"If you hadn't cast that curse we wouldn't be here!" the man shouts.

"I know. I know." Regina gives in. "And I'm really, really sorry about casting The Curse. I also really want to help you but you have to give me a chance." Regina softly answers.

"We do give you a chance," a woman says kindly, "but you have to understand we are worried and that you can help us by going with us to track our loved ones, it's a fair price and I'm sure you will find a way back...".

"No. That's not a deal I'm going to make. I can open a portal to bring you back to The Enchanted Forest to find your loved ones but that's it."

"Regina..." Robin whispers, "I'm sorry, but it's really not that easy." 

Everyone stays silent, but they look angry.

Regina sighs. "Where did you see your loved ones for the last time?" she asks the man closest to her.

"I saw them at my house for the last time, but they said they would travel to the mountains...".

"I can try to catch a glimpse of the mountains and the nearby villages before I open a portal with a bean. Does that sound better?"

The man nods, "that sounds good to me.”

Regina takes a pocket mirror out of her handbag. She uses her magic to catch a glimpse of the villages in the mountains, back in The Enchanted Forest. She looks at the man when she's done. "Did you see your family?" she asks him.

"I didn't," the man says, "it was gone to fast... I couldn't see a thing."

"I'm sorry, that's the best I could do." Regina whispers.

"You are the most arrogant person I've ever met!" the man shouts and he slams her in her face. Robin quickly gets the man away from her and tells him to calm down.

Regina startles when this man slams her in her face. She doesn't take revenge, though, something she would have done back in The Enchanted Forest. "I'm sorry." she just whispers.

"Regina we need to talk about this," Robin says then he turns to the crowd, "I'm sorry, but Regina and I need to talk about this, we will tell you later...".

"What's there to talk about?" Regina asks Robin when the people have left The Town Hall. "I'm not going with them, if that's what you mean."

"We need to go after them," Robin says, "we don't have a choice."

"We?" Regina whispers.

"Me and you," he whispers.

"I can't just leave Emma and Snow behind, Robin." Regina whispers back.

"Maybe Snow can take care of Emma for a while," Robin says, "I can go alone too, if you tell me how to use magic...".

Regina giggles. "You can't just use magic. You have to learn it and I've been learning it for quite some time before Storybrooke." She giggles again. "I don't want to leave Emma and Snow behind." she whispers again.

"What do you want to do then?" Robin says.

"Can't we take them with us?" Regina suggests. "Or maybe... Maybe we just need to ask them what they want?"

"It's going to be a short trip, they will only slow us down," Robin says, "we take the beans with us, so we can travel back when we want to and when we're ready...".

Regina shakes her head. She's not completely convinced yet. "It's not safe. I can't risk losing my daughters." Regina whispers. "Why do they have to go back? Why can't they just live here in Storybrooke?"

"They want their families Regina," Robin says, "just as bad as you wanted yours when you cast this curse, you should understand them...".

"I do. I actually do." Regina whispers back. "I just... I just don't like the idea of being in The Enchanted Forest and not knowing for sure that we can come back."

"We need to try," Robin says, "the people will be angry forever if we don't... But it's your decision," he smiles and almost want to walk away.

"I just want to talk to Emma and Snow first. Then we'll go. Is that alright?" Regina whispers softly.

"Yeah sure," Robin says and he takes Regina's arm.

Regina listens when Robin explains everything to the people when they come back into The Town Hall. They all nodd in understanding, although they are still angry. "Thank you, Robin." Regina whispers to him.

"No problem," Robin says and he winks, "I'm sure we'll figure this out."

"I want to go to Snow and Emma now. Which appointment did you make this afternoon?" Regina sighs. She's just so tired of all those people complaining. She could have killed them all but she didn't. Shouldn't she get some respect for that?

"This afternoon the people who know that their family went to this land without magic, will be here..." Robin says and he grabs Regina's hand.

"Alright. Do we have time to go to Snow and Emma?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes we do, we have at least 4 hours left," Robin says, "I made sure we had some time between the meetings."

"Thank you." Regina smiles. Together with Robin she walks over to the school to pick up Emma and Snow for lunchtime. They all go to Granny's. When everyone is seated, Regina explains what she and Robin need to do: travel with the people to The Enchanted Forest and then come back. "But I don't want to leave you behind." Regina whispers. "Neither of you."

"You want to go back?" Snow says, "but can you be sure you will come come back, what if you're trapped forever?" Snow is a bit worried. Emma just listens to her mothers and doesn't say a thing.

Regina sighs. "I don't know. That's why I don't want to leave you two behind. Don't you want to come with us? If we can't find a way back, at least we will be together, right?" Regina looks at Snow and Emma with hope in her eyes.

"Regina..." Robin whispers with a sigh, "we can’t let them come with us...".

"Why not, Robin? Can you give me one good reason why not?" Regina wants to know.

"It's to dangerous," Robin says, "and besides that, we need to do it quick, where do they have to go if we help the people get back to their families?"

"In my Castle." Regina quickly answers him. "It is safe there. Please, Robin." Regina looks at him with eyes full of hope.

"We don't know if it's safe there... You cast your curse years ago, things can have changed. We don't even know if your castle is still there...".

Regina laughs out loud. "Sure it is. I've protected it." She winks at Snow. "I couldn't let our home get destroyed by The Curse now, could I?"

Snow smiles a little, but Robin doesn't like it, "I know you're smart but things can change in seven years, Regina," he says and he looks at her.

"I know. But you can't blame me for wanting my daughters with me, can you?"

"I can't," Robin says, "but I don't blame you for anything, I'm just saying it's not a good plan to have your daughters with you on this trip."

"I think we have to let them decide for themselves. Snow? Emma?" Regina looks at her daughters.

"I want to go!" Emma says immediately, she wants to see how it is right there in the amazing enchanted forest she knows from her book and to walk around in a REAL castle.   
Snow isn't that sure, "what if Robin is right... That is is dangerous," she starts, "I really don't know...".

"Take Charming with you. He can defend you, can't he?"

"Why do you want us to go?" Snow White carefully asks.

"Because I'm not sure if we can come back, Snow." Regina whispers. "And I'm not losing Emma and I'm not losing you again."

"But then we can't go back either," Snow says, "how do we live there? Really...".

"We have lived there before, haven't we? Don't you want to go back to our Castle, Snow?" Regina softly asks now.

"Yes of course I want that, but I also have a life here now and still... It can be dangerous..." Snow says, actually she really wants to go, but she understands Robin too.

"You know what? Think about it and decide tomorrow. We have until tomorrow to figure this out. Alright?" Regina softly smiles now. She looks at Robin.

"Yeah fine," Robin says and he fakes a smile. Snow nods and Emma looks at her mom, "I already decided, mommy, I want to see your castle!"

Regina smiles at her little girl. "And I would like to show it to you, my Princess." she smiles. Regina looks back at Robin. "Now what do we have to do now?"

"Make plans for the meeting tonight, it will be the people who know their families are here, and they will remember their past and magic, just like David."

"That's an easy group. They just need to find their families in New York, right?"

"True," Robin says, "I did some research and I found a few messages of people who were looking for their family members, I don't know if they are all family from the people here, but I think some of them are."

"That will be a quick fix. Come on, let's go talk to them". Regina wants all of this to be over. She's getting bored and annoyed.

"Don't hurry," Robin says, "they will be there in half an hour." They walk together to the Townhall.

"Where do you want to live most of all?" Regina asks Robin while walking towards the Town Hall. "Here in Storybrooke or back in The Enchanted Forest?"

"The Enchanted forest," Robin says with a smile. "And you?"

"Me too." Regina smiles back at him. "I've always loved The Forest. Not The Castle. But Snow and David can live there, right?" Regina then whispers. "We just need to make sure that my mother and Leopold can never follow us back there. They need to stay here."

"You know your mother will follow, she will find a way..." Robin says, "and you need to think of Emma too."

"Emma can stay with us in your home in The Forest, can't she?" Regina smiles again at Robin. "Then I will have to take care of Cora before we leave."

"How will you do that? You can't stop her... She has my heart," Robin says, he doesn't react on the Emma-thing, he certainly doesn't think it's a good idea, but he wants to spare her feelings a little.

"I will get your heart back before I kill her. She's done playing me and pushing me in directions she wants me to go." Regina looks at Robin. "I mean it. I promise you I will get your heart back."

"Okay," Robin says, "but don't let her hurt you okay? That's not worth it."

Regina nodds just to make him feel safe about it. But she knows she would take all the pain in the world to get Robin's heart back. She softly smiles when she and Robin walk into the Town Hall.

They walk into the Town Hall. There were not as much people as there were in the morning, but still a quite big group. "Welcome," Robin starts.

"Yes, welcome." Regina smiles. "You all know where your loved ones are?"

"No we don't," a man says, "but we know they are somewhere in this world."

"Then I can find them for you." Regina takes the map of The United States off the wall and lays it on the big desk in front of the room. "Do you have something with you that belongs to your loved ones?"

While Regina helps the people who have something of their loved ones, Robin helps the people who haven't. He calls a lot of people and looks on the internet t After about three hours almost everyone knows where to go and what to do.

Regina is exhausted. Using her magic like this wears her out. When the people have left the Town Hall to go find their families, only one person remains. But Regina is exhausted. She looks at the man in front of her.

"I just wanted to thank you," the man says and he smiles a little, "you are really doing everything to get our families back, can you thank your husband for me too?"

Regina just nodds. "It is my pleasure. And it is the least I can do." she whispers softly. Her body shakes from performing such an amount of magic for a couple of hours.

"Are you all right miss?" the man asks. Robin comes walking towards them.

"I am. I'm alright. You go find your family." Regina reassuring smiles at the man. A little bit of blood drips out of her nose from exhaustion.

"I don't have family," the man says and he takes his handkerchief from his pocket, "I'll leave you alone so she can rest, take good care of her," he says to Robin.

"Why? Why do you want Robin to take good care of me? I was The Evil Queen. Don't I deserve this?" Regina wants to know.

"No one deserves this," the man says.

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you, sir." She leans against Robin now.

"Thank you," Robin says and he wraps his arm around Regina, "let's go home," he says and the walk home together.

When they get home Regina sinks down on the big couch in the livingroom. She softly smiles at Robin. "That feels good, helping those people."

"That's good," Robin says, "this meeting went better than the previous one," he smiles.

"Those other people are winers and stupid ones." Regina snaps. Now she has her magic back it is difficult to control her Evil side.

"I don't think they are," Robin says calmly, "they are desperate...".

"Weak. That's what they are." An evil grin appears on Regina's face.

Robin knows what this look means... "Let's go to bed, I'm tired and I think you're tired too," Robin quickly says, he sees the evil in her eyes and hopes it will fade when they go to sleep. Tomorrow it will be gone... He hopes.

Regina nodds softly. "Yes. I'm very tired." she whispers. "Emma stays with Snow tonight, right?"

"Yeah she does," Robin says.

Regina nodds again. She and Robin lay together in bed. Regina looks at him. "I want to do evil." she whispers.

"When this will be over it will fade, then we have more time to do what we want and more time with Emma, I think it will be better then" Robin says, "being tired doesn't help either."

"No, it really doesn't." Regina softly smiles. "I just... When I had my magic back in The Enchanted Forest, I only used it for evil. And I kind of miss that." she whispers.

"I understand," Robin says, "when you use it for evil, you get power and power is very tempting..." He kisses her on her cheek, "but you don't need it," he whispers.

"No. I only need you. You and my daughters." Regina now smiles and kisses Robin almost violently. "I want you." she whispers. She startles when she hears a sound downstairs.

"It's nothing," Robin whispers when Regina looks at him with a frightened look, "I just think something fell down...".

"No, someone is downstairs. I have to check who it is." Regina quickly runs downstairs and bumps into someone.

"I see people are leaving town," Cora says, "why?" She immediately puts a protectionspell around the room where Robin is, so he can't get out.

"They are going to find their loved ones. Why are you here, mother?"

"To look if you're all right," Cora says with a grin. A lie, of course, but she likes it. "Let's sit down for a moment."

"I don't want to sit down, I want to go to sleep. Can you please go?"

"No, why would I go? I just arrived," Cora says, she lets to mugs of tea appear in the table and sits down.

Regina sighs and sits down too. "Why are you really here, mother?" she wants to know.

"To make a deal," Cora says, "I'm sure you'll like it."

"What's the deal?"

"Robin will get his heart back," Cora says, "and I will get the town and the people inside it."

"You can get the town and everyone in it, after we leave with the group of people whose families are back in The Enchanted Forest. That's the deal I can make."

"Ehhh...." Cora grins, "no," she looks at her daughter, "I want it now, an empty town is nothing.”

"Now? No. I can't do that." Regina whispers. But deep down inside she hears a heart beating. Robin's heart. She looks at her mother.

"Okay," Cora says and she stands up, drinking the last bit of her tea, "good luck with your heartless boyfriend who pretends to love you."

"He doesn't pretend to love me! He really does love me!" Regina snaps. "You've got that heart with you, don't you? I can hear it beat." Regina's eyes darken a bit. "What will you do with the people of Storybrooke? You'll get your chance to finally rule over something now, don't you? Robin and me, Snow and Charming and Emma won't be included in that deal. Alright?"

"What I will do is my business," Cora says, "and if I have that heart with me is my business too, but what I can tell you is that you'll get it if I get the town, you and your... Family can go."

Regina softly nodds. She knows it won't be fair for the people in Storybrooke. Can she do this? No... "I... I can't." she whispers. "I can't give the people of this town to you, mother. They deserve better than you."

"As you wish," Cora says, "Good luck with your happily ever after then." She smiles and walks to the door.

"Please." Regina whispers softly, but still for Cora to hear. "You're my mother. Shouldn't you let me be happy? Isn't that your job?"

"I'm not very good at that," Cora says, "I already ruined our relationship, so why not take advantage of that 'already ruined relationship'... To get what I truly want."

"You can always try to redeem yourself." Regina whispers. "If I can do that... Why shouldn't you?"

"I don't feel like it," Cora says, "you will never love me and it takes a lot of time, and I don't feel like spending my time in that way."

"I do love you. You're my mother. I will always love you." Regina whispers now.

"Of course you will," Cora says sarcastically, "I'm wasting my time, come to me if you want the deal." She grins.

Regina softly nodds. "I would give you everything for Robin's heart. But you can't... You can't ask me to give you the people of Storybrooke. I'm sorry." Regina whispers softly now.

"Of course I can ask that," Cora says, "you don't want me to ask you that, those are completely different things, Regina. But I think I'll hear from you soon enough." She poofs away, letting the protectionspell around Robin's room go. Robin immediately runs downstairs.

Regina just stares at the door, even though her mother has poofed away. "Robin." she whispers. "I couldn't make that deal for your heart. I'm so sorry."

"Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Robin first asks and he runs towards her, "don't be sorry, I'm sure the deal wasn't worth it," he smiles.

"Your heart for this town and all of the people. But not you and I, not Emma and not Snow and Charming. But I.. I..." Regina turns around to face Robin. "I couldn't do that. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She looks down to the ground.

"Regina look at me," Robin whispers, "you did the right thing, my heart isn't that important. We can only get it through stupid deals and we're not going to do that, okay?"

Regina slowly looks up at him. "I did? I did the right thing?"

"Yes of course," Robin says, "I would have done the same," he takes Regina in his arms and hugs her.

Regina softly cries. "I just want to be happy." she whispers. "Why can't she let me be happy? She's my mother. It's her job, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Robin whispers, "it is her job, but she doesn't care about that, she never did. What did she say, or did she just tell you about the deal?"

"She said she would see me soon to take the deal." Regina whispers. "She said you only pretend to love me." she whispers even more softly.

"You know that's not true," Robin whispers. He just doesn't have a heart, he certainly still loves her, doesn't he... "And promise me not to take the deal okay?"

Regina nodds. "I promise. I really do. But I also promise to get your heart back. But I won't give the town and the people of Storybrooke in exchange for that." She softly kisses him. "I'm sorry I woke you up. We should go back to sleep, don't we?"

"Good idea," Robin says with a smile. He lifts her up and carries her to the bed, just because he feels like it. "You don't have to promise me to give me my heart back, I'm pretty sure the deals you have to make for it are not worth it... And you know that."

"The deal I will make is worth it. You need your heart to love fully." Regina whispers. "I don't want her to be able to control you as she please." Regina gives Robin a kiss on his lips. "Now go to sleep. It's really late." she whispers. After a couple of minutes she hears Robin his breathing even out. She knows he's fast asleep already. That's when she poofs away to her mother's house. "Mother."

"Regina," Cora says with a grin and she turns around, "have you made up your mind?"

"Yes. I want to make a deal. Robin gets his heart back and you get me back." Regina whispers now. "As an obedient daughter."

"And why would I want that?" Cora says. She is quite amused.

"Because that's what you've always wanted. Me, following every order you give me." Regina looks her mother in the eyes. "I'll even be with Leopold again, if that's what you want."

"So you'll leave your sweet family to get your boyfriends heart back?" Cora says and she walks a little closer.

"Yes. Yes, I will." Regina whispers softly.

"And you will come with me to the enchanted forest without your sweet family? To live in the castle with Leopold?" Cora asks now.

Regina nodds again. "I will." she whispers again.

"Deal," Cora says and she laughs, in her hand Robin's beating heart appears.

"Can I bring it to him, mother?" Regina softly asks. "Can I say goodbye?"

"O no that would be stupid," Cora says, "I'll bring it, you can talk to him via that mirror right there." She laughs even harder.

Regina softly nodds. "And Emma?" she whispers.

"Emma is with Snow White," Cora says, "so I don't think you have to worry about her now, do you?"

"No. No, I don't." Regina whispers. She looks at her mother poofing away and then the mirror lighting op, showing her mother pushing Robin's heart back into his chest. A tear rolls down Regina's face when Robin looks at her through one of the mirrors in her bedroom at home.

"Regina..." Robin says when he sees her through the mirror, "what did you do?"

"I took care of your heart. Please, take care of Emma and Snow for me while I'm gone." Another tear rolls down her face. But she doesn't regret making this deal.

"You can't go Regina," Robin says, "please don't do this, please turn it back.”

"No. I can't. I won't. And I don't want to." Regina answers him, now more confident. "This was the only deal I could think of and that I wanted to make for you. For your heart."

"But I don't want that, Regina!" Robin says, "I rather have you than my heart, so please come back."

Regina shakes her head. She startles when Cora appears back next to her.

Cora stands next to Regina, "let's go," she whispers with a smile, and through the mirror she starts to choke Robin. She wants him unconscious before they go.

"Mother, no! Please, this wasn't the deal!" Regina shouts to her mother.

"You're right," she says and she drops Robin, "he'll wake up tomorrow," Cora grins and she poofs her and Regina to Leopold. She drops a magic bean and a portal opens...

Regina looks at Leopold who immediately takes her by her wrist with brute force to show her who is in charge. Cora poofs the three of them into the portal and they land in The Royal Palace, back in The Enchanted Forest. Regina looks at her mother and Leopold who both couldn't be happier.

"Why not have some dinner together?" Cora says, "to celebrate a new beginning." She smiles and so does Leopold. She let's a big table with a lot of food appear and sits down.

Regina sits down next to Leopold. "And now?" she wants to know.

"Live together, rule over the enchanted forest and make sure no one ever follows us," Cora says and she lets all the magic beans Lady Tremaine brought with her appear in her hand. She lets them all go up in flames...

Regina stares at her mother. "Yes, mother." she softly whispers. She looks at Leopold. "I will be your wife. Obedient and serve you."

Leopold smiles, "good," he says and he goes on eating the delicious food, "then you can stop eating, you've grown fat in the years you weren't with me."

Regina immediately drops her fork. "Yes." she whispers. She waits patiently until both her mother and Leopold are finished eating their meal. Regina just looks at Leopold, waiting to be told what to do.

"I think Regina and I will go to bed," Leopold says, "it has been a busy day, so we can use some sleep. Thanks for the meal Cora." He lays his arm around Regina and leads her out of the room.

With hesitation in her movements Regina follows Leopold to their bedroom. "No..." she mumbles softly. She wants to stop walking but he doesn't let her.

When Leopold hears Regina he stops immediately, "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he says and he grins.

"Nothing." Regina whispers. "I said nothing." She quickly walks back next to him to their bedroom.

"Good," Leopold says and he enters the bedroom with her. "How does it feel to be back, Regina?"

"I will get used to it." she answers him. She waits again until he tells her what to do.

"Don't act like that," Leopold grins, "you know what I want." He walks to her and brings his lips close to hers.

Regina softly kisses him. She lets his tongue slide into her mouth. "I will do as you say." she whispers. "You don't have to hurt me to get what you want."

Leopold kisses her back, and pushes her to the wall, "I'm glad to hear that," he whispers and he kisses her more violently now.

Regina doesn't complain and kisses him back. She doesn't do anything else.

"Did you miss me," he whispers with a smile.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers back after hesitating a little bit.

Leopold grins and moves his hands to her hips, "say it again," he whispers.

"I have missed you, Leopold." Regina whispers softly. She looks him in his eyes when saying that.

Leopold grins and moves her to the bed. He undresses himself and lays down, staring at Regina.

While Leopold was undressing himself, Regina only watched. She knows she has to wait until told what to do.

"Come," Leopold only whispers.

Regina lays down next to him, her clothes still on her.

"I'll spare you this time," Leopold whispers, but he kisses her again. Then he turns his back towards her.

Regina sighs with relief. "Thank you." she whispers. She uses magic to poof herself into sleeping wear, forgetting the rule to never use magic as his Queen.

"Turn it back!" Leopold snaps, "no magic here, do you understand?" He grabs her wrist and holds it in a very strong grip.

Regina startles and quickly nodds. "Yes, yes, my King, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. No magic, I promise." She looks at him with fear in her eyes. "I promise." she whispers again.

Leopold lays his hand on her chin, "now use your magic and turn back in your clothes, then never use it again!"

Regina quickly obbeys. She then slowly undresses herself. When she wants to put on her sleeping clothes, she feels Leopold's hand on her back, indicating she needs to stop dressing herself. She looks at him.

"You don't need that clothes," he says and he pull her towards him. He wraps his arm around her and holds her close.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She falls asleep hours after him and wakes up the next morning when he strokes her hair very early in the morning.

"Goodmorning," he says when he sees Regina has woken up, "how did you sleep?"

"I don't like it waking up with you touching me." Regina whispers.

"Then force yourself to like it," Leopold says and he goes on touching her. This time over her whole body.

Regina softly moans out of fear. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She starts to kiss him, hoping she won't get punished because she does that without being asked.

Leopold kisses her back, feeling satisfied. "You have to give me a son," he suddenly snaps, "I know you can't do that right now, but we have to change that."

Regina startles heavy. "I... I can't get children, Leopold." she mumbles. She doesn't want a child with this man and Rumple had said that potion couldn't be undone. "I can't and I will never be able to get children." She feels his hands down there and moans. She doesn't know if it is from fear or pleasure. "Please." she now whispers.

"There must be a way to undo that potion," Leopold says and he just goes on.

"There isn't." Regina whispers. She startles when Cora suddenly appears in the bedroom with the fantastic news that the potion does can be undone. Regina stares in horror at Leopold.

Leopold grins and looks at Regina, "exactly," Leopold says and he then looks at Cora again. "I'll make the potion," Cora says, "it will be done by tonight."

"No. Please. I don't want a child. Please, mother!" Regina wants to poof away to someplace much more safe but she notices Leopold is holding her hands tightly against him.

Cora turns around. "So Emma was a mistake then?" Cora says and she and Leopold start to laugh.

"No, she wasn't!" Regina snaps, louder than she initially wanted to. "I just don't want a child with him!"

"An obedient daughter, wasn't that what you said?" Cora says and she walks closer to Regina. "I said the potion will be ready tonight," she snaps.

"I won't take it." Regina mumbles. "You can't make me!"

"You will take it," Cora now says very calmly. She takes Regina's chin in her hand and pulls her towards her, "you will do as I say," she whispers, while Leopold still holds Regina's hands.

Regina startles when she sees the hate in her mother's eyes. She quickly nodds. "Yes, mother. I will behave and take the potion and give my King a son." she whispers softly. When her mother leaves the room she looks slowly up at Leopold.

"You almost crossed the line there," he says, "never do that again!"

Regina nodds but doesn't say anything. She wants to get out of bed but Leopold doesn't let her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Leopold says when Regina wants to stand up.

"Getting up. Isn't it almost time for breakfast?" Regina just answers him.

"You're not the one who decides when it's time for breakfast," Leopold snaps, but he knows she is right and he gets up with her.

Without thinking Regina poofs herself into a sensible pantsuit. She realises her mistake the second she appears in those clothes.

"You...!" Leopold says, but he doesn't finish his sentence. He pushes Regina to the wall and pushes his hands against her throat.

"I'm sorry!" Regina immediately shouts out. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking! I won't do it again, I promise!"

Leopold pulls his hands back and without saying anything he walks away.

"Is this alright to wear?" she asks him softly.

"For today it is," Leopold says, "we won't go out today."

"What are we going to do today then?" Regina wants to know while sitting down next to him at the breakfast table.

"Cleaning up the castle and replace all the useless things." Leopold says, "without me this house became a mess. What did you do to it?"

"I made it into a home." Regina snaps again. She starts to eat. She doesn't look up at him any longer.

"A home?" Leopold says, "and what exactly did you do to make this place a... Home. Placing mirrors on the walls? covering the walls with rediculous paintings?"

"Don't touch my mirrors!" Regina snaps again, this time louder. She startles when she feels hands on her shoulders from someone standing behind her.

"Don't shout like that," Cora says with a lot of hate in her voice. She makes her hands very hot so she burns Regina's shoulders.

"No magic!" Regina snaps, now at her mother. "That's the rule! Isn't it, my King?" She looks at Leopold with hope in her eyes.

"That only a rule for you, my dear," Leopold says and he just goes on eating his breakfast.

"Mother, please." Regina begs softly. "I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"Good," Cora says and she stops. She sits down and takes a deep breath.

Regina picks up her fork again and eats her breakfast. When she feels the King's hand on her upper leg, she knows it's time to stop, even though she has just taken a couple of bites. "I will be very sick if I don't eat." Regina snaps.

"Maybe you will," Leopold says, "but I don't care about that."

Regina softly nodds. She waits, again, until Leopold and Cora are done eating breakfast. She then looks at her husband. "Now what?"

"We'll clean up the house, the mirrors have to go, I don't like them.” Leopold says. He does like them but he only wants to hurt Regina.

Regina just nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. The rest of the day King Leopold orders his new found staff around. Regina has to follow him everywhere but doesn't get any saying in the matter. At the end of the day The Royal Castle looks and feels as cold as when she first arrived here. King Leopold looks very satisfied. Regina isn't aloud to eat a thing at dinner. She's only aloud to drink the potion her mother hands her over. Regina knows it won't help if she snaps again. She just takes it. Afterwards The King takes her with him to their bedroom.

"It wasn't that hard, was it," Leopold grins, and he takes Regina in his arms.

"No, my King." Regina just whispers. She feels the fertility in her body, more than ever before she took that potion so many years ago.

"Oh yes did I tell you Cora altered the potion a bit?" Leopold says.

Regina's gaze flashes up to his eyes. "She did?" she just whispers. "What did she do with it?"

"She made sure you'll become pregnant immediately," Leopold says, "so tonight..." He now laughs.

Regina takes a step away from him. She doesn't know what to say. She just looks at him. "Please." she begs.

Leopold kisses her without saying anything. He carries her to the bed and helps her to undress herself.

"No. Please. I don't want to. Leopold, please." Regina keeps on begging. "Please."

"Stop begging, it's not going to work!" Leopold snaps and he goes on, now undressing himself.

Regina lays still on the bed, pinned down by Leopold's body, and looks at him undressing himself. She swallows away the tears she feels roaring inside of her.

When he is finished Leopold looks Regina in her eyes and smiles. "Ready to become a mommy again?" he says with an evil voice.

"Yes, my King." Regina can only whisper. "I'll be a good girl. You don't have to hurt me." But when she looks him into his eyes, she realises that's exactly what he's going to do.

"Perfect," Leopold snaps and he slowly slips inside her. His smile grows brighter while he pushes his lips agains hers. He loves it to see Regina so desperate.

Regina softly moans. He moves really deep inside of her and it hurts. It hurts a lot. "Leopold." she whispers softly. "You're... You're hurting me." Her heart starts to beat faster out of fear. She hears a door open.

Leopold doesn't listen to Regina; he just goes on. A servant walks in dropping a dress on the chair, everything includes. Then the servant leaves again, like nothing happened.

Regina moans louder now. She tries to push him away from her. "Leopold, please!" she now screams out loud.

"Don't!" Leopold snaps and he now also pushes his nails in her skin. He looks her into her eyes and kisses her, "just stop talking!"

Regina screams again. "You're hurting me!"

Now Leopold lays his hand on her mouth, "be quiet!" he snaps, but he soon starts to laugh and goes on hurting her.

The panic that Regina is feeling inside her whole body and soul clearly shows in her eyes. Her eyes beg him to stop, even if it's just for a minute. It just hurts so very much.

Leopold grins and lets her go. He lays down next to her now and looks into her beautiful eyes full of panic.

Regina doesn't know how quickly she gets out of bed but the next thing she remembers is hiding in the darkest corner of the bedroom, away from him. "Is it done? Am I done?" she whispers softly.

Leopold laughs very hard now, "yes you did your job," he says satisfied, "now you can stay in that corner and let me sleep."

Regina sighs with relief. She doesn't care having to stay in the corner. She never felt this safe since she came back with him and her mother. She startles when someone wakes her up the next morning, harsh, loud and violent.

Leopold wakes Regina up and makes her stand on her feet. He doesn't say a thing but leads her to the perfect dress the servant brought yesterday.

"What's that for?" Regina softly asks. She notices a corset next to the dress.

"We will go outside today," Leopold says, "to show the people who rules this land and who has all the power... Me." He hands over the corset to Regina, "you need to look perfect, so put it on, I'll tighten it."

Regina nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers softly. She puts on the corset and turns her back towards Leopold so he can tighten it around her body.

Leopold wants her waist to look very small so he pulls the laces very hard. "Done," he says, "now get the dress on, I'll go downstairs to make the coach ready."

"I... I almost can't breathe." Regina softly whispers. "L.Leopold. Please."

"It good like this," he snaps and he walks out of the room.

Regina quickly puts on the dress and high heels she knows he wants her to wear. She then quickly follows him downstairs and gets into the coach. On the way over to the first village, not far from The Royal Castle, Regina breaths superfically. She looks pale.

"Act normally, Regina," Leopold snaps when he hears Regina's breath and sees her face, "don't pretend to be ill.”

"Yes, my King." Regina softly whispers. Arriving at the first village, where still a couple of people are living after The Dark Curse, Regina climbs out of the coach right behind her husband. She slowly follows him.

Leopold talks to the villagers, but it's not his voice or words that scare the people the most. It's the woman behind him that scares them very much.

Regina can do nothing else but stare to the ground. She knows they are afraid of her. She just hopes Leopold isn't going to do what she's afraid of. Letting the villagers punish her. When he turns around and holds up his hand towards her, Regina looks at him in fear.

Leopold knows the people are scared of Regina, but he is too proud to admit it. He just keeps saying to himself he is the one who frightens them and that he is the one with all the power.

Regina looks up at Leopold when he says something to her. "Please, my King." she softly whispers.

"I present you my wife," Leopold says to his subjects and he lays his arm around Regina's waist. "My queen serves me and loves me... She agrees with all my plans." He starts.

Regina nodds. She looks at the villagers and waits until Leopold tells them what to do.

Leopold just finishes his speech and walks back to the coach. They visit a lot of villages this day, making sure they will serve the king by making them very scared.

Regina keeps standing in her place. Leopold hasn't said anything so she doesn't know whether to follow him or not. She looks at the villagers who walk over to her.

"So you're back," one woman snaps and she grabs Regina's arm tightly. But before she can do anything, the guards come to pick up Regina and they push the villagers away from her.

The guards lead Regina into the coach. Regina sits down next to Leopold while driving to the next village. Once they arrive at that place, Regina again follows her husband. She listens to him talking to the villagers and notices one man in particular coming closer without Leopold saying anything.

The man walks to Regina's back and stabs her in her back with his knife, he quickly walks away again, looking at Regina's dress which colors completely red.

Regina sinks down to the ground. "My King." she whispers softly. She coughs up blood and doesn't dare to heal herself.

"Guards!" Leopold shouts, "bring her to the coach." But before the guards take her he walks to the man with the knife. "No one will hurt my wife ever again, do you understand!" he shouts to the crowd, "unless I say you can!" Then he kills the man in front of him.

"May I... Heal myself?" Regina mumbles when she and Leopold sit back down in the coach. "Pl...ease?"

"Your mother will do that for you," Leopold says and they ride home. He just lets her sit besides him and doesn't let her heal herself.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers. She leans her head against his shoulder and coughs up more and more blood.

They arrive at the castle and Leopold Lets Regina walk to her mother. "What did you do?" Cora says as she sees her daugter. Her dress is almost completely red, "come here," she says.

"Someone attacked me." Regina whispers. "I didn't do anything. I promise." she softly says.

"Okay," Cora says and she starts to heal her, "bring some food," she shouts to one of the servants.

"May I eat something?" Regina softly asks for permission.

"Yeah," Cora says. She healed Regina completely, "you can have it all." The servant comes in with a plate of food.

"I don't trust you." Regina snaps. "Did you poison it or something?"

"That's why I let this servant bring it, so you wouldn't think I poisoned it," Cora says. "Otherwise I would just let it appear in front of you. So no, it's not poisoned, I just want you to eat something." she smiles.

"I'm not hungry." Regina snaps. "I want to be alone now." When Regina is finally alone she immediately conjures a potion into her hand. The same one as she took so many years ago. To make her unable to get children. She knows she's pregnant but she doesn't want the child. Without hesitation she drinks up the fluid. She screams into a pillow so no one hears her. She knows this potion also kills the life inside of her.

"Regina?" Cora says when she enters the room where Regina is in. She sees Regina's red eyes and walks to her, "what happened?" she asks.

"Nothing, mother. I'm just tired. I want to be alone." Regina startles when Leopold also walks into the bedroom. She notices she didn't poof away the empty bottle.

Cora wants to talk to Regina, just the two of them, but Leopold doesn't go away. "Can you leave us for a minute? I need to discus something" Cora says with a smile, she already knew what Regina did. But Leopold sees the bottle and gets furious.

Without hesitation conjures Regina a protection wall between herself and Cora and Leopold. This wall isn't really strong because she's weakened after taking that potion, the last one she had left, but it seems better than doing nothing at all.

"Regina..." Cora sighs and she makes the wall disappear. "Leopold I'll talk to her, now go, I'll make sure I hurt her." Cora says. When Cora makes a protection wall so she and Regina are separated from the rest of the castle, Leopold finally leaves the room.

Regina just looks at her mother and doesn't say a word.

"That was a lie," Cora says, "I won't hurt you, I just wanted him to go." She takes a deep breath and stares to the wall for a while. After quite some time she turns to Regina again, "I just want to say that..." She sighs, she almost can't get the words out, "I want to say that I'm sorry, it was wrong to force you to get a child with him...".

Regina remains silent. She doesn't believe a word her mother is saying and waits for the first hit on her body, magical or not.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Cora says.

Slowly Regina shakes her head in denial. "I don't." she whispers.

Cora doesn't know what to say, "well..." She starts, "it's your choice of you believe me or not, but I am really sorry."

"Then let me go back to Storybrooke." Regina now whispers.

Cora just turns around and walks away.

"I knew I couldn't believe you, mother." Regina snaps when her mother walks away from her.

"I'm really sorry," Cora says, "but I don't expect you to get it...". She wants Regina to believe her, because she really means it, but Regina just doesn't, so the only thing to do is... make her pay for it. It will never be all right between them.

"What will you do now? Bring him in and force me to have a child with him?" Regina wants to know.

"Maybe I will," Cora says, "it doesn't matter anymore."

"It doesn't. You and I will never make up. I hate you."

"I know," Cora says, "see you tonight then."

Regina watches Cora leave. Minutes after Leopold storms into the bedroom.

"You!" he says and he walks towards her, "you'll pay for this, I promise you!"

Regina just looks at him. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She doesn't take her eyes off of him.

"You'll wait here until the next potion is ready and I'll be back!" he shouts and looks at her with anger in his eyes.

"It won't work. Another potion. I know how to alter a potion. When I took mine I altered it to make me not fertile. For. Ever." Regina smiles.

"Oh but this time I asked someone far more powerful than you will ever be to make that potion for me," Leopold grins.

Regina's eyes glare up to his. "Who?"

Leopold walks closer to Regina and brings his lips to her ear, "the black fairy," he whispers and he grins.

Regina gasps for air. The Black Fairy never means anything good. She looks at Leopold in fear. "Please." she whispers.

"You can beg me, but I won't change my mind," Leopold says, "it will be ready by tonight."

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers softly. She kisses him carefully to bring him in a good mood.

Leopold kisses her back, laying his hands on her back, "that's what I wanted to hear," he whispers with a smile.

"I will bare your child. I promise." Regina whispers. She lets her dress slide off her body. "Maybe you would like to practice for later tonight, my King?"

Leopold grins, "excellent idea," and he lets them fall on the bed. He lets his fingers go over her body, looking her deeply in her eyes.

Regina looks him back into his eyes. They can be soft, his eyes, if he wants to. She feels his fingers down there on her body. She gasps for air, softly.

Leopold turns his eyes away. It's harder to hurt her when he looks at her. He softly goes on.

Regina moans of pleasure. "Yes..." she whispers when he touches her on places she likes to be touched. "Go on. Please." she whispers.

Leopold does what she says and smiles.

"I... I like that." Regina feels she's on the verge of getting her climax. "Just a little bit..." she begs.

Leopold gives her that little bit and then stops. He now looks into her eyes again and kisses her cheek.

Regina closes her eyes when she rides out her climax. When she's done she looks back into Leopold's eyes. "And now?" she whispers.

"I'll go to work," Leopold says, "you'll stay here until I'm back," he still lies on the bed.

Regina softly nodds. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She leads his hand back to her body down there. "Please. One more time." she begs. He made her aroused and she needs him to finish her one more time.

"Tonight," he whispers and he kisses her on her lips. He slowly gets up.

Regina moans of frustration. "Yes, my King." she whispers. She watches him leave the bedroom. Slowly she gets out of bed and opens the door. She knows their will be two guards in front of the bedroom. "Hi there." she winks at them.

"Hello, my queen," both guards say politely and they bow.

"My husband is off to work. Why don't you come in to keep me a little bit of company?" She winks again.

The men look at each other, "I'm sorry my queen, we can't, we need to protect you from here."

"What better way to protect me by being with me, my dear?" Regina takes one guard by the hand and leads him inside. "Come on. You know you want to."

The other guard winks and with a smile he steps inside and walks after the queen. "What can I do for you, my queen?" he says and he makes another bow.

Regina lets her dress slip off her body again. "I think you know what I want." she smiles at him.

"But my queen..." the guard starts but he can't find his words. She looks gorgeous, but it doesn't feel good. "What will the king say if he finds out," he says and he looks at the ground... Although he wants to look at her perfect body.

"He won't say anything, dear." Regina smiles. She makes sure she's very close before the guard who came into her bedroom. "My husband didn't finish his job so I need you to do that for him. I won't force you. You're not my toy. I'm just... offering." Regina puts her hand softly on his chin to make him look at her, at her body. "I'm offering." she whispers in his ear.

"Offering?" the guard whispers, stunned by her words and her body, "it would be an honor to finish the king's job," he whispers and now a little grin breaks through.

"Go ahead. Show me what you can do. Take me to higher places." Regina whispers in his ear while pushing him into her bed and laying down beside him.

Stop stop stop, the guard thinks but he can't stop, so he moves his hands to Regina's body and looks her in her eyes, "are you sure?" he smiles.

"I've never been so sure about anything. Go on. Finish the job. I need you." Regina kisses him violently. "My life is over so why not make the best of it, right?" she whispers.

The guard kisses her back. "But why, my queen, is your life over," he dares to ask and he moves his hands down, looking into her eyes and sometimes kissing her.

Regina gasps for air when he touches her down there on her body. "That's no concern of yours. Just finish the job." she whispers in his ear.

I'm sorry, my queen, of course, my queen," he whispers and he goes on finishing the job.

Within minutes Regina rides out her next orgasm. She can't get enough of it. "Please, send in your friend at your way out." Regina winks at the guard.

"I can't, my queen," the guard whispers, but he can't help but smile, "the king will be home soon.”

"I don't care. He should have done his job. Send in the other guard. I won't ask again."

"Yes, my queen," the guard says and he bows. He walks away and sends the other guard in, "what can I do for you, my queen?"

"You can come here and have a little bit of fun." Regina winks at him.

The guard laughs, "that's not very hard," he says and he walks to the bed. He lies down beside her, "but what exactly do you want," he lies his hands around her waist.

"You pick. You just have to do one thing before you go. Finish the job. Don't leave me hanging." Regina whispers now.

"Okay, my queen," the guard whispers and he does what he has to do. He looks his queen in her eyes and takes it all in, because if the king comes home, this will be the last time he can look at her...

"I didn't want you here to stare at me. I asked you here to please me." Regina smiles, no anger in her voice. "I see the worry in your eyes. Don't. If my husband catches us, he will like it. He may even join us." Regina kisses the guard on his lips.

"How can you be so sure?" the guard whispers and he kisses her back. He now closes his eyes and does nothing else than please his queen.

Regina smiles. "Because he likes torturing me. He likes hurting me." She moans of pleasure. "Go on." she whispers in his ear.

"The guard doesn't know what to say, too afraid he will ask too much. so he does what the queen asks him and goes on. Now he kisses her instead of the other way around.

Regina follows his movements. She likes this. She likes this because she's the one who chooses to have this kind of contact with a man.

"Have you had enough, my queen?" the guard whispers and he smiles.

"Finish me." Regina almost begs. She's almost there, almost riding out her orgasm.

"Okay," the guard whispers and he does what she says, as good as he can.

Regina almost screams when riding out her third climax for today. "You've done great." she whispers against his lips. "You should go now." She winks at him when he leaves her bedroom. Not long after Leopold enters the bedroom.

Leopold smiles, but not like the guards, his smile contains something evil. "You look satisfied," Leopold says when he looks at Regina.

"I am." Regina smiles. "I really am."

"Why?" Leopold says, now more suspicious.

Regina just smiles at him. She likes leaving him in the dark, not a clue of what happened while he was gone.

"Don't act like this," Leopold snaps, "tell me!" He hates it when Regina does this.

"I'm not telling you." Regina just giggles.

Leopold walks to her full of anger, "you can't trick me!" he snaps, "you want to suffer don't you?"

"N.No." Regina stutters. "No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Leopold."

"Now tell me!"

Regina just looks at him. "You didn't finish your job." she just snaps.

"So what?" Leopold snaps, but he thinks he knows...

"So I needed someone else to finish what you should have done in the first place!" Regina now shouts out.

"What!" Leopold shouts and he know really wants to hurt her, "who? I'll kill him immediately!" He really is furious.

Regina smiles again. "Not telling you."

"Fine, I don't even care," Leopold says more calmly now. He picks up the potion he carries with him, and the black fairy starts to speak, but only in Regina's mind.

Regina looks at Leopold walking at her, while listening to the Black Fairy in her head.

"This potion will make you able to het children. I designed it for you, taken care of all your wishes," between the sentences she laughs, "it will hurt... A lot," another laugh, "I wish you luck.”

"Please." Regina thinks to herself, that way talking to The Black Fairy. "Please, I don't want a child with that man. Please."

"Do you think I care about you... No one does. I got the things I wanted and this is my part of the deal."

"What did you get out of this deal? I can give you whatever you want, please, don't let me take that potion." Regina looks at Leopold who's still coming closer and closer with the potion in his hand.

"That's my business," the black fairy says, "like I said, I wish you luck, I even gave him something extra special, you'll soon find out."

Regina looks at Leopold, now with fear in her eyes. "Please, don't make me take that potion, Leopold. Please." she whispers.

"After what you did today, you made me even more sure about this," he says and he now pushes her to the wall so she can't move.

Regina doesn't make a sound of pain. She just looks him deep into his eyes, showing her desperation.

Leopold brings the potion to Regina's lips, "now open your mouth." He whispers with an evil grin.

Regina keeps her lips together, not opening her mouth. She shakes her head.

"Open it, or this will be even more unpleasant for you," Leopold snaps.

Regina still keeps her mouth shut.

"Don't you hear me?!" he shouts, "open it!" He pushes his arm agains her throat and pushes her to the wall, "you can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Regina shakes her head again and doesn't open her mouth. She just won't.

Now Leopold calls his guards who push Regina to the wall. He pushes the potion very hard to her lips and with his hands he makes sure it opens a little, so he can put the potion in it.

Regina slowly swallows the potion. It burns in her throat. She moans of pain. "N.oo..." she whispers.

"Hold on," he says to the guards and they still hold her against the wall. "Show me you swallowed every bit of it," Leopold says, "it's the same potion Cora gave you, but then stronger and darker." He grins.

Regina obeys and opens her mouth to show Leopold she has swallowed everything. "Darker?" she then whispers.

"Darker for you," Leopold says, "when the baby is inside you, it will only take three days until it will be fully grown and after those three days you'll give birth to my child. It will be some very painful days for you, but then I have what I want."

Regina's eyes grow wide with panic. "NO! You can't do that to me!" she shouts out in anger.

"I already did," Leopold grins. Now he lets the guards bring Regina to her bed and he ties Regina's hands to it.

"No, please! Leopold, please!" Regina screams. "You can't keep me tied up to this bed!"

"Of course I can," Leopold says and he smiles. "Don't worry I'll free you when you did your job."

"I won't make love to you while I'm all tied up!" Regina screams now.

"I don't care," Leopold says, "I'll find someone else until you're done." He now laughs.

"You still have to make love to me to get me pregnant. Or did you forget about that little thing?"

"Oh I didn't," Leopold says, "I didn't know you wanted that so badly, but if you want that now I'll do it." He undresses Regina first, while she is still tied up.

"No, please! Don't touch me!" Regina screams in anger. She pulls on the ropes Leopold used to tie her up to the bed.

"Don't fight, Regina," Leopold says very calmly and his smile is very bright, "that will only hurt you more.” He undresses himself and ties to robes a little tighter.

"No, don't do this!" Regina starts to cry now. She doesn't want this at all. "Please, let go of me!" She pulls on the ropes again.

"It will go very fast, don't worry," Leopold says and he lays down in the bed. He takes her in his arms and slowly slips inside her. "you see, it's not that bad," he grins.

"NO!" Regina cries out. "Don't touch me! Get off of me!" She startles when the door opens and her mother comes in whith a smile on her face. "Please!"

Leopold slowly goes on and doesn't even look up at Cora. "Look at me!" he snaps and he kisses her. Cora just brings some clothes, baby clothes Regina used to wear.

Regina breaks. She doesn't fight any longer and lets Leopold finishes his job. She keeps her eyes closed the whole time.

"Have a good night," Leopold says and he dresses himself again. Together with Cora he walks out of the room.

Regina, still tied to the bed, can only cry. Her body hurts from his intrusion and her wrists hurt from pulling on the ropes. She's cold; Leopold didn't cover her body when he left. After what seems like ages, Regina finally falls asleep, exhausted from crying.

When Regina wakes up, Cora sits next to her bed. Cora covered Regina's body with a blanket and breakfast stands next to her on her nightstand. "Good morning," Cora says.

"Leave me alone. I don't want you here. I want to be alone." Regina pulls on the ropes again.

"You need to eat and drink something, otherwise you'll die before you gave birth to that child...".

"You can't make me. Now GO!" Regina shouts out.

"Of course I can make you," Cora says, "now sit up and behave like a queen."

"I can't sit up and I don't want you here!"

"Do you remember our deal?" Cora says, "well... I really don't see an obedient daughter... Do you?"

"I said I can't sit up, being tied up like this!" Regina snaps back at her mother. "This wasn't in the deal, me getting his child!"

"Obedient means you'll do what I say and what I want," Cora says and she moves the robes to the side of the bed so Regina can sit up.

Regina sits up straight. "I can't eat with my hands tied up." she whispers now.

"Nonsense, that's the reason why I'm here" Cora says, "you only need to open your mouth." She picks up a piece of bread and brings it to Regina's lips.

"Mama, please." Regina whispers. "Let me eat by myself. Please."

Cora sighs, "fine," she whispers, "but no magic or I'll make sure Robin will lose his heart again," She frees Regina's hands.

"Yes, mother." Regina whispers. She slowly eats some bread and drinks some water. "I'm done." she says after a couple of minutes.

"Eat a bit more," Cora says, "it gives you a bit more power to get through this days," she smiles.

"I don't want to get through these days. I want you to leave me alone!" Regina snaps again. She forms a fireball in her hand.

Cora quickly ties Regina up again, making her fireball disappear. "I'm sorry, but you have to," Cora says with a sigh, "so I would say, make it as less painful as possible. I put some painkiller into the bread for you."

"You want me to sleep the next three days?" Regina wants to know. She feels she's getting a bit sleepy but she doesn't want to give in. Who knows what Leopold will do to her while asleep?

"I want you to feel as less pain as possible, because believe me it really hurts, if you don't want to fall asleep I can undo it if you want" Cora says.

"No. No undo." Regina mumbles before she falls asleep. The next thing she remembers is screaming from pain.

Nobody mentions the screaming and for a long time no one enters the room.

"PLEASE!" Regina screams louder than ever before. "I need my mother! CORA!"

Cora comes in when her daughter shouts her name. She walks to the bed and sits down besides Regina, "I told you," she says and she sees Regina's belly has already grown bigger.

Regina pulls on the ropes once more. "Please, mommy." Regina cries out. "Give me some more pain killers. Please, I beg you. I beg you!"

This time Cora lets the painkillers appear in pills. "Here take these in," she whispers and she holds them in front of her mouth, together with a glass of water.

Regina opens her mouth and lets her mother put the pain killers inside. She drinks the water to swallow them through. "Thank you." Regina whispers softly.

"No problem," Cora says and lays a cold towel on Regina's forehead.

"Why did I had to stay tied up to get me pregnant?" Regina whispers to her mother. She just wants to feel loved right now. Just this once. "He raped me. You let him rape me." She now cries.

"He didn't want you to use magic," Cora says softly, "and yes I did nothing to stop him... I guess that's my problem, I always realize I did the wrong thing when it's already too late."

"I don't want this child. Please, mommy, get it out of me."

Cora looks Regina in her eyes, "if I do..." Cora whispers, "will you give me a chance? A chance to be a good mother?" She dries the tears that are rolling down her daughter's cheeks.

"Yes. Yes, I will. Mommy, I promise! Please!" Regina cries out.

Cora lies both her hands down on Regina's stomach, and makes the baby inside it disappear. Then she carefully frees Regina's hands and heals her wrists that are covered with blood.

"Is it really gone? Did you really get it out of me?" Regina whispers, while looking at her stomach shrinking back to the same form as before.

"It is," Cora says with a little smile and she stands up.

"Thank you. Thank you, mommy." Regina whispers. "Can I go back to Robin and Emma now? Please? Will you come with me?"

"I'm sorry," Cora whispers, "I don't know how to go back, and... There is something else..."

"What? What's going on?" Regina wants to know.

"I froze the time in here," Cora says and she takes a deep breath, "that what felt like 5 days were actually 5 years back in Storybrooke... Emma will be twelve if we go back."

Regina looks at her mother in disbelief. "Twelve? She will be twelve?" A tear falls down Regina's face. "We need to get back. Now. Now, mother. How longer we wait... She won't recognize me if we wait any longer. Please, we have to go. Please, mommy!"

"We? You still want me to come with you?" Cora says, before she goes to find a way to make a portal or something.

"Yes. Yes, of course. You're my mother, aren't you? You have to come with me. But not Leopold. He has to stay behind. He can't know any of this." Regina softly smiles at her mother now. "Do you have a plan to get back to Storybrooke?"

"I know, but I was a terrible mother, so that doesn't really count, does it? Well I know an old friend who might have someting we can use."

"Let's go to that friend then. We need to get to Storybrooke NOW." Regina insists. "Can you poof us there? Now? Please?"

Cora first poofs Regina in a comfortable dress and then she grabs her hand and they leave the castle. They appear in front of Emilie's house.

"Who lives here?" Regina softly asks her mother. "Who's that friend of yours?"

"She is my mother," Cora says, "you have met her before, this is where I... Nevermind, I'm sure you'll recognise it, if you see it." She poofs the two of them to her old bedroom, the place where she killed Daniel. "Be quite," Cora says.

Regina stares at the place where her mother killed Daniel. "Why do I have to be quiet?" Regina whispers back to Cora. "What do you need here?"

"Sst otherwhis my mother will hear us," Cora whispers, "when I was a kid I always had a secret box, in which I collected magical items, just for fun. I promised myself that I would never touch them, because magic was wrong, but for this I'll make an exception. If only I knew where I've hidden it...".

"Do you have a magical bean in here?" Regina whispers. "Let's look. Quickly." Regina casts a spell that detects magical items in the room. A small light comes out of the old closet of her mother. "There." Regina whispers.

"Oh great," Cora says, "thank you," She pics up the little box and pics up the magic bean. "Got it," she whispers and she hides her box again.

"Quickly. Use it. Make a portal to home. Please." Regina whispers.

Cora poofs them away to a place in the woods where no one will see them and she uses the bean. Together they jump through the portal...

Together with Cora, Regina re-appears in the house of the Mayor back in Storybrooke. The house seems empty. Regina looks at her mother. "And now?" she wants to know.

"Well that's up to you," Regina says, "it's just the same town as before, but it's five years later now."

"Emma won't remember me." Regina whispers softly. She walks around her home and it seems like no one has lived here the past 5 years. She slowly opens the front door and walks over to Granny's.

"Of course she will remember you, you were her mother for seven years," Cora whispers before Regina leaves the room.

Emma sits on the table in the corner at Granny's, waiting for Snow to join her for dinner. She had to clean up her classroom and told her she would be there in half an hour.

Regina slowly walks into Granny's and looks around. She spots her little girl immediately in one of the corners at Granny's. She walks up to her, not wanting to scare her. "Emma?" she softly asks the girl who isn't so little anymore.

"Mom?" Emma says and she looks up into her mother's eyes, "you... You are back!" She laughs and walks to her mom to give her a hug.

"Emma." Regina now cries softly. "I've missed you so, so much. I'm so sorry for leaving you behind." Tears stream down her face. "I wanted to take you with me but I...I couldn't. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina keeps apologizing and doesn't let Emma go. "I love you so much. I love you."

"I've missed you too... Mom," Emma says. the very first moment she called Regina mom, but it now sounded quite weird, after all those years. "I love you too," she whispers, "Snow took care of me," she smiles.

"I'm glad she did. She's your biological mother after all." Regina whispers. "Look at you. You've grown so much!" Regina's heart aches. She has missed so much in Emma's life and she was gone for just 5 days. "I've missed you so much, Emma, you have no idea." Regina whispers again. "I... I'm not in the position to ask you this, but do you want to sleep at our... mine... no, our house tonight? Or do you want to stay with Snow? I... I understand if you would want that. For you 5 years have passed but for me... For me just 5 days." Regina looks at her daughter.

"So you didn't age?" She looks at her mom and she really hasn't changed (she only looks very tired), "I would love to stay with you tonight, I've missed you too, more than you can imagine," Emma says, "mo... Snow won't mind, I'm sure. She missed you too." She smiles, and stays quiet for a while, just hugging her mother, "I used to go to our house everyday," she whispers.

"You did?" Regina whispers. "You're not angry with me?" she wants to know.

"I was angry," Emma says, "but I missed you more, so the anger faded... I guess."

"I understand you were angry, dear. It's alright, it really is. You can still be angry, I'd understand." Regina whispers softly. She looks around when the door to Granny's opens and someone walks in.

Snow enters Granny's and walks straight to Emma, but when she looks up she stops. "Regina?" she says, stunned.

"Snow." Regina whispers. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She looks her oldest daughter in her eyes.

Snow doesn't know what to feel, "welcome back," she only whispers and she walks towards her.

Regina waits to hug Snow. She instinctively feels the woman wouldn't like it. "Time was frozen in The Enchanted Forest. 5 days meant 5 years here in Storybrooke." she whispers. "If I had known... I wouldn't have made that deal."

"Time was frozen?" Snow says, "even if it was, you shouldn't have made that deal, but that's not a subject for now, is it? Let's celebrate that you're home again" she fakes a smile and now hugs her mother.

"I'm so sorry, Snow." Regina whispers in her ear. She sits next to Emma at the table in the corner of Granny's.

"I know," Snow whispers back and she sits down too. They order some food.

Regina just sits with her 2 daughters. "What happened these 5 years?" she wants to know.

"A lot," Snow says and Emma smiles. "Well when you disappeared the town kind of exploded..." Snow starts. The people were angry because they couldn't go back to their families. Robin calmed them down, with some help from me and David. Now it's kind of okay I guess, the people accepted it, well... That was the start, but a lot of other things happened after that I think, just small things."

"I have to help those people who haven't found their loved ones. I will look for a way to help them. What else happened? How is... How is Robin?"

"He is fine now I guess..." Snow says, "we visit him a lot and he comes to us a lot, so yeah...".

"Does he still live in his cabin in the forest?" Regina wants to know. "Do you think he'll want to see me?"

"Yes he still lives there," Snow says, "I don't know if he wants that, but you kind of have to, you can't stay invisible for him," she laughs a bit.

Regina smiles. "Is it alright if I leave you two to your diner and go see Robin?" When Regina gets confirmation from both of her daughters, she walks over to Robin's home in the woods. She knocks on his door.

Robin walks to the door; he doesn't expect Emma or Snow... "Who is there?" he says, the door still closed.

"It's me. Regina."

"Regina?" Robin says and he softly opens the door.

"Yes. It's me. It's really me." She looks at the man in front of her, a couple of years older but still very handsome.

"You look the same..." Robin says, "how did you get here?"

"My mother. For me 5 days have passed but time was kind of frozen in The Enchanted Forest. 5 years have passed here in Storybrooke." Regina softly explains. "My mother told me this a couple of hours ago."

"Aha," Robin just says, "come in," he smiles.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She follows him inside and looks at him. "I'm so sorry."

Robin looks at her. She is just as beautiful as he remebers her, "okay," he whispers, "I already thought you would say that...".

"But I really am sorry, Robin." Her hand slides to his chest and hears his heart beating. "I would have done everything to get your heart back."

"But I didn't want that," Robin says and he steps back, "I told you I didn't want you to make a deal."

"I know." Regina's hand slides down his chest when he takes a step away from her. "But... You deserve to have your heart." she then whispers. "I'm sorry, I really am. Do you think you can forgive me?"

"Maybe some day..." he says, "maybe I deserved my heart, but that doesn't mean I want to make a deal for it."

Regina softly nodds. "That's all I can ask for." she whispers. Before she went away to The Enchanted Forest, Regina felt safe with Robin. But now, after what The King did to her, she unconsciencly protects her body all the time.

"Well, how are you?" Robin whispers, "you look tired."

"I'm not tired. I'm really not. I'm just glad to be back. Those last 5 days were... Horrible." Regina whispers that last word.

"I was afraid to hear that," Robin says, "I'm glad you're back."

"You are? You really are?"

"Yeah, I am," Robin says, "that I'm angry doesn't mean I don't feel anything for you anymore..." He sits down on the couch.

Regina sits down next to him. She keeps protecting her body without her really knowing that.

"What did he do?" Robin whispers. He sees Regina protecting her body and he already knows...

"Nothing." Regina lies. "Really, it was nothing." she whispers.

"Don't lie to me," Robin says, "after those five years I can't still recognize pain in your eyes and you're protecting your body all the time." He sighs and walks away from her for a while.

"Don't leave me." Regina begs softly. "I'm scared alone."

Says the one who left me in the first place, Robin wants to snap but he doesn't, "I'll be right back, don't worry," he gets out.

Regina makes herself small on his couch. She knows she has left him alone but she had no clue that time would be different in The Enchanted Forest. She waits patiently until Robin returns.

Robin takes a deep breath and goes back to Regina. He sits down next to her and looks her into her eyes. "Now tell me what really happened."

"He hurt me." Regina whispers softly. "He tied... My hands..."

Robin carfully picks up Regina's hand and softly strokes its back, "let it all out," he whispers, "you can tell me everything." He hates it to see her like this, he wants to protect her, but he fails every time again... How can he possibly be angry with her?

"On bed." Regina whispers. She wants to pull back her hand but doesn't. She trusts Robin. She looks at him while making herself small again, but she lets him hold her hand. "It hurt." she whispers.

"When you made that deal I knew he would hurt you," Robin says, "that made everything worse. You know... I rather had you with me without a heart than what I got, being alone with my heart. You can't imagine how worried I was... Worried something bad would happen to you...".

Regina just looks at him. "I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"I know, and I accept your apology, but that doesn't make everything all right... You still left us, and you didn't even say goodbye to Emma. She came here a lot when you were away."

"She did?" Regina whispers. "I like that idea of her coming here with you."

"We talked a lot," Robin says, "but also places games and I even learnt her to shoot with a bow and arrow," he grins, "she knows the woods inside out know," he winks.

"You did what?" Regina asks him in surprise. "Did she hurt herself? Did anything happen?"

"What? No of course not," Robin says, "I just taught her a lot of things."

Regina winks at him. "I'm just teasing you. You're the best with bow and arrow." She playfully pushes him on his shoulder.

"As mean as ever," Robin laughs, "you really didn't change in that five years."

Regina chuckles. "For me it was just 5 days." she whispers. "5 horrible, horrible days."

"Those days are over now," Robin says, he was sure Regina only told him a very small part of everything that happened. He knows Cora and Leopold. "How did you get back? I tried to come to you for months, but I couldn't get to you because of the time barrier...".

"Cora helped. She had one last magic bean in the house of her mother." Regina whispers. "I don't know why. She asked me for another chance and I gave her one. I think."

"Interesting choice," Robin whispers, "but why did she do that after what she did to you in the first place?"

"I don't know. I really don't. Leopold... He... He made me drink a potion to... To get children." Regina whispers.

"But... You didn't get children?" Robin asks carefully.

"No. I didn't. Cora took it out of me. I don't want a child with that monster. I want one with you." Regina whispers, also very carefully.

"You... You can still get children now?" Robin says and he looks at her, "but how...?" He is really confused.

"I don't know. I'm not sure." Regina whispers. She looks at him. "Wouldn't you like that?"

"I... Yeah," Robin starts, "I would love that I think," he smiles, "it's just five years ago since I saw you and I'm a bit confused... Still."

Regina giggles. "I didn't mean to have a child right away, you silly." She laughs.

"But you ask me if I would like it!" Robin says and he now starts to laugh, "it really weird someone asks you something like that when she disappeared FIVE years ago." He grins.

"I'm sorry." Regina keeps on laughing. She slowly extends her hand towards his face. She looks him into his eyes to see if she's allowed to touch him.

He lies his hand on hers and smiles, "you can't imagine how much I missed you, did I already tell you I missed you? Well I did."

Regina softly smiles. "I've missed you too. Although it was just a couple of days for me, I... I've missed you so much." Regina looks at him. "When I was tied up on bed, he... He..." A tear runs down her face now.

Robin squeezes her hand a little and lets her talk.

"He... I... He..." Regina can't form her words and sentences any longer.

"Come here," Robin whispers and he opens his arms for her, so she can choose if she wants to be close to him. "Take your time."

Regina moves into Robin's arms. "He raped me." she whispers very softly in his ear. She then makes herself very small in his arms.

Robin holds Regina in his arms and softly strokes her hair. "You're save now," he whispers and he holds her close.

"Am I? Am I really?" Regina softly cries now.

"Yes, you are," Robin whispers and he closes his eyes. "I love you, Regina."

"I love you too." Regina whispers. She softly kisses Robin on his lips, a gentle kiss. "I love you so very much."

He smiles and kisses her back. He just follows her, so she won't get afraid of him.

"He tied me up so hard." Regina whispers now. "He... He took off my clothes. I couldn't move. Robin, I couldn't move."

"It will never happen again," Robin whispers. He feels her frightened body shake in his arms, "he is gone now.”

"He is, isn't he? He stayed behind in The Enchanted Forest." Regina takes a deep breath. "It hurt so much. He pushed so deep inside of me. I can still feel him, Robin." She cries now.

"Yes he did, he stayed behind, so you're safe," he whispers, he can't believe someone had done this to her, how could someone possible do something like that? He wipes away her tears with his sleeve and lets her cry in his arms, "you can let it all out now, it won't happen again, I promise," he says softly.

Regina keeps crying for a couple of minutes. "I don't want to feel him anymore, Robin. Please." She looks him deep into his eyes.

"What do you want me to do," Robin says and he looks into her eyes too, "is there something I can do?"

"Touch me." Regina whispers in his ear. She leads his hands to the zipper on her back.

"You really think that's a good idea," Robin whispers, "is that really what you want?" He carefully brings her zipper down.

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure. That's what I want. I don't want to feel him anymore. Please, Robin." Regina kisses him softly while she lets him undress her.

He first only holds her in his arms, stroking her back and kissing her.

"Go on." Regina whispers. "I want you too. I need you, Robin."

Robin now touches her over he whole body, moving his hands down. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Regina softly kisses him while he touches her. She likes this. After a while she lets her head rest on his shoulder. "Now I'm tired." she softly whispers.

"Good," Robin whispers, "shall I bring you home then? Or do you want to stay?" He quickly kisses her on her cheek.

Regina closes her eyes. "Stay." she whispers. "So tired." She falls asleep with her head against his shoulder.

After a while, when Regina seems to be Ina deep sleep, Robin lifts her up and carries her carefully to his bed. He lies a blanket over her and sits down beside the bed, stroking her hair.

Regina wakes up when she feels someone stroking her hair. She smiles softly at Robin. "Do you want to lay next to me?" she asks.

"Yeah," he whispers and he lays down next to her. He is just very careful with coming close to her and touching her.

"I trust you, Robin. It's alright. He's gone now, so our lives can finally begin. Do you still want that?"

"I would love that," Robin says, "but you need to promise me to never do anything like that again, no more deals..." He winks and kisses her.

"Only deals with you." Regina winks back. She softly kisses him back. "Can we stay here for the night and tomorrow go to my place with Emma?"

"Good," he smiles, "and yes that's all right," he whispers, "have you already seen Emma and Snow today?"

"I have. Emma was happy to see me but Snow... I don't know."

"She is just angry with you," Robin says, "I can understand that... but it will fade again. And that Emma was happy to see you is no surprise," he laughs.

"Did she miss me? Emma?"

"She really missed you," Robin says with a laugh, "really, you have no idea."

"Will she ever be able to forgive me?" Regina wants to know.

"Emma?" Robin says, "I think she already has." Robin smiles, "she was the one who convinced me not to be angry with you anymore."

"She did? She really did?" Regina smiles brightly at Robin. "She's such an amazing kid. Did Snow take good care of her?"

"Not as good as you did," Robin says and he keeps quite for a while, then he starts again, "just joking," he winks, "Snow is an amazing mother, just like you," he whispers.

"But Snow is her biological mother. Not me. That has to mean something."

"She is I know, but I don't know what difference that makes," Robin says.

"You don't? I can't expect Emma to come live with us, not when I have abandoned her the last couple of years."

"Yeah you're right, but that doesn't mean she loves you less than she loves Snow."

Regina nodds. "Maybe you're right." she softly smiles. She rests her head on his chest. "Is that alright?"

"For me it is," he says and he smiles.

"Thank you." Regina mumbles before falling asleep. That night she wakes up screaming.

Robin wakes up and immediately grabs Regina's hand, "it's okay, it's okay," he whispers, "you're safe here." He wipes her hair from her face and looks at her.

"Leopold." Regina whispers. "Leopold will kill me."

"No he won't, he isn't here, Regina," Robin says calmly, "he won't kill you, I promise."

Regina nodds. She's soaking wet from fear. Her body shakes.

Robin takes Regina in his arms. He feels her heart beat very fast and she breathes heavily.

"No ropes." Regina whispers. "Please, I'll be good. No ropes. I will please you." She mumbles, doesn't know who's with her and wants to protect her body by making herself as small as possible.

"Regina look at me," Robin says, "he isn't here, there are no ropes and you don't have to please me."

Regina looks at the man who's in front of her and has a really warm and soothing voice. "Robin?" she whispers.

"Yes," Robin says with a sigh of relief, "it's me.”

"I'm so glad it is you." Regina sighs with relief as well. "I'm so cold. Can we take a shower? Please?"

"Yes," Robin says, "that's a good idea," he smiles, "are you okay now?"

"I will be. I'm just cold." Regina walks over to the bathroom and invites Robin to take a shower together. Once inside Regina leans against his body.

The hot water streams over their bodies. Robin holds Regina in his arms and her head lays on his shoulder, "you know it will be all right again, do you?" He whispers.

"Yes." Regina whispers back. "Yes, I know. I just have to adjust to the fact that Leopold isn't here anymore and I can really be free."

"I understand," Robin says and he just hold her close. "Shall I wash your hair," he grins.

"Yes, I would love that, thank you." Regina smiles.

Robin picks up the shampoo and lets his hands go through Regina's hair. "Close your eyes," Robin says and he lets the shampoo stream out of her hair again.

Regina just smiles. She really enjoys this. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers when he's done washing her hair. "What would you like me to do?"

"I would like you to... Be yourself, choose for yourself and maybe have a little fun in life," he says with a smile.

Regina looks up to him, surprised. "I don't have to give you something in return?" she whispers.

"No, of course not," he whispers and he laughs a bit.

"Why do you laugh?" Regina giggles. "What's so funny about me?"

"Why would I want something in return, why do you even think I want something in return," he just laughs.

"Isn't that how this works?" Regina looks up at Robin once again, this time very shy.

"No, it isn't," Robin says and he lays his hand under her chin, so she looks at him, "people do things for you because they're kind or because they live you," he winks, "not because they want something extra special back from you."

Regina nodds softly. "I think I understand." she softly smiles at Robin.

"Good," he says and he winks, "shall we go back to bed for a little while, it's 3am."

"Yes, please." Regina and Robin both dry themselves and put on their sleeping clothes. For the rest of the night Regina sleeps silently against Robin's body. She wakes up to the smell of coffee.

Robin is downstairs, making breakfast and and coffee. He waits for Regina to get up.

Regina, still in her sleeping clothes, slowly walks downstairs and smiles when she sees Robin in the kitchen. "Goodmorning."

"Goodmorning," Robin says, and he lays the bread on the table, "how do you feel?"

"Better. Thank you for tonight." Regina smiles. "And you?"

"I'm fine," Robin says, "just glad you're back." He grins.

Regina smiles back. "Me too. I won't ever leave you again, I promise."

"Great," he says and he sets two mugs on the table, "I thought you could use something stronger then tea," he grins. He sits down at the table.

Regina smiles. "Thank you. You know me well." She giggles.

"Of course I do," Robin winks, "unfortunately I have to work after breakfast... Life goes on..." He sighs, "will you come after work?"


	13. PTSD

Regina smiles. "Why don't you come over to my house after work? I'll make diner. Is that alright?" she suggests.

"Great plan," Robin says. They eat breakfast together and then Robin prepares himself for work."

"See you tonight." Regina smiles. She waves him off to work and then cleans up his house before walking over to Emma's school. She knocks on the door of her classroom.

When her mother walks in Emma looks away. She tries to ignore her.

Regina calls Emma out of her class. "What do you think if I kidnap you for today and we spent the day together?" she smiles at her, not noticing her daughter's behaviour.

Emma looks at the ground, "you didn't come," she only whispers.

"What do you mean, I didn't come?" Regina asks her daughter. Did she forget something yesterday?

"I would come to you yesterday in the evening and I would sleep in our house, but you weren't there...".

"I wasn't. I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina whispers. "Can I make it up to you by cooking my famous lasagna this evening and reading you a bedtime story? Or... Or are you too old for a bedtime story?" Regina winks.

"I wanted that yesterday," Emma says, "I waited very long before the house, but you didn't come. Mom picked me up... Where were you?"

"At Robin's." Regina whispers, knowing their is no point in lying to her daughter. "I'm so sorry, Emma, I... I don't know what else to say." Regina then whispers.

Emma shrugs, and starts to walk back to her classroom. She almost starts to cry, she really looked forward to be with her mom yesterday, she waited on her doorstep for almost three hours, just waiting for her...

"Emma, I'm really, really sorry." Regina cries now. "Please, give me a chance to make up for it. Please."

Emma wants to stay angry, but it's hard to keep her eyebrows down, "but I've school now," she says.

"Do you want me to pick you up after school?" Regina suggests.

"Okay," Emma says, "see you then," she smiles a little and walks back into the classroom.

Regina sits down at the bench across of the school building. She wants to wait until school is over. She startles when someone sits down next to her.

Lady Tremaine smiles, "don't be afraid, it's just me," she says and she looks at Regina, "welcome back."

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She looks at her old nanny, protecting her body with her arms, unconsciencesly.

"Is something wrong, Regina?" Lady Tremaine asks, "I'm not going to hurt you or something, I thought you knew that."

"No, I know. Nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" Regina mumbles.

"You're protecting yourself," lady Tremaine says and she now knows this has nothing to do with her.

"Don't I always do that?" Regina whispers. She's surprised her nanny can read her body language so good, even when Regina herself doesn't realise she's protecting herself.

"Not like this," lady Tremaine says, "what happened to you in the time you were away?"   
She never saw Regina like this, she always protected herself in a way, but this was kind of extreme.

"He." Regina just whispers.

"Again?" Lady Tremaine says and and she takes a deep breath, "what does that man want from you? Why can he never stop..." She shakes her head.

"This was not like before." Regina opens up a little bit.

"What happened? Do you feel like telling me?" Lady Tremaine says. She lays her hand on Regina's and squeezes it a little.

Regina pulls back. "I'm sorry." she whispers. "I don't like it if you hold my hand." Regina looks around her and notices nobody in their surroundings. "He tied my hands to the bed. While he... You know." she then whispers.

"I'm sorry," lady Tremaine whispers and she knows something really bad happened to her.  
"He did?" Lady Tremaine says and she is really shocked, "I'm so sorry to hear that Regina, you deserve so much better," she whispers.

"Maybe I don't." Regina doesn't look up. Thinking about what happened makes her scared. Her heart starts to beat fast and she breaths too fast.

"Not maybe, you don't deserve that Regina," lady Tremaine says, "but he is gone now?" She says, hoping that talking will make her less scared.

"He stayed behind in The Enchanted Forest, but we both know he will always find his way back to me." Regina startles when a car drives past the bench she's sitting on.

"Yeah," lady Tremaine says. She knows she is right and lying doesn't help right now, "but for now you're safe, so try to get some rest." She sees Regina already startles when a car drives by...

Regina nodds. "I'm waiting until Emma is done with school so I can take her home with me." she whispers. It is just 10AM in the morning.

"You will sit here the whole day?" Lady Tremaine says. She gets more worried every minute.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Regina whispers. She doesn't tell this, but she feels scared being alone and out here on the street is relatively safe.

"Regina..." Lady Tremaine sighs, "are you really sure? Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am." Regina just repeats without really hearing the question.

Lady Tremaine doesn't know what to say. She knows Regina is not even listening to her, but she lets it be.

Regina stares at the school building in front of her. "You really don't have to stay with me, Lady Tremaine. I can imagine you have better things to do." she whispers after a while.

"My definition of 'better things to do' is different that yours," lady Tremaine says, "but if you want me to go, you have to say it."

"No. I don't want you to go." Regina whispers. "Can you stay? Please?"

"Yes," lady Tremaine says. It's good Regina has someone with her, "since when have you been back?"

"Yesterday." Regina whispers. "For me only 5 days have passed because time was kind of frozen." She looks at Lady Tremaine. Regina knows she keeps protecting her body but she can't stop doing it.

"O well, that's why you didn't age," she says and she looks Regina into her eyes, "you can relax now, I'll make sure no one touches you," she whispers.

Regina relaxes a little bit but closes immediately when her mother suddenly appears next to her.

"Cora?" Lady Tremaine says surprised, "you're back too?" She is really confused. She sees Regina immediately makes herself small again when Cora appears.

"Mommy." Regina whispers. She looks up at Cora. "Do you need me for something?"

"No not at all," Cora says, "I just saw you two and... Wanted to say hi."

Regina nodds but doesn't relax. She just looks at her nanny.

Without Regina seeing it Lady Tremaine looks at Cora with a look that tells her to go. Cora nods, she feels a bit sad, and she leaves. "Have a nice day," she says.

"Are you leaving already?" Regina whispers.

"Well it didn't seem, you were very pleased to see me," Cora says with a fake smile, "so maybe it's better if I go."

"No, I'm sorry, mommy. I do am glad to see you. I was just... startled, I guess." Regina quickly apologizes.

Cora knows that wasn't it, but she doesn't say it, "well... I'm glad to see you too? How are you feeling today?" Cora asks, but she doesn't sit down, so she can walk away every moment.

"I'm fine. Just fine." Regina whispers. She looks at Lady Tremaine and her eyes almost beg to not say anything.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," Cora says with a little smile, "do you have any plans for today?". Lady Tremaine looks at the ground; she won't say a thing.

"I'm waiting for Emma to finish school so I can take her home and cook for us." Regina whispers. "And you?"

"Nothing, I didn't plan anything today" Cora says, "I think it's better that I go," she hears Regina whisper and knows she is still afraid.

"You don't have to go, mommy." Regina looks up at her mother. "Really, I'm not afraid of you." Regina manages to smile a little bit.

"I can see that," Cora says sarcastically, but she doesn't walk on.

"I'm really not. I'm just... Tired, I guess." Regina still looks at her mother. "If it wasn't for you, I would still be pregnant with his child and I would still be with him."

"Yeah," Cora says, but she knows it's not that simple. She was the one who brought her there in the first place. She sits down on the bench next to them.

Regina smiles. It's almost lunchtime now and she feels tired as never before.

"So why are you two sitting here?" Cora asks after a moment of silence, "are you two waiting for something?"

"I'm waiting until Emma's done with school for today so I can take her home with me." Regina whispers softly. She keeps protecting her body, unconsciencely. She stares at the front door of the school.

"So you will sit here for two more hours?" Cora says surprised, she wants to go, Regina is protecting herself and Cora knows it's because of her, and not because of lady Tremaine.

"Yes, I will. I don't feel safe alone at home. That's not because of you, mommy, it's because of him. I know he will find his way back to me and I don't want to be alone at home."

"He won't come back," Cora says, "he doesn't know how magic works...".

"I wouldn't underestimate him, mommy. He knows a lot more than he lets out." Regina whispers.

"And besides that, I'm on your side now," Cora says, "I can protect you..." She looks at her daughter, but still sees the fear in her eyes.

Regina nodds slowly. "I know. Thank you." She manages to smile at her mother. A genuine smile. "Thank you." she whispers again.

"No problem," Cora says and she smiles back. She doesn't really like being good so far...

Regina smiles and leans her head against her mother's shoulder. "I'm so tired." she whispers.

"I can imagine you are," Cora says, "and you're allowed to be tired." she lays her arm around Regina and smiles.

Regina quickly pulls back. "I don't like it when you do that." she whispers softly.

"But..." Cora starts, but she directly gains control again, "never mind," she says and she stands up, "thanks for the conversation."

Regina looks at her mother walking away. She then turns towards Lady Tremaine. "I can't trust her, can I?" Regina wants to know.

Lady Tremaine shrugs, "I don't know," she says, "you just said she saved you from something, so that means something too...'.

Regina nodds. "Maybe. Or maybe she did that to get me to trust her before she does something worse."

"You think so?" Lady Tremaine says, "I don't think that's what she wants, I mean... It hurt you enough.”

"Maybe. Maybe not." Regina whispers.

"Well... If you really want her to change, you have to trust her. It's not going to work if you keep being afraid of her."

Regina looks at her nanny. "You're right. I'll give her a chance. A fair chance." she then smiles. She smiles even more brightly when Emma walks out of the school building.

"Well I will leave you two then, have fun together," lady Tremaine says with a big smile. She waves at Emma and Emma waves back.

"Emma!" Regina smiles brightly. "I've been looking forward to this moment. What do you want to eat? I can make my lasagna and Robin can come over to eat with us or do you rather want the two of us to be alone tonight? It's your call."

"We can do both," Emma says, "Robin can have dinner with us and after he leaves I can stay for a little while longer...".

"Do you want to spend the night in your old bed?" Regina wants to know.

"I can't. Mom... I mean Snow doesn't want that," Emma says, "she doesn't want me to be with you."

"Why... Why not?" Regina whispers, shocked.

"You didn't come yesterday and I waited for you for two hours..." Emma says, "I heard her talking to David, she was very angry with you."

Regina just nodds, hurt. "No sleeping in your old bed, I get it." she whispers. "Come on then, do you want to help me cook?" Regina forces a smile on her face while inside she feels her heart literally hurting.

"Yeah that's all right," Emma says, "I thought mo- Snow how to make your lasagna, but she couldn't do it," Emma smiles.

"That's because it's our speciality. You didn't tell Snow the secret ingredient, did you?" Regina winks at her youngest daughter.

"Of course not, I did that part," Emma says. They walk home.

"Good." Regina can't help herself and giggles. "That's our little secret." Once they get home Regina sees Emma looking around. "Has it been a while since you last came here?" Regina asks.

"A little less than five years," Emma says.

"Nothing has changed." Regina softly smiles. "But I guess all your stuff is at Miss Blanchard's place now?"

"Yeah," Emma says, "after you left I picked up my stuff and then Snow locked the door, she didn't want me to come here anymore... But for the first two years I came here every single day to ring the bell and everytime I did that, I hoped you would open." She smiles and looks at the ground, "crazy, isn't it?”

"No. Not crazy at all." Regina whispers. A tear runs down her face. "Why... Why didn't Snow want you to come here?"

"She said you were the past, and that I had to forget..." Emma says, "but Robin and I sneaked in sometimes, that was great." She smiles when she thinks back of their secret trips inside the house. "We couldn't see a thing, because we couldn't put the lights on, but it was always very nice."

"I can imagine you two doing things like that." Regina winks. But Emma's words hurt her very deeply. How can Snow ask Emma to forget about the woman who raised her for the first 6 years of her life? "If you... If you want to check out your old room, I can start with dinner." Regina suggests. "Or do you want to show me how great of a cook you have become?"

"Mom... I'm not a baby," Emma grins when her mother talks to her like she is still her little girl, "but I'll show you how good I've become, yes."

"Alright, I'm curious! But I know you'll make an excellent lasagna. Maybe even better than mine?" Regina winks again. She looks at her daughter making her famous lasagna all on her own. "You really don't need me, do you?" Regina whispers softly.

"You learnt me everything, so of course I don't need you," Emma says, "and Snow doesn't make lasagna, so if I wanted it I had to make it myself... I had a lot of practice," she smiles and she puts the lasagna in the oven.

Regina hugs her daughter. "I'm so proud of you, Emma." she whispers. She startles when the doorbell rings. "That must be Robin."

"Why did you startle?" Emma ask before Regina walks away, "are you afraid of the doorbell?" Emma grins.

"I'm not." Regina whispers while walking to the door. She opens it and looks right in the face of Robin. "You came." she whispers now.

"Did you doubt that?" Robin says and he grins. He hugs Regina. "I see Emma is here too," he says when he sees her. Emma gives him a big hug.

"Yes. One big happy family." Regina whispers. She just wants to disappear, go to sleep and never wake up again. She hates this, hearing about Snow wanting Emma to forget about her because she's in the past...

Robin and Emma now both look at Regina in surprise, they are silent for a while, "well that didnt sound very happy now, did it?" Robin says then and he looks back at Emma. She shakes her head.

"I didn't mean it like that." Regina looks at them and decides to be open and honest with the two people she loves most of all in this world. "I'm really happy and glad to have you both with me tonight, but... It also reminds me of the fact that you have moved on, without me, and I don't know if... If I still belong here. In your lifes." she wispers.

"But..." Emma starts, "we moved on yes, but you can move on with us now," she looks at her mom. "Yes, a lot happened when you were away," Robin says, "but that doesn't mean you don't belong here anymore. You can't imagine how much we talked about you together," he starts to laugh a bit when he remembers their conversations. Emma laughs with him. They really had a good time together.

Regina softly smiles now, with tears in her eyes. "But Snow is your mom now. I... I can't... It's too complicated... I've been gone for 5 days and here 5 years have passed... A week ago I was your mom and not Snow but now... Now you can't even spend the night with me." Regina starts to cry now. She feels really heartbroken.

Robin wraps his arms around Regina and lets her cry on her shoulder. "We can talk with Snow about this," Robin whispers, "it complicated now, but it will be all right again."

Emma sits down on the stairs, "but we love you, isn't that worth something?" she asks.

Regina looks at her daughter. "No. It's not worth something." she whispers while walking over to her daughter and sitting down next to her on the stairs and looking her straight in her face. "It means everything to me, Emma." Regina winks at her daughter. "You remember that, alright? Your love means everything to me."

"So you do care about me," Emma whispers and she looks her mom in her eyes. Snow told her Regina didn't care about her...

"Emma, you're... You're everything to me." Regina whispers. "Did you... Did you think I don't care about you? You are all I care about. You and Robin." Regina looks Emma into her eyes. "Did you think I didn't?"

"I did," Emma says honestly, "mom told me that and after all those years I believed her, because you didn't say goodbye to me before you left... And because you didn't come back to me... But I don't think that anymore, I promise."

"I really do care about you, Emma. Like I said, you and Robin are all I care about. Without you I wouldn't want to wake up in the morning. I wouldn't want to eat without you." Regina whispers.

"I believe you, but why..." Emma starts, but she almost doesn't dare to ask, "why did you leave us then? Why did you make that deal Robin told me about?"

Regina sighs. "Because it was my fault Robin didn't have his heart, Emma. He didn't have his heart because he loved me. I had to make that deal and no one else." she then whispers. "I wanted to say goodbye but Cora wouldn't let me. If I had disobeyed... She would have crushed Robin's heart." Regina looks at her daughter. "I'm really, really sorry, Emma. Can you believe that?"

"Yes," Emma says, "I do believe you, what happened back there, where did you go with Cora?" Robin leaves them alone for a while and starts to prepare the table.

"Cora sent us back to The Enchanted Forest. Herself, me, and... And Leopold." Regina explains softly. "She sent us back to our old Palace."

"Why would she want that?" Emma says, she really has no clue.

"Cora always wanted me to marry Leopold. To have power. And ultimately to have his child." Regina whispers softly.

"And you didn't want that of course," Emma says, "but now everything is all right again? Is Leopold gone? And your mother?"

"Leopold stayed behind. My mother came back with me. And of course I didn't want a child with him." Regina winks at her daughter.

Emma grins, "of course not," she says with a very serious face, "although I would love to have a little baby brother or sister," she giggles.

Regina giggles also. "Let us start with you moving back here with me. At least... If you want that. If you rather stay with Miss Blanchard I understand that." Regina whispers those last words.

"She is just Snow, mom," Emma says, "and she won't let you move in with you."

"But what do you want, Emma? Don't we have to listen to what you want?" Regina wants to know.

"It's not that simple," Emma says, "I don't want to lose my other mom and if I move back here I will.”

"Snow won't do that. She won't." Regina whispers. But does she know her eldest daughter good enough to be certain of that? "But you belong here... With me." she then whispers.

"You don't even care about Snow anymore, do you?"

"Of course I do." Regina softly smiles. "But it's more complicated than that, Emma. I have lost her years ago and I'm so glad to have her back in my life, but I don't want to lose you too."

"But you said you cared about me and Robin, only about me and Robin," Emma says, "you just said it yourself."

"You two are my life, yes. Snow has made her own life now and that's alright. That's how it's supposed to be. I care about her, but you... I have to raise you still a little bit." Regina smiles softly. "And I want to do that with you living together with me. But you have to want that too."

"I can't choose between my two moms, I'm sorry," Emma says and she stands up, "you just can't ask me to do that," she walks away and locks herself up in the bathroom.

"That's not what I meant." Regina whispers. She starts to cry. Everything is falling apart again.

Emma hears what Regina whispers when she walks away. "Then what did you meant?" Emma shouts from the bathroom. "I mean that you should live where you want to. I don't want you to choose between me and Snow. But I don't want to decide in your place, because you're old enough to let your voice be heard."

"But then I still have to choose to live with SOMEONE, you or Snow, and I can't do that, because I love you both too much."

"Do you want us to decide for you then? Would that be easier for you?" Regina suggests.

"Fine, totally fine," Emma shouts and she takes a deep breath. She sits with her back agains the door.

"Emma..." Regina cries. "Why are you so angry with me? I'm trying the best I can, I really am."

"You make me choose between you two," Emma says, "and it looks like you love me more than you love Snow and she is your daughter too!"

"I love the both of you. Please, remember that. I love the both of you very much."

Emma sighs, "sure you do.”

"I don't know what else to say or do, Emma." Regina softly whispers.

"You can also say nothing," Emma says. She doesn't even know why she is so angry... The idea of choosing and disappointing someone frightened her so much she can't come back in control.

Regina remains silent. She doesn't want to upset her daughter more than she already is. She looks at Robin, feeling helpless.

"Emma can you come out please," Robin says, "you don't have to choose, we just have to talk about it okay?" His voice is calm. He had done this a few more times in those five years and he knows this simple words will work. After a while the door opens softly.

Regina looks at her daughter when she walks out of the bathroom. She opens her arms and hopes she will get a hug.

Emma answers her mothers hug and lays her head on her shoulder. She starts to cry. Robin smiles and keeps his distance.

Regina also cries. She holds her daughter in her arms for a long time.

After a long hug, Emma hears the timer go off and steps back. She doesn't say a thing and walks downstairs to take the lagagne out of the oven.

Regina takes a couple of deep breaths. She's exhausted. She startles when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns around and relaxes.

Robin winks, "you see, she does love you" he says with a smile, "you just need to give her some space and time, don't forget you were away for five years. Five years is a lot."

Regina nodds. "The odd thing is... For me just 5 days passed and I come back and she's so much older and Snow is so much more... I don't know... She doesn't seem to trust me anymore and that hurts, Robin, that really hurts."

"I know," Robin says, "it's odd for us too, and the thing with Snow... I think she just has the feeling you left her and Emma and, although it hurts, we can't blame her for not trusting you anymore.... Maybe a good talk with her can help?”

"I don't know how to talk to Snow." Regina whispers softly. "She has built her own life from the moment Cora took you both from me."

"Of course she," Robin says, "she had too, she suddenly had a child... Maybe she didn't want an own life, but she had no choice." Robin looks at Regina, "you don't know...".

"None of us really had a choice, right?" Regina whispers, waiting for his confirmation.

"Yeah," Robin lies. He doesn't want to hurt her more, "let's go to Emma."

Regina nodds softly and follows Robin to the dining room. "That smells delicious, dear." Regina smiles at her daughter. During the short walk behind Robin towards the dining room Regina has managed to regain her composture and the mask on her face shows no signs of cracks.

Emma smiles, "Thank you mom," she says and she places a piece on their plates. "I hope it tastes good as well.”

"I'm sure it will." Regina smiles. She takes a bite from the lasagna Emma has made. She stares at the girl. "It looks like the student has outgrown the master." Regina winks with a big smile on her face.

Emma laughs, "maybe you're right," she says, "but that because she learnt it from the best, and because she had five years to practice."

Regina giggles. "It is really, really good, Emma." she smiles again. The three of them eat the lasagna Emma made.

When they finish dinner Emma looks at the clock. "I think I should go," Emma says, "I don't want Snow to be angry because I'm home too late. I told her I would stay with a friend today to work for school and she texted me that I had to come home right after dinner...".

Regina softly nodds. "Next time I don't want you to lie. Alright?" she whispers. A tear runs down her face.

"Why not?" Emma says, "it's the only way I can be with you."

"No, Emma, that is not the only way. I will talk to Snow. You don't have to worry. But lieing isn't going to help us any further." Regina now speaks with a stern voice. "I didn't raise you to lie, did I?"

Emma sighs, "no," she says a bit angry, "but you made my mom angry, so things have changed and you don't have to talk to her.”

"Yes, I do. I want to do this the adult way and that starts by talking to Snow. I've made her angry, you say, so I have to fix that." Regina now softly smiles. "You don't have to worry. That's my job." She winks.

Emma doesn't smile, "fine," she says, "then she will tell you that you can't see me again and she will be angry with me because I lied to her. That's a perfect option, yes." She looks away.

"I won't tell her that the way you tell me. We will talk as two adults and we will find a solution. We have to. You may be Snow's biological daughter, but you're my daughter just as well." Regina smiles again.

"She doesn't think that," Emma says, "but go ahead, then I'll stay with Robin tonight, because I don't think you want me around, do you? Because you two can talk as adults, and I'm small, stupid and I know nothing about grown-up stuff!" she snaps and she walks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Regina looks at Robin. "I don't know how to handle a teenager." she whispers. "She's always mad at me, even when I'm trying to do good. Lieing to Snow isn't the answer, right?"

"A teenager has her own vision of good," Robin says with a smile, "Emma changed a lot when you were away, and no of course lying is not the answer."

"She did, didn't she?" Regina whispers. "What am I supposed to do now? I'm not in the mood for arguing with her. I'm in no mood for anything." Regina whispers now. "I should have stayed back in The Enchanted Forest. It would have been better for everyone."

"Everything needs time, Regina," Robin sighs, "you've only been back for two days now, you can't expect that everything is the same again so fast."

Regina nodds. She knows that but that doesn't make it any less difficult. "I should have stayed over there." She looks at Robin. "Are you glad I'm back?" she wants to know.

"Am I glad?" Robin says with a smile, "I'm the happiest man in the world," he whispers and he takes her in his arms.

"You are?" Regina asks again, with tears in her eyes now.

"Yes... I love you more than anyone, Regina, my life was quite empty when you were away." he whispers and he smiles.

"I love you too." Regina whispers. She looks at him. "I should probably take Emma to Snow now, shouldn't I?"

"You can try," Robin says, "and otherwise she can stay with me."

"Snow expects her to be home with her so that's what's going to happen." Regina calls Emma's name. "Emma? Time to go to Snow!"

Emma already left the house. She is walking to Robin's place.

"Emma?" Regina calls her name again but no reply. "Robin? Will you go with me and check out your place? She's probably heading down there." Regina asks Robin.

"I'm almost sure she will go there." he says with a smile. "Let's go.”

Regina walks next to Robin towards his home. "Emma?" she asks when they arrive at his cabin in the woods.

"Yes," Emma only says.

"I don't like it when you run off like that. Now come on, I have to take you back to Snow." Regina just says with a stern voice.

"I don't care if you like it or not and, no, I'm not going with you."

Regina sighs. "You have two choices, Emma. Or you go with me to Snow and we talk about the further arrangements or I go to Snow alone and we'll decide for you." Regina turns around and starts walking back to town, towards Snow's and David's appartment.

"Go ahead," Emma says, "I'm not going with you. Tell Snow you want me for yourself and she will tell you the same. In the meantine I'll stay with Robin until you have decided who deserves me more," she shouts.

Regina doesn't look around. Tears stream down her face. When she gets to the appartment she has regained her composture. She rings the bell.

Snow opens the door with a smile, but when she sees Regina that smile fades. "Regina..." she says, "what are you doing here?" Of course she already knows.

"I think we need to talk." Regina clearly states. "About our daughter."

"I don't think we have to," Snow says, "you can't claim her after what you've done."

"Snow." Regina says. "You can't keep her away from me. I'm as much her mother as you are. If you try to keep her away, we get situations like tonight, Emma lying about where she is and with who. She ate dinner with me and Robin tonight and she told me she lied to you so she could come to me. I don't think that's what we want, do we?"

"No we don't want that," Snow says, "but you made the decision five years ago to leave her here with me without saying anything. You turned me from nothing into a fulltime mother, without asking me if I wanted that. YOU left her and now you want her back?" Snow snaps, "just leave us alone."

"You don't understand what happened, Snow. You weren't there. I wanted to say goodbye but I couldn't. They wouldn't let me. I did what I thought was best for everyone. It was my fault Robin didn't have his heart so it was my duty to get it back for him. Even if that meant... Even if that meant to go back with my mother and your father." Regina looks at Snow and talks with a softer voice now. "I didn't want to abandon Emma or you. You're both my daughters." A tear runs down Regina's face.

"But you still did," Snow says, "you shouldn't have made that deal. Maybe you gave Robin his heart back, but you broke ours... And Robin didn't even want you to make that deal."

"I had to." Regina whispers. "I'm really sorry about what happened, Snow. I really, really am. I hope you can believe that and that you find forgiveness in your heart." Regina softly starts to walk away.

"You didn't have to," Snow says, "I'll never forgive you," she says with tears in her eyes. "Where is Emma?"

Regina turns back around to face Snow. "She's with Robin. She didn't want to come with me. She wanted us to figure things out. She doesn't want to choose between her two mothers." Regina softly explains. "I... I'll send her over. I'll go to Robin's right away." Regina nodds at her oldest daughter and walks away, now letting the tears stream down her face. Snow really hurt her by saying that she'll never forgive her.

Snow turns away from her mother and closes the door. Robin and Emma sit by the fire with tea. Emma calmed down a bit.

Very slowly Regina walks into Robin's home without making any noise. She coughs to announce herself. "Emma, you should go home, dear."

"Why?" Emma says.

"Because that's what Snow wants. You should go. We don't want to make her angrier than she already is. Do you want me to walk you over there?"

"I can walk by myself, thank you," Emma says and she stands up. She is calm now, but her cheeks are still red, because of her tears. "Thank you too, Robin and see you soon."

Regina opens her arms to give her youngest daughter a hug before she goes. She looks at Emma to see if she will take the hug or not.

Emma takes a deep breath and gives her mother a short hug before she leaves. "Bye," she whispers.

"Bye, dear. I love you. Never forget that." Regina whispers back. When Emma leaves Robin's house Regina completely disappears into her shell. She doesn't talk. She just walks over to the bedroom and lays down on the bed. She stares in front of her.

Robin gives her some time to think, but after an hour he goes upstairs and sits down besides her.

Regina hasn't moved. She keeps staring in front of her. She realises she just lost both her daughters and she can't handle that. She doesn't want to be in this world any longer. She just wants to disappear.

Robin takes a deep breath and slowly walks to the bed. He lays down beside her and wraps his arms around her, "it won't be like this forever," he whispers.

Regina startles. She hadn't even realised Robin had come into the room and was with her. She quickly relaxes and allows him to take her in his arms. That's all she does. She doesn't speak or she doesn't look at him.

Robin holds her close, "please," he whispers, "stay strong, I know you don't want to be here now, but then at least live on for me, because I love you."

"H.urt." Regina whispers with a cracked voice. Her heart hurts. She wants to rip it out of her but she knows that isn't the way.

"I know," Robin says, "but that will fade again." He closes his eyes.

Regina hears Robin's breathing slowing down. He has fallen asleep. But Regina herself doesn't sleep, not a second. She just stares. When Robin wakes up the next morning Regina still lays down in the same position as the night before.

"Regina!" Robin says in surprise. He is suddenly completely awake, "you're not telling me you didn't sleep or move this night."

Very slowly Regina looks at Robin with tired eyes. "Hm?" His question doesn't really sink in.

"Regina, you need to sleep," Robin says. Her reaction says enough; she didn't sleep or move... "You didn't sleep tonight, did you?"

Slowly Regina shakes her head in denial. "I'm not tired." she whispers.

"You will be if you don't take some sleep," Robin says, but he knows it's useless. He stands up.

Regina also gets up. She feels exhausted but she doesn't want Robin to know. He would only worry about her and she doesn't want that. But she can't prevent herself from almost falling to the floor due to her lack of sleep. She hopes Robin didn't notice.

"You really think I'm stupid, don't you?" Robin smiles, "let's go back to bed, Regina, you can't go on like this" he takes her arm.

Regina startles when Robin takes her arm. "No." she whispers softly. She takes a step back. "No bed." Unconsciencely she strokes her wrists; where Leopold had tied her up to bed with ropes. "No bed." she softly repeats.

Robin doesn't let go, because then she would fall. She doesn't seem to be in this world.  
"That's okay," he whispers, "you can sleep on the couch, or we can go to your own house, to you own bed, but please remember you're safe, he is not here."

Slowly Regina nodds. She knows what Robin says is true. But she doesn't want to go to her own house. She can't handle the confrontation that Emma is not there. Very slowly Regina walks downstairs and out of the house to a little bench not far away. She sits down in the sun but she doesn't feel the warmth. She feels very cold. Again she stares in front of her, not able to do more than that.

Robin leaves her alone for a moment, but he keeps an eye on her through the window. Even from a distance he sees Regina shake and after a while he can't stay away from her anymore. So he picks up a blanket, makes some tea and sits down beside her. He lays the blanket around her, but doesn't say a thing. He just stares with her and he sometimes looks into her eyes.

Regina remains silent but lays her head on Robin's shoulder. After a little while she looks at him. "Tea?" she whispers softly.

"If we don't drink it, it will be cold, so... Yeah," he says and he picks up the mugs. He hands it over to her and gives her a little kiss on her cheek.

A small smile appears on Regina's face. "Thank you." she whispers. "Thank you for not leaving me alone." She slowly drinks her tea. "Do you have to work today?" she softly asks Robin.

"No," he says, "I took a day off," he smiles. Of course he will not leave her, not when she is like this.

"You didn't have to do that." Regina whispers. She looks up at him. "But thank you." Again a small smile lights up her face. Her hands shake a bit from not sleeping that night.

"No problem," Robin says and he feels so happy, when he sees that tiny smile on her face. "How about sleeping a little more?" he whispers.

Regina nodds. "Maybe that's not such a bad idea." She slowly walks inside the house again and upstairs to the bedroom. The minute her head hits the pillow she falls asleep. After a couple of hours, she wakes up.

After a while Emma knocks on the door. She came to Robin for lunch, like every Wednesday. "Mom?" she whispers, "are you awake?"

"Hm?" Regina mumbles while slowly sitting up on bed. When she sees her youngest daughter Regina immediately wakes up completely. "Emma? What... What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to apologize," Emma whispers, "I'm so sorry I snapped at you yesterday, that wasn't fair..." She looks at the ground, "I just..." She takes a deep breath.

"It's alright, dear, it really is. You don't have to apologize, really." Regina looks down. "You can't be here though. I'm not to be trusted. I don't want to, but I hurt everyone around me."

"That's not true," Emma whispers, "it shouldn't have been angry.”

"It's alright. I understand why you were angry. It's alright, dear." Regina opens her arms to give Emma a hug.

Emma hugs her mom, "it took so much time to get used to a life without you," Emma says, "but after all those years that Snow told me you wouldn't come back, I finally accepted it. And now... Everything is different again, I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Regina repeats once more. She gives her daughter a warm hug. "Snow never should have told you that I wasn't coming back." she whispers. "She knows me better than anyone. She should have known I wouldn't just abandon my daughters."

Emma grins, "yeah she should have known," she says, "and maybe she did know... She talked to David about you a lot."

"She did?" Regina softly asks. "That makes sense. He is her man and your father after all." Regina starts to crawl back into her shell. "You should go home, Emma. Snow will wonder where you are." she whispers.

"No she won't," Emma says, "I lunch with Robin every Wednesday, but if you want me to go I will," she smiles.

"I don't want you to go, I just don't want you to get in trouble." Regina winks. "How was school today?"

"Robin send me up," Emma says, "so that's not a problem. School was just fine."

Regina smiles. Robin knows exactly what or who she needs. "You're doing good at school, I imagine?" Regina winks again.

"Yes I do," Emma says, "but I like art the most," she grins, "the other subjects are so boring sometimes."

Regina giggles. "Do you like to draw or paint or something else?" she asks. She's curious to find out more of her youngest daughter's life.

"Both," Emma says, "I like a lot of things. Last month I went to a museum with David and it was wonderful.”

Regina smiles but her heart hurts. She has missed so much. "That's so nice, dear." she smiles. "What else have you been up to?"

"I discovered the woods with Robin," Emma says, "he taught me how to shoot with a bow and arrow.”

"Yes, he told me. You have to show that to me sometime, alright? I mean if... If you want to."

"Yes yes," she smiles, "that's a good idea and he has to teach you too," she laughs by the thought of it, "that will look great."

"Yes, I'm sure it will." Regina laughs. "Not!" She laughs harder now. She startles when the doorbell to Robin's house rings.

"That must be..." Emma starts, "I don't know... Maybe David is early today? Why are you so afraid...? It's only a doorbell."

"I know. It's nothing. I just startle a lot." Regina whispers. "You should go, Emma. They can't see me with you." Regina gives Emma a big hug.

"See you soon," Emma says and she hugs her mother back. She walks downstairs and sees her mother. She came to pick her up, so they walk home together.

After Emma left Regina stares out of the window, looking at her two daughters walking away. When she doesn't see them any longer, Regina lays back down on bed and stares in front of her.

Robin waits for Regina to come downstairs, he doesn't want to push her. He wants to give her the time she needs.

Regina keeps laying on bed. She keeps silent and doesn't move, afraid to make noise and get punished. And besides that, she doesn't want to be in this world without her daughters. But for Robin she stays. She doesn't rip her heart out because she loves Robin.

Robin walks upstairs to Regina's room. He doesn't open the door, "I just want you to know you're free to come downstairs whenever you want," he says from behind the door, "I'll be there."

Regina doesn't react but after a little while she gets up and walks slowly downstairs. She looks at Robin while being silent.

"Hey," Robin says as he looks up from his book, "how do you feel?"

Regina shakes her head. Not good. She doesn't talk yet. She's too tired to talk. Or to do anything else. She just looks at Robin.

Robin takes a deep breath, "do you need something? Can I do something for you?" he asks.

Unconsciencely Regina strokes her wrists. She's nervous and doesn't know what to do or what Robin expects from her.

"I won't do anything to you, Regina," Robin says, "don't worry." He smiles, "how was your talk with Emma?"

Regina's eyes glare up when hearing that name. "Emma." she whispers. She slowly walks towards Robin and takes his book out of his hands. She slowly sits down in his lap, both of her legs on one side of his, so she can lean against his chest.

Robin lays his arm around Regina, with his hand he softly stokes her hair. She deserves so much better...

Regina almost falls asleep again but she doesn't let herself. She likes this and she wants to stay close to Robin.

Robin smiles as he sees Regina fight against the sleep. He doesn't say something and still hold her close.

"I miss my daughters." Regina whispers softly. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Robin says, "and I can imagine that, but you don't have to hide yourself because of it."

"I'm not hiding myself." Regina whispers. "Snow doesn't want me around Emma and she doesn't want to see or talk to me herself."

"Yes, but Emma does want to see you," Robin says, "and I know that in the end Snow will choose what's best for Emma... she always does. And maybe later on she'll even want to talk to you again."

"Maybe." Regina just whispers. "Maybe not." She crawls back in her shell. "I don't like life this way. But you're here. And I love you. You know that, right? I'm here because of you. If you weren't here..." A tear rolls down her face but Regina swallows away her tears. She starts to stare again, to not feel anything.

"Regina," Robin says with a sigh, "you came here about three days ago, it's all hard now, but it won't be hard forever." He lays his hand under her chin and makes her look at him, "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too." Regina whispers back. She gives him a soft kiss on his lips before she rests her head back on his chest. She softly strokes his chest.

Robin lets her and he now lays both his arms around her.

Regina lets him. She trusts him. In the back of her head she feels some flashbacks coming up but she doesn't want to end this moment with Robin.

Robin feels Regina doesn't like this and he now only holds her hand.

"Why do you stop?" Regina whispers softly.

"I can feel you don't like it," Robin says.

"I do like it when it's you." Regina whispers. "You can hold me close to you. Please?"

"Yeah," Robin whispers and he lies his arms around her again. He now carefully kisses her on her cheek.

A soft smile appears on Regina's face. She kisses him back on his lips. "I love you." she repeats.

"I love you too," he whispers back and he kisses her again, less careful this time.

Regina smiles. "Did you miss me?" she whispers.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" Robin whispers back, "I missed you so terribly much," he says with a smile, "more than you can ever imagine."

"Did you miss this too?" Regina whispers while leading Robin's hand to her hips.

Robin grins, "what do you think?" he whispers, "I missed everything, so yes.”

"I'm not afraid anymore. Go on." Regina smiles.

"You're not?" he whispers. He moves his hands to her back, but he is careful and lets her lead. He doesn't want to act to fast.

"I'm not. I promise." Regina whispers. She takes off his shirt and kisses him again.

Robin kisses her back and puts down her zipper. "Okay," he whispers and he looks at her, "I believe you," he smiles and slowly moves the dress from her shoulders.

"Good." Regina smiles. She gets up for a minute and lets her dress fall down to the ground. She pulls Robin out of the couch and pushes down his pants. She stands very close to him and kisses him again.

He lays his hands around her waist and lifts her up, still kissing her, "let's go upstairs," he whispers.

"Yes." Regina laughs. She lets Robin carry her upstairs and lets him lay her down on the bed. "Go on." she whispers.

Robin kisses her and moves very close to her. He smiles.

"Three days," the black fairy whispers in Regina's mind, "and it will hurt."

Regina ignores the voice in her head. She smiles back at Robin. "I like this." she whispers.

Robin now slips inside her, moving his hands over her hips.

"Too late," the black fairy whispers.

"Too late for what?" Regina asks back in her own head. She softly moans of fear.

"You'll get a child," the black fairy says, "in three days.”

"No! Get off of me! Let go of me!" Regina screams.

"Regina what's it?" Robin says, she frightened him very much, "you told me you could handle it, what happened?" He calms down again.

"NO!" Regina screams again. "Let go off me! Let me go! Please!"

"Regina calm down," Robin says and he takes a deep breath, "please," he whispers, "you're safe here.”

Regina looks around her with panic in her eyes. She notices Robin. "No! Not safe! Never safe!" she screams at him. "The potion I took back there. It made me pregnant and get the child in three days. The Black Fairy. She gave it to Leopold!" Regina's panic grows. "Cora took the child out of me, but I heard the Black Fairy in my head. I don't want a child in three days!"

"What are you talking about, Regina.” Robin says, but he knows she says the truth, "maybe you were just dreaming, please calm down." Regina really frightens him. "Tell me everything in a calm way, panic will do no good." He looks Regina deeply in her eyes.

"I just told you what happened!" Regina screams. She pulls away and looks at Robin while protecting her body, unconsciencely. "I just told you!" she yells again. "I will be having your child in three days! What don't you understand?!"

"I won't talk to you unless you calm down," Robin says strictly. His voice is calm, but his head is a chaos. "So look at me and take a deep breath," he says, again very calm.

Regina does what he instructs her to do. His calm but stern voice helps her to focus completely on him. Much more calm she repeats what happened.

"Okay," Robin says, "and is there something we can do about it? Do you want to do something about it?"

"Do you?" Regina wants to know. "I mean... It would be our child and if there is someone I want to be the father of my child, it is you. But... But three days..."

"I know it's short, too short, but I just wanted you to be sure about it," Robin says, "but how is it possible that that child grows in three days?

"That potion the Black Fairy gave Leopold." Regina answers softly. "She made it that way." Regina doesn't tell Robin it will hurt. She doesn't want to scare him off.

"And what will it do to you?" Robin asks.

"What... What do you mean? I'll get a child in three days’ time." Regina whispers.

"That's all?" Robin says, "it just grows and you feel nothing?"

Regina sighs. He knows her well. "It will hurt. Very, very much." she whispers.

"Then we need to stop it," Robin says, "you can't do that to yourself. What do you say? And is it even possible to stop it?"

"Cora can take it out of me. But the potion is still inside of me, so if we want a child together... It will be this way or not." Regina whispers.

"It's your choice," Robin says, "I don't want you to get hurt, but I can't force you to let Cora take it out." He is really worried.

"It is our child." Regina whispers. "It's not like with him. I didn't want a child with him so it wasn't hard to let Cora take it out of me. But with you... I do want a kid with you..." Regina whispers. "And you? What do you want?"

"I would love to have a child with you, I really do," Robin says, "but I want you to be safe and this... It will hurt you very much and I don't want that to happen to you, you've already been through too much."

"Lets do it." Regina whispers. "Have a kid together." She looks at him with a spark in her eyes.

"Do you really want that?" Robin says and he laughs a bit. He kisses her on her forehead.

"I think so. I mean... I want a kid with you." Regina looks at him again. "You're in?" she whispers.

"If you're in I'm in too," he whispers. He knows there will be a LOT of difficulties, but if she wants it he wants it too.

"Really?" Regina gives him a small kiss on his lips. She's scared of the pain but maybe it will be alright if he stays by her side. She startles when the doorbell rings again. "Do you expect someone?" she asks Robin.

"I don't," Robin says, "maybe it's Emma...".

"I doubt it. Snow was pretty sure about her not wanting Emma to be around me." Regina whispers. When Robin opens the front door, Regina hides in a dark corner. She's so afraid of life outside the door of Robin's safe home.

Robin opens the door and sees Snow, he greets her and they talk a little. Robin walks upstairs and Snow waits downstairs. "Snow wants to talk to you," he says, "shall I bring her up?"

Slowly Regina walks out of the dark corner she was hiding in. She just looks at Snow without saying anything.

"Well," Robin says, "I'll leave you two alone for a moment," he smiles and leaves the room. 

"Emma wanted me to talk to you," Snow says.

Regina slowly nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She sits down on the couch and invites Snow to do the same. She doesn't avert her eyes from the woman in front of her.

"Well... How are you doing," Snow asks and she sits down beside Regina.

"Fine. I'm fine." Regina whispers. "How are you?"

"I'm fine too," Snow says. She really doesn't know where to start.

"Emma... Emma asked you to talk to me?" Regina whispers softly.

"She did," Snow says, "almost a hundred times, so I finally agreed.”

A soft smile glances over Regina's face but it's gone just as quickly. "She can be persuasive."

"She really can yes," Snow says, "because we always do what's best for our children, don't we?"

Regina slowly nodds. "We try." she whispers.

Snow takes a deep breath, she really wants to snap at her mother, but she tries not to, "try... Yes we try," she says.

"But sometimes we fail." Regina whispers. She gets up from the couch and walks over to the window to look outside. "Even though we try our best, sometimes we fail." she whispers again. "It's not always easy."

"Yeah," Snow says, "I know," she looks at her mother staring out of the window.

Regina remains silent for a while. She once was a confident woman but what happened in The Enchanted Forest left nothing of that.

"Do you really have nothing to say?" Snow says, "or don't you feel like snapping at me? Be angry with me, like I'm with you? You don't even fight...".

"I'm tired of fighting, Snow." Regina whispers softly. "I'm just... tired. I can't any more. You have every right to be angry with me. I don't blame you." Regina sighs. "And I don't want you to be angry with me but I... I don't know what to do about it. I can only be there for you and Emma and give you my word I won't abandon you ever, every again, but it's up to you to forgive me." Regina whispers. A tear falls down her face. She's so tired and scared.

"What happened to you, mom?" Snow says. The woman in front of her looks tired and scared. She doesn't know her like this. "What happened to that strong mother who fought for every bit of her happiness? Where is even that woman who was brave enough to make a terrible deal just to make Robin... Happy. Really mom, where is she? Because now you just let me win, and that's really not you...".

"That woman is gone." Regina whispers. "And I don't know how to get her back."

"I don't believe that," Snow says and she shakes her head, "that woman is still in there, but you overpower her with your fear... But fear for what?"

Regina suddenly moans of pain. She grabs her stomach. It has started, she knows. "Snow, you need to go." Regina whispers. A wave of pain follows again and she almost falls to the ground.

"Mom?" Snow says and she walks to her mother to keep her from falling, "please tell me what's happening," she says a bit desperate now.

"Leopold. Potion." Regina mumbles. She takes a deep breath. "I'm... I'm pregnant." She doesn't dare to look up at Snow. "It was a dark, dark potion. Very dark magic. I'll be having this child in three days."

"You are pregnant?" Snow exclaims and she almost lets Regina go, "you... You are replacing us?" She starts to cry, "I almost forgave you, I really did." She doesn't think of the dark potion and who gave it to her, she can only think of that child inside her mother.

Regina looks up at Snow, shocked. "I'm not replacing anyone!" she now snaps. "Your father made me drink that potion to knock me up with his child! Mother took it out of me but the effects of the potion are still inside of me!" Regina almost screams. "I'm not replacing anyone!"

Snow looks at her, she breathes heavily, "I'm sorry," she whispers and she looks away.

Regina leans against the wall. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't snap at you like that. I'm sorry." she now whispers.

"Don't be sorry," Snow says she looks at her mom, "three days? How is that even possible?"

"The potion was made by The Black Fairy. She uses very, very dark magic." Regina answers honestly.

Snow nods, "and it happened before?" she says, "why would my father want to have a child with you?"

"To hurt me. To use against me." Regina whispers softly. "He... He has always been a good father to you, Snow, I won't deny that. But he... He was far from a good husband." Regina looks away, afraid to not be believed.

"I know that now," Snow says, "when I was young I thought he was a hero but now I realize he was... Is a very cruel man. But... How could you let him do this to you?" she says. She doesn't think her father is so cruel that he will use violence to make her drink it.

"He made me drink it. He let his guards hold me against the wall so he could open my mouth." Regina whispers.

"He did?" Snow whispers, disappointed, "how can he do such thing? How could I ever see him as a good man...”? "Where is he now?" she says and she lets go of Regina so her mother can sit down on the bed.

"He stayed behind in The Enchanted Forest. He can't follow me here. I hope." Regina whispers those two last words. She sits down on the couch. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you this. Leopold has always been a good father to you."

"It's okay," Snow says, "nobody is perfect." She feels she is on her way to forgive her mother.

"I know." Regina whispers. "I just wanted you to remember your father in a good way. Not... Not like this."

"Well he ruined his image himself," Snow says, "that's not because of you and besides it's the truth...".

Regina slowly nodds. "Still... I'm sorry." Another wave of pain flashes through her body. "It hurts." she whispers.

"It hurts already, how much worse will it become?" Snow says, "can I do something for you?"

"Just... Take care of Emma." Regina whispers. "I understand you don't want her near someone like me." Regina turns away and wants to turn inside herself again.

"That's..." Snow looks away and changes the subject,"shall I call Robin for you?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, thank you, Snow." she whispers. Another wave of pain emerges. "My mother. Cora can help me."

"Where is Cora?" Snow says, without asking why she trusts her, "I'll get her for you.”

"I don't know. My place, maybe." Regina mumbles. "Snow, please hurry. Cora needs to help me." Regina looks up at Robin when he walks down the stairs. "I'll die if she doesn't help me." she whispers.

Snow immediately goes away to get Cora. "You didn't tell me anything about dying, Regina," Robin says and he looks at Regina.

"I didn't know. But I can feel it in my body. I'll die giving birth if I don't get help." she whispers.

"So you want your mother to remove it?" Robin says, "what are you planning to ask her?"

"No, I don't want to get our child out of me!" Regina snaps. She startles from her own reaction. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just... Need some painkillers. That's all." she then whispers.

"I wasn't judging you," Robin says, "I just wanted to know... But it's okay, I hope she is willing to give you the painkillers." He sits down beside her.

"Don't leave me. Please?" Regina begs. She doesn't want this child, not like this. It hurts so much already. What will it be like tomorrow? And the day after? But she does want Robin's child. She doesn't know what to do.

"I won't, I promise," Robin says, "how do you feel? Does it hurt already?"

"It does. It hurts very much." Regina answers honestly. "I don't know if I'll survive this, Robin." she whispers. "I can feel it in my body. It's being destroyed."

"Then don't do this Regina," Robin says, "we will be happy when we have a child, but we will be happy otherwise too. You can't do this to yourself...".

"But it's our child." Regina whispers. "Maybe Cora can do something to make that potion undone?"

"Yeah, we can ask her," Robin says.

Regina nodds. She startles when Cora poofs into the room, together with Snow White. Regina looks at her mother.

"What's it?" Cora says with a grin.

"You know what it is, mother. Can you help me? Please?" But Regina saw the grin on Cora's face and she doesn't have a good feeling about it.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Cora says, "you foolish girl." She sighs and doesn't do anything, "now tell me what you want me to do."

"Can you undo the effects of that potion from The Black Fairy?" Regina asks with a soft voice. "So I can get a normal pregnancy?"

"I can't," Cora lies, "I can only turn things back, but the potion stays."

"You're lieing. I know you, mother. I know when you're lieing and that's what you're doing right now. Why don't you want to take that potion out of me?"

Cora smiles, "so you do know something," Cora says, "but you still don't trust me and that's why I won't take it out of you." She poofs Robin and Snow away so they are together now.

"Mother?" Regina whispers. "I do trust you, otherwise I wouldn't have asked Snow to get you for me." She looks at her mother. "Please. Take that potion out of me. I beg you."

"We can't even talk in a normal way, because you immediately protect yourself when I'm near. It's like I will attack you every time you see me," Cora says, "do you call that trust?"

Regina now indeed notices she's protecting her body again, unconsciencesly before her mother pointed it out to her. "I don't do that just with you." Regina mumbles. "I do that almost all the time."

"I didn't really saw you protect your body, when lady Tremaine was there, but when I came, things seemed to change."

"I'm sorry, mommy." Regina whispers. "I don't mean to do that around you. I'm really sorry."

"I'm sorry," Cora says, "but you can't convince me with that anymore.”

"What do I have to do for you to help me get that potion out of me?" Regina senses her mother wants to make a deal.

"I don't know yet," Cora says, just to let Regina wait and to let her feel the pain. "Do you have something to offer me?"

"Anything you want." Regina moans of pain again. "Mommy, please, it hurts!"

"The black fairy is strong, Regina..." Cora says with a sigh, it will cost her all the power she has.

"But you're strong too, aren't you?" Regina whispers, full confidence in the power her mother has.

"Fine," Cora says, "I'm sick of making the wrong choices all the time. So you're sure you want me to remove this child from your stomach?"

"Can't you just remove the effect of the potion so it will be a normal pregnancy?" Regina softly whispers.

"Yeah," Cora says, and for the first time she sounds a bit scared, "I can do that. Will that make you happy?"

"Yes. I think so. Won't it hurt the baby? And will I have a normal pregnancy? And... And you won't get hurt?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes it will, nine months, and it won't hurt the baby, I promise," she says and she smiles a little.

"And you? Will it hurt you?" Regina still wants to know.

"Don't worry about me.”

"Mother?" Regina asks again. "What will happen to you?"

"I told you not to worry about me, okay," Cora says, "are you ready?"

"No!" Regina snaps. She takes a step away from her mother so she can't do any magic on her. "I'm not ready until you tell me what will happen to you."

"Please, nothing bad will happen," Cora says strictly, "now come here and I'll free you from that curse.”

"You asked me to give you a chance. I am doing that but you have to be honest with me. What will happen to you, mother?" Regina asks one last time.

"I'll die," she says very quick, she hopes Regina doesn't hear her, "so that's it." She walks closer to Regina.

"W.What?" Regina takes another step back. "No. I... I can't let you do that." Regina shakes her head. "I won't let you do that."

Cora sighs, "you can't stop me, so please come here." she whispers.

"Why? Why would you do that for me?"

"Because I finally want to do something right," Cora says, "and I want you to be happy"

Regina sighs. "I... I can't lose you, mother." she whispers. "Please. There has to be another way."

"There isn't.”

"No, mommy. I won't let you do that."

"You don't have a choice," Cora says, "please," she stretches out her arms, to give her daughter a hug.

Regina gives her mother a warm and long hug. "I don't want you to..." But Regina can't finish her sentence.

"It's worth it," Cora says. Now that Regina is close to her she lays her hands on her daughter's stomach and starts. "I hope that, when I'm gone... Maybe some day when your happy with Robin and Emma and Snow and your new baby, you can forgive me," Cora whispers and she now has to focus very much.

"Mommy." A tear runs down Regina's face. At the same time her mother uses her magic to get the curse out of Regina's body, Regina herself uses her own magic to constantly heal Cora. She won't let her die.

"Let go of me Regina," Cora says, "or we will both die!"

"No." Regina mumbles. "I won't. I can't let you die. Just go on. I'll hold on for the both of us."

"You can, Regina," Cora says, "a week ago you would have loved to kill me, just get that spirit back for one moment and let me go."

"No!" Regina snaps. "Just focus on that curse, mother, I'll focus on keeping you and me safe."

"Let me go!" Cora says and she looks Regina in her eyes.

"No!" Regina snaps again. "Just do as I say, mother!"

Cora now gives all her power, every single bit of it. She closes her eyes and when she reached the end she falls on the ground, unconscious and barely breathing.

Regina keeps healing her mother, even when Cora falls to the ground. She feels she's getting weaker by the minute and she hears the front door open and footsteps running her way but she keeps healing her mother. She can't lose her.

Regina and Snow run upstairs, Robin storms into the room, "o my gosh Regina, you're safe," Robin says completely out of breath, "what happened? What are you doing.”

"Saving my mother." Regina mumbles. Sweat drips from her face and her body shakes but she feels she's so close.

Robin sees Regina can't hold it much longer, "Regina," he whispers, "why? You're making yourself weaker and weaker."

"Mommy, please." Regina feels tears running down her face but she just can't stop. This is her mother. She has to save her.

Cora's breath is now under control, but she doesn't wake up. "Regina..." Robin whispers and he kneels downs beside her.

"Just a little more." Regina whispers. Her hands tremble and a bit of blood streams down her chin but she can't lose her mother.

Now Cora takes a deep breath and starts to breathe heavily. "Regina?" she whispers very softly. She can't open her eyes, but she lays her hand on Regina's and squeezes it a little. Robin takes Regina in his arms.

Regina finally lets her magic go. She knows her mother is safe and won't die. She herself feels very weak but alright. She lets Robin take her in his arms and leans agains his chest. "Tired." she just whispers.

Robin carries her to the bed, "take some rest," he says and he puts a blanket over her body, "what did Cora do?"

"She... Helped." Regina whispers. A very soft smile appears on her face. "Curse is gone. Normal pregnancy."

"So we will still have a child together?" Robin say and he now smiles too.

Regina nodds. "Yes. If you still want that." she whispers.

"Of course I do," Robin whispers and he squeezes Regina's hand a little, then he stands up to help Snow carry Cora to a chair. She hasn't woken up yet.

By the time Robin get back to Regina she has fallen asleep. A small smile rests on her lips. She loves the idea of having a child with Robin.

Robin smiles too and he and Snow leave the room. They sit downstairs and talk. Cora slowly wakes up. She feels horrible and weak, something she really doesn't like. She walks to the room where Regina sleeps, proofing away doesn't work anymore, and looks at her while she leans against the wall. After a while she walks to her and gives her a kiss on her forehead. Then she softly leaves the house.

After a couple of hours Regina starts to scream in her sleep. "Let go of me! Please, I'll be good! No! No, PLEASE!"

Robin walks to her room, "so you're awake," he says with a little smile and he takes her in his arms.

Regina can't wake up from the nightmare she's reliving. "Please, I'll be good. No, no, please!"

"Regina, it's me," Robin says calmly, "you need to wake up," he says and he shakes her shoulders a little.

Regina wakes up and pulls away from the man beside her. "I'm sorry. I'll be good." she whispers softly. She doesn't seem to notice Robin.

"Regina look at me," he says and he softly turns her head towards him, "it's me, Robin.”

Regina looks at him but stares right through him. "I'm sorry." she whispers again. "I'll sleep next to the bed; I won't talk in my sleep again." Regina lays down on the ground next to the bed. She doesn't want to get hurt by Leopold.

Robin doesn't touch her, but looks her in her eyes, "I'm not Leopold," Robin says, "it's all all right, I promise."

"I won't make any more noise. I'm sorry." Regina whispers before falling asleep on the ground next to the bed.

Robin lays Regina down on the bed again. He now sits down next to her to keep an eye on her. He knows it's better not to touch her, but he can't help but take her hand in his.

Regina smiles softly in her sleep now. After a while she wakes up. She looks around her and feels safe.

"Hi there," Robin says, "how do you feel," he laughs when he sees the smile on her face.

Regina gives Robin a little kiss on his lips. "I feel fine. And you?"

"I'm good," he smiles and he stands up to open the window. The weather is beautiful.

Regina gets up and stands besides him. She looks outside. "It is beautiful outside." she whispers.

"Yeah it definitely is.” Robin says and he lays an arm around her while he looks outside and breathes the fresh air.

"If you want to go outside, you can. I... I stay here." Regina looks over her shoulder and smiles at Snow. "Thank you, Snow." she whispers.

"No problem," Snow says and she smiles a little, "I think I'll go home," she waves them good bye. 

Robin says nothing he just lays his chin on her shoulder, while he lays his hands around her whole body now.

Regina smiles. "I don't mind staying here if you want to go outside." she whispers to him.

"Can't you come with me?" Robin says, "we can make a walk through the park."

Regina's body stiffens. "I... I can't." she whispers. "Do I have to?"

"Of course you don't have to," Robin says, "but maybe some fresh air is good for you."

"I... I can try. For you." Regina whispers. She quickly dresses herself in a light and soft dress and walks next to Robin outside. She looks around but everything seems safe.

Robin takes Regina by her arm and they walk in the direction of the forest.

"Don't leave me alone now." Regina whispers, a bit scared. She keeps looking around her to see if no one is following them or to make sure Leopold isn't around. "Where... Where is my mother?" she suddenly wants to know.

"Do you think I was planning to leave you?" Robin says with a little smile, "Cora left the house when you were asleep, when I looked if she was still there, she was gone."

Regina's body stiffens when she hears a treebranch break under someone's feet. "What was that?" she whispers.

"That was a branch that broke," Robin says.

"Branches don't just break. They break when someone stands on them." Regina turns around and her face pales.

"That's right, but you see... WE are walking in the woods and we stand on branches."

"I'm scared, Robin." Regina whispers. "I'm so scared." She starts to cry. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she keeps repeating.

"No problem," Robin says, "but the best way to overcome your fears, is to face them." He takes her in his arms.

"Let's walk a little further and then go back home?" Regina suggests. She holds Robin's hand while walking. The longer they're out in the fresh air, the more Regina starts to relax. A small smile appears on her face.

In the end they walk for a very long time, Regina seems to feel more comfortable every minute, as far as Robin can see. He winks at her.

Regina startles when she notices how far they've walked. They already reached town. "No." she whispers. "I.. I'm scared here. I... I want to go back. Robin, now, I need to go back." Panick starts to rise in her voice.

"You don't have to be scared Regina," Robin says and he stands before her, "where do you want to go, then we'll go there without crossing the town, no need for panic."

"Home. I want to go back home. Your home. Safe. It's safe there." Regina startles when someone walks over to them.

"That's okay, let's go then," Robin says, he doesn't notice that someone walks near them.

Regina takes a step back and leans against the wall of the building they are standing in front of. She sighs with relief when Robin takes a step towards her and she can see the man who walked up to them. "Dr. Hopper." Regina softly smiles and nodds.

"Hello there, Robin and Regina, it has been a very long time!" He says, "how are you," He is walking with Pongo.

Regina looks at Robin. She feels afraid and it seems like her voice isn't working.

Robin feels Regina is scared, so he does all the talking, hoping Regina will relax a bit, if she hears them talk.

While biting on her bottom lip Regina just looks at dr. Hopper.

When they finish their conversation, dr. Hopper and Robin both see that Regina still didn't calm down, "and how are you, Regina," dr Hopper asks, trying to sound very calm.

Regina quickly looks back at Robin. She shakes her head as a sign that her voice still doesn't work.

"She has been better," Robin says, "it's still kind of a shock that five years passed by and she had some bad experiences in the time she was away, which for her were five days... Yeah it's quite complicated."

Regina's eyes narrow when she thinks back at those five days in The Enchanted Forest. "Leopold." she whispers softly.

"Yeah," Robin says, "Leopold was not very... Nice to her back in the Enchanted Forest." He doesn't tell the details, because he doesn't know what Regina wants to tell dr. Hopper.

Regina takes a step back to lean against the wall. She suddenly doesn't feel well. Her face pales.

Robin looks at Regina. She looks very pale, maybe it has something to do with her pregnancy, but he is still a bit worried. "Maybe Regina should see a doctor," Dr. Hopper says.

"No. No doctor. I'm fine." Regina whispers. "Just... Leopold haunts me." She looks at Dr. Hopper.

"You're always welcome, if you want to talk," Dr. Hopper says, "just if you feel like it."

"Not alone. Scared alone." Regina looks at Robin with panic in her eyes.

"I can come with you," Robin says, "if that makes you feel safe."

Slowly Regina nodds. "If... If he has time." she whispers at Robin.

"Of course I have time," Dr. Hopper says, "shall we go to my office?"

Regina slowly nodds again. "Try." she whispers. "I want to try." Regina and Robin follow Dr. Hopper to his office. Regina walks inside while he holds the door for her. She stands in the middle of his office and looks around.

"Sit down," dr. Hopper says with a smile, "you want something to drink?"

Regina shakes her head. She doesn't dare, too afraid to be poisoned again. She sits down on the cough and pulls Robin next to her.

"It's okay," Robin whispers and he makes sure he sits close to her. "Some water is all right," he says to dr. Hopper.

"No, no water for me." Regina keeps a cautious eye on Dr. Hopper when he gives Robin a glass of water. "Don't drink that. It could be poisoned." Regina whispers in Robin's ear.

"It isn't poisoned," Robin whispers and he drinks a bit, "you see?"

Regina keeps being suspicious but relaxes a little bit. She nodds.

"Well," dr. Hopper says, "Regina, can you tell me a little bit more about what happened when you were with, I guess, Leopold in the enchanted forest."

"Leopold." Regina mumbles softly, repeating Dr. Hopper's word. She softly strokes her wrists and her body stiffens.

"Take your time," dr. Hopper says, "tell me about something else first if you want." Robin holds her close.

Regina's heart beats faster. She focuses on Dr. Hopper. "Hurt. Wrists." she whispers.

"Shall I tell him?" Robin whispers, "do you want that?"

"No!" Regina suddenly snaps. "I can tell him. I just need time!" Regina shoves away from Robin. "Hurt. Wrists." she whispers again. She looks back at Dr. Hopper.

"He hurt your wrists?" Dr Hopper says calmly, "can you tell me a bit more about that, what did he do exactly."

"Ropes." Regina whispers. "Ropes on my wrists so I couldn't get away." She looks at Robin when he takes another sip of his water to make sure it is really not poisoned.

Dr Hopper nods, "and can you tell me why he didn't want you to get away?" he asks.

"Hurt." Regina just answers, barely hearable but Dr. Hopper hears her. "Hurt. Hurt. Hurt."

"He only wanted to hurt you?" dr. Hopper says and he looks at her.

Regina nodds. Her body stiffens. "Hurt me. Forced himself. On me." Her heart beats even faster now and her face turns even paler than before.

"So Leopold tied your hands up on your wrist, so he could hurt you by forcing himself on you," dr. Hopper repeats Regina, "am I right?"

Regina slowly nodds. She looks down, ashamed.

"It's not something to feel ashamed of, Regina," dr. Hopper says. He immediately knows what her look means, "everyone who experienced something like that, will feel afraid." He smiles, "but as far as I know, Leopold is not here now, is he?"

"Doesn't matter. He will find me again. He always does." Regina whispers. Regina looks at Robin. "You'll protect me?"

"Of course I will," Robin says and he kisses her on her forehead. "If he will find you is a problem that is nog here yet," dr. Hopper says, "the thing we need to focus in now, is that you feel free again, free to go where you want, without constantly being afraid."

"I can't." Regina suddenly slams the glass of water out of Robin's hands. "I'm telling you it is poisoned!" she snaps. She startles from her own reaction and hides herself in one of the corners of Dr. Hoppers's office.

Robin wants to go after her, but dr. Hopper tells him not to. "Regina," he says still calm, "you can come here, you didn't do something wrong."

"Yes, I did." Regina softly whispers. "I shouldn't have done that. I deserve to be punished." She slowly starts to undress herself. She opens her pants while looking at Robin. "I understand." she whispers. "I understand you have to punish me."

Robin really wants to speak or to go to her, but dr. Hopper orders him to do nothing.   
"Regina," dr. Hopper says very clearly, "you don't have to do that for us, we don't want to punish you."

"Yes, you do." Panic appears in her eyes. "You have to punish me. I did something wrong. I need to be punished. What else will you do if you're not going to punish me?" Panic sounds in her voice. She clearly expects something even worse. She knows punishment.

"You need to calm down," dr. Hopper says, "you have to realize we are different people, we don't want to punish you, we don't want to hurt you and we don't want you to do anything for us, do you understand that, Regina?"

Regina's eyes narrow when she studies Dr. Hopper's face. After what seems like a very long time she slowly nodds. "I understand." She closes her pants but keeps sitting in the corner. She keeps studying Dr. Hopper's face and doesn't move.

"Good," dr. Hopper says and he lets her stare at him as long as she wants.

"I'm sorry about the mess. I... I should clean it up." Regina whispers. She quickly gets up and starts to clean up the broken glass.

"Regina, stop."

"I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up. You don't have to do anything. I'm sorry." Regina mumbles again. Her body shows how terrified she is of getting punished.

"Regina," dr Hopper says, again calling her by her name, "you can put the glass down and get up. Nothing has to be cleaned around here."

Regina slowly looks up. She puts the shards of glass she was holding in her head onto the table before sitting down next to Robin again. She looks down again. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

Robin sighs of relief, he really doesn't like to see her like this, he just wants to protect her.   
Dr. Hopper smiles and lets her calm down a bit.

Regina looks up at dr. Hopper. She, unconsciencely, strokes over her wrists again.

"You know Leopold isn't here, don't you," dr. Hopper says. He calls Leopold's name on purpose, "you know that we are not like Leopold, don't you?"

Regina puts her hands over her ears and shakes her head. "I don't want to hear his name." she whispers. She keeps her hands over her ears as if to protect herself.

Dr. Hopper is silent again, letting Regina take a deep breath, so she can calm down.

Regina shakes her head again. "I don't want to hear his name. I don't want to hear his name." she keeps whispering in front of her, to no one in particular.

"Leave her," dr. Hopper says when Robin wants to say something. Robin stays silent, but keeps sitting next to her. "Regina?" Dr. Hopper only says.

"I don't want to hear his name. I don't want to hear his name." Regina keeps repeating and repeating herself. She's exhausted and she leans against Robin but she keeps repeating that same sentence.

"Regina, can you look at me," dr. Hopper says very calm, "or can you look at Robin?"

Instinctively Regina's eyes glance over at Robin's. "I'm scared." she whispers very, very softly.

"I know," Robin whispers, "but it will be all right."

Regina nodds slowly. She almost can't keep her eyes open. "Tired." she whispers.

"Regina now you have to look at me," dr. Hopper says, "it's enough for today, you two need to go home and get some rest." He knows he has triggered her enough. "You can come back tomorrow."

"Why do I need to come back?" Regina asks softly.

"You need to become yourself again," dr. Hopper says. He gives them a smal nod and Robin lets Regina lean on him, while they walk.

"No! NO!" Regina yells out in panic. "I can't go outside! I can't! It's dark outside!" She yanks Robin back inside of dr. Hopper's office. "I can't go outside!"

"Regina we can't stay here," Robin says, "just close your eyes and I'll carry you home."

"NO!" Regina screams again. "I'm too tired to go outside!" Panic shows in her voice and in her eyes.

"Regina, we need to go," Robin says more strictly now. Dr. Hopper is upstairs and hears them talk.

Regina quickly nodds. "I understand." she whispers. She's scared when Robin talks to her with a strict tone in his voice. She doesn't dare to protest again.

Robin takes a deep breath, "so wrap your arms around me and close your eyes, or do you want to walk by yourself?"

"I'll walk. I'm sorry. I understand." she whispers again. Her heart beats in her chest when she walks towards the front door with Robin next to her.

"Okay," Robin says and they step outside. It's light, but still quite warm.

Regina keeps standing in the doorway. She's really, really scared. Her face looks pale again and her hands shake.

Robin reaches out his hand, "it's really not as bad as you think," Robin says. He doesn't know what to say.

Regina looks at him and then takes his hand. She nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She walks next to him towards the forest, towards his home. A couple of times she looks over her shoulder to make sure no one is following them but the longer they walk, the more relaxed she gets.

They reach the house without further problems and Robin feels that Regina squeezes his hand less and less hard and that makes him feel happy.

"I'm sorry about what happened." Regina apologizes when she and Robin walk into his house.

"Don't apologize for that," Robin says as he starts to put on the fire, "it's not your fault and like dr. Hopper said, you don't have to feel ashamed about it."

"But... But I can see it annoys you sometimes. The way I react at certain things. I'm... I'm sorry."

"Regina it really doesn't," Robin says, "it doesn't annoy me, never...".

Regina walks over to the fire and stares into it. Unconsciencely she rubs her stomach.

Robin smiles. They need to get their life back together in nine months, not impossible...

"I... I like the idea of having this little life inside of me." Regina now softly smiles at Robin. She feels completely safe now, when she's with him at home.

"I can imagine," Robin says, "I like the idea that you have our little thing inside you." He laughs.

Regina laughs too. "Me too." she chuckles. She startles when the doorbell rings. "Do you... Do you expect someone?" Regina asks Robin while walking over to the darkest corner of the house to hide herself in.

"I don't," Robin says, "but you really don't have to hide yourself." He walks to the door and opens it.

In the doorway stands a man, hidden by darkness. "Tell Regina someone is here for her," the man says, "and if she asks who, tell her she cut of my hand a long time ago, and that she really liked me," he starts to laugh, "just joking, go and get her."

So Robin closes the door and walks to Regina. He tells her exactly what he had seen and heard.

Regina's face turns pale once more. "Is he gone? He can't come inside the house, right? Right?!" Panic flows through her body. She hides herself even deeper into the dark corner, if that's even possible.

"No he can't," Robin says, "it's Vincent, isn't it?" He whispers, "I'll tell him he has to go."

Regina nodds. "Yes. Yes, he needs to go. He needs to go." Her body shakes when Robin opens the door again.

"I see," he says, "tell her I have her daughter, and that if she wants to see her again, she has to let me in." He smiles politely and Robin goes to Regina. He tells her the new story, although he already knows what her answer will be.

Regina almost flies to the door and opens it. "Vincent." she whispers.

"You can call me Hook, Captain Hook," Vincent says and he shows the hook he wears in his left hand, the hand Regina cut off, "I came here to thank you," he says with a smile.

"Where is Emma?" Regina wants to know immediately.

"O that was just a tale, to get you here," Vincent says, "sorry," he grins.

Regina takes a couple of steps back. "I want you to go. Please."

"Well I need something," Vincent says and he leans against the wall.

"What do you need?" Regina wants to know. Maybe she can give it to him so he can leave. She looks at Robin who's standing next to her.

"I want a portal to Neverland," Hook says, "I need to get something that's mine."

Regina shakes her head. "There are no magical beans anymore. I can't open a portal to Neverland."

"Then you need to find another way," Hook says, letting is hook go over her cheek.

"I can't. There is no other way!" Regina snaps. "Now please. Go."

"Why would I go if I don't have what I want?" Vincent says. Robin slams his hand away and stands in before Regina now. "Fine, fine," Vincent sighs, he needs to find her alone sometimes, "I'll give you one week."

"I'm telling you there is no other way than to open a portal to Neverland using a magical bean. In a week I'll be telling you the same thing." Regina answers him.

"That's your choice then," Hook says, "but have you any idea how I need to travel to Neverland? Not with a bean...".

"How then? How do you want to go to Neverland without a magical bean to open a portal?"

"Second star to the right," Hook answers, "I need something so I can fly, fly with my boat to that star."

"Pixie dust?" Regina starts to breath faster. "There is only one fairy who can help you with that. The Black Fairy." she whispers.

"Well," Hook says, "I don't care how you get it, just give it to me before the end of the week."

Regina and Robin watch Hook leave. Regina turns to Robin. Her body shakes. "The Black Fairy is responsible for the potion Leopold let me drink. For getting pregnant during just three days. I... I can't summon her. She'll destroy me."

Robin looks at Regina and smiles, still enjoying that one moment that he saw the strong and brave Regina again. Now she seems to be gone again, "why will she destroy you?"

"I don't know. But it feels like she will. Her potion is out of my body, thanks to my mother, and she sure won't like it." Regina mumbles. She hides again in the dark corner of the house. "She's not going to like it." she whispers.

"Regina you don't know that," Robin sighs, "please stop hiding yourself."

Regina protects her body by pulling up her knees towards herself. She lays her head on top of them and slowly falls asleep, still whispering the fact she won't like it, The Black Fairy won't like it.

Robin carries Regina upstairs and lays her on the bed. He lies down beside her but can't sleep. He hasn't slept for days, he just can't...

Regina wakes up in the middle of the night. She looks besides her and see Robin isn't sleeping. "It's alright. You go to sleep for a while." she whispers while stroking his chest.

"I can't," Robin says. He really can't sleep.

"Why not? Did I... Did I do something wrong?" Regina asks, hesistantly.

"No, you didn't," Robin says, "I'm just worried," he smiles.

"Worried? About what?" Regina wants to know.

"About you," he says and he looks her into her eyes. He softly touches her cheek.

Regina allows him to touch her like that. She smiles very softly. "You don't have to worry about me." she whispers. "Will you go to dr. Hopper with me tomorrow? Please? I'm scared alone."

"Of course I will, if you want that," Robin says, "and I'm still worried".

"You really don't have to be. You're here. That's all I need." Regina whispers while laying her head on his chest. "Now sleep a little bit. For me?"

"No," Robin says and he stands up. He walks to the bathroom to take a shower.

Regina slowly follows him when she hears the water running. She very quietly takes off her clothes and knocks on the shower door. "Can I join you?" she softly asks, with a little smile on her face.

"Yeah," Robin winks and lets Regina come in.

Slowly Regina walks into the shower and stands closely against Robin. "I like it when it's just you and me. Or when Emma or Snow is with us. I like that. I don't like other people." Regina whispers while she looks at Robin.

Robin smiles and holds her close, "you don't like other people right now, but that will change again."

"Maybe." Regina whispers. She and Robin shower together and, after Regina's suggestion to go to sleep together, they both fall asleep pretty fast. Regina wakes up to the smell of coffee in the morning.

Robin was up very early again, but he got a few hours of sleep so that's good. He waits for Regina to get up.

"Do I have to go to dr. Hopper?" Regina asks softly during breakfast. She enjoys her hot coffee.

"What do you mean?" Robin says, "don't you want to go?"

"I don't know. I'm scared, I think." Regina whispers. "But you'll be there, right?"

"I already told you I would," Robin says, "I think it's good to go, he can help you." He really didn't like it yesterday, but dr. Hopper can help so...

Regina nodds. After breakfast she puts on a jeans and t-shirt and walks over to dr. Hopper, together with Robin. She holds his hand the whole way over there.

"Hi," dr Hopper says when Regina and Robin come inside, "come in," he smiles and asks them if they want something to drink, just like yesterday.

"No. No, thank you." Regina softly answers. She looks at Robin, caution in her eyes.

"Water is all right, thank you," Robin says. Dr. Hopper sits down and looks at Regina now, "how do you feel today?"

"It's not safe to drink that water. It's poisoned." Regina whispers in Robin's ear again. "Don't drink it. It's dangerous." She looks at Dr. Hopper when he adresses her with his question. "Good. I'm good." she lies.

Robin doesn't drink the water. He just doesn't want to upset Regina, before they even started talking. "Good you say," dr. Hopper reacts, "tell me what's good then." He smiles.

Anger glares up in Regina's eyes. "I'm fine!" she snaps again. "You don't believe me, do you?" Her eyes turn a little darker.

"I do believe you," dr. Hopper says, "but I think that if you're happy, you can tell me why."

Regina remains silent. Her eyes narrow while looking around her, looking for a way out. She doesn't feel safe. She wants to go back home, be alone with Robin. Her face pales when she notices there is no escape out of this office, just through the door. But Robin is between herself and the door and she doesn't dare to stand up. So she just looks back at dr. Hopper. She doesn't answer his question.

"Can you tell me why you want to leave this place?" Dr. Hopper now asks. He sees Regina looking at the door and he sees fear in Regina's eyes.

"There's no escape. Only through the door." Regina mumbles. "Which means no one can come inside unless it's through that door." She looks up at dr. Hopper. "I need to know where Leopold can come inside of this room so I can prepare myself to flee."

"You don't have to prepare yourself," dr. Hopper says, "because he won't come. You know he won't come, don't you?"

"No, I don't know!" Regina snaps. "He comes when he wants and where he wants!" She gets up and hides in the dark corner again. Her eyes focus on the office door.

Dr Hopper stands up and locks the door. He talks with Robin for a while and lets Regina sit in the corner. She needs to calm down and then join them again.

Regina relaxes a bit when Dr. Hopper locked the door. Eyes narrowed, she looks at him and Robin talking. Suddenly panic shows in her eyes when a familiar voice sounds through her head.

Robin can't help but turn around and look at Regina. He closes his eyes and nods.

"No. Please." Regina softly whispers at no one in particular. "No, no pixie dust. I don't need your pixie dust. No, don't come. No, please."

"Regina can you come here," dr Hopper says, "and can you tell me about that pixie dust?"

Regina startles. "What? What are you talking about? I didn't mention something like that." she mumbles. She then focusses back on the voice inside her head. "No. Please. Don't hurt my baby. Please." she whispers.

"Regina, can you please come here," Robin now says, "I'll protect you and you can tell dr. Hopper about the pixie dust and our baby."

Regina shakes her head. "No. You don't have to come. Please. I'm sure. No, no deal. No deal for pixie dust. No deal. No deal." Regina keeps mumbling those last words. "No deal. No deal." Her body shakes while tears run down her face.

"Regina please come here," Robin says. He can't go to her, dr. Hopper wants her to come herself. "There is no deal, please come."

Regina looks up at Robin and Dr. Hopper. "She wants to make a deal. Pixie dust for my baby. I... I can't take that deal. No deal. No deal." Regina quickly gets up and now hides into Robin's arms. "No deal. No deal." she whispers again.

"No of course not," Robin says and he holds her close. His arms are tightly around her and he softly strokes her back, "your right, you can't make that deal."

"Do it," the black fairy whispers in Regina's head.

"No! NO DEAL!" Regina screams now. "NO DEAL!" Regina grabs Robin's glass of water and smashes it against the wall. "It's poisoned! NO DEAL!" Regina seems to have lost her sense of reality. "No deal, no deal, no deal!"

"Oh it's only a small step, a very small step to say yes," the black fairy whispers, "this child inside you will never love you, so what are you waiting for?"

Regina falls silent. "It won't love me?" she asks the Black Fairy inside her head.

"I cursed it," she says and she starts to laugh very hard.

"Will it love Robin?" Regina wants to know, asking this question silently in her head again.

"Eehh... Yes," the black fairy laughs.

"No deal. Leave me alone! Go away!" Regina now screams again.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

The black fairy disappears. Robin and dr. Hopper look at Regina.

When The Black Fairy disappears, Regina lays down on the couch, pushing Robin away. She lays a hand on her stomach and turns inwards, not acknowledging Robin nor dr. Hopper.

"Regina?" Robin whispers. He lays a hand on her shoulder, "Regina, are you there?"

Regina doesn't answer him. She stares in front of her.

"Regina please," Robin whispers and he now takes her in his arms, "please come back."

"No. No touching me." Regina whispers but she doesn't fight Robin off. "No touching me." she repeats with a whisper.

"Regina," dr. Hopper now says strictly, "can you look at me, please.”

Regina's eyes glance over to dr. Hopper. She looks at him.

"Good," dr. Hopper says calmly, "can you tell me something, just anything? It doesn't matter what it's about." She needs to come back.

"No touching me." Regina whispers softly. "No touching me."

Robin lets her go, and makes sure he doesn't touch her anymore, "Regina, can you tell me something?" dr. Hopper says again.

Regina repeats the exact same words. "No touching me. No deal. No touching me." she whispers.

"We won't touch you and there is no deal, tell me more about it, Regina," dr. Hopper says.

"Can't. Too complicated. No words. No touching me. No deal. No deal. No pixiedust for my child. No deal. Child won't love me. Black Fairy cursed it. To not love me, never love me. But it will love Robin. No deal for pixiedust. No deal, no deal, no deal." Regina keeps on rambling.

"Okay," dr Hopper says, "now look at me and only nod if I'm right or shake your head if I'm wrong." He looks at Regina and waits until she focusses on him.

Regina's focusses on dr. Hopper face.

"So if I'm right... You're pregnant, but the Black Fairy cursed your baby," he says, trying to glue Regina's words together, "and you think your baby won't love you, is this first part right, Regina?"

Regina shakes her head. "I don't think it won't love me. The Black Fairy told me she cursed my child to not love me, never love me." Regina whispers.

"Okay, thanks," dr. Hopper says, "so the black fairy cursed your child so it will never love you, but it will love Robin. And she wants to make a deal, your child in exchange for pixie dust, if I heard that right. You don't want to make that deal."

Regina nodds. "Pixiedust so Hook can fly to Neverland. But don't want to help him." Regina strokes over the scar on her lip. "Hurt me so much." she whispers softly. "Hurt, hurt, hurt." Regina looks away. "No deal. No losing my child for anything. Even if it will never love me. It will love Robin. That's enough. His child."

"You won't lose your child, Regina," dr Hopper says, "can you tell me more about that Hook?"

Regina's body stiffens again. She's lost eye contact with dr. Hopper and doesn't feel safe anymore.

"Regina you need to look at me," dr. Hopper says.

Very slowly Regina's eyes search those of dr. Hopper. Her body stays frozen and her hands shake.

"Good," dr. Hopper says, "now just focus on me, okay? Take a deep breath."

"Can't." Regina whispers. Her heart beats too fast. She looks at Robin, panicked. "Can't breath."

"Just lay your hand on your chest and let it go up and down," dr. Hopper says. "Keep looking at me," Robin whispers and he breathes calmly. Regina takes a deep breath while looking at Robin. "Tired." she whispers.

"I know," Robin says, "but you need to stay awake this time," he sees the exhaustion in Regina's eyes and that makes him feel terrible, but he knows sleeping is fleeing, and she really needs to find herself again.

Regina slowly nodds. "Don't want to tell about Hook. Vincent. Whatever his name now is. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt." she mumbles again.

"That's all right," dr. Hopper says, "can you tell me something about Emma? Like how is she doing, is she just as beautiful as ever?" He just wants her to stay with them.

"Emma." Regina repeats the name of her little girl. "Emma?" she whispers again.

"Yes Emma," dr Hopper says, "tell me about her."

Regina looks around the room, this office of dr. Hopper, not really listening any longer. "Emma." she whispers again.

"Regina?" Dr. Hopper just asks.

Regina doesn't hear his voice any longer. She only hears Emma laughing. A tear runs down her face.

Robin looks at dr. Hopper and they both shake their heads. "Regina, I want you to look at me," dr. Hopper says again, "I'll do the talking, you only need to listen."

Regina's eyes glance back at dr. Hopper. Her eyes narrow but she listens.

"I really want this to work for you Regina," dr. Hopper starts, "but there is a point that I can’t help you anymore. And I'm sorry to say this, but then I have to send you away. There are places where you can stay, where are people who deal with similar fears and people who know how they can help you. One of this clinics is in Boston and I think it's good that you go there."

Regina's gaze hardens. "Away?" she whispers softly, as if she doesn't understand the meaning of that word.

"Away from here, away from Storybrooke, to get you back to you," dr. Hopper says.

"Away?" Regina whispers again. She really doesn't seem to understand what that means.

"It means you will leave this place and travel to another quite far from this town."

"No." Regina decides. She looks at Robin. "I don't have to. He can't make me."

"Regina..." Robin begins and he sighs, "maybe this can be good for you, we can't go on like this." He whispers now.

"You can't make me." Regina looks back at dr. Hopper now, ignoring Robin's statement. "You can't make me. I can poof myself anywhere I want to. You can't make me."

"I can make you," dr. Hopper says, "like Robin says, this can't go on this way. I really won't send you there if it's not necessary, but I can clearly see, you need more help."

"I can poof away!" Regina snaps at him.

"As you wish, but that won't make anything better, Regina," dr. Hopper says, "the time to flee is over."

Regina looks at him. "What does that supposed to mean? You can't make me. I'm pregnant! You can't just send me away!"

"I can't let you stay either," dr. Hopper says, "not when you're so scared and that sometimes it looks like you're of this world and start to break things... Even hiding all the time. That can't go on for long."

A small fireball appears in Regina's hand. "You can't make me." she states again.

"Regina no," Robin whispers, but dr. Hopper doesn't do anything. He looks her into her eyes, while she convinces him even more.

"You can't make me, you can't make me, you can't make me!" Regina now screams. The fireball disappears and she sinks down on the ground at dr. Hopper's feet. "Please." she begs now. "I'll be a good girl. Don't make me go there. I... I can't. I can't. Please, I'll be good, I'll be such a good girl."

"Regina," dr. Hopper says calmly, "I don't send you there, because I want to hurt you, or because I want you to be good, I send you there, because those people can really help you to cope with your fears from the past. But you now show me you can be clear and that you can focus on me, so I'm willing to give you one more chance, but if it doesn't get better, I have to send you."

Regina nodds, very short. She doesn't look at dr. Hopper any longer. "I want to go home now. Please?" she asks Robin.

"You can go home, yes," dr. Hopper says, "but I want to see you again the day after tomorrow, to see if there is any progress."

"No. I'm done. I'm not coming back. Right, Robin?" Regina asks him for back-up. She looks at him. "I don't have to come back, right?"

"You do, Regina," Robin says. He just wants her to be happy again, and he knows she needs help.

"No. I don't." Regina decides. She gets up from the floor and doesn't look at dr. Hopper any longer. "I'm going home. You can stay here if you want to, but I'm going." Regina walks out of the office. At the front door she hesitates. She doesn't dare to go out alone. She slowly makes her way back up to the office. She doesn't dare to go inside either. "You can poof away." she thinks to herself but even that seems too difficult.

After dr. Hopper and Robin talked for a while, Robin goes away too. He thanks dr. Hopper and goes through the door. He sees Regina and looks at her from a distance. "I thought you were going home?" he says softly.

"I can't. You know I can't go outside alone. So why didn't you come with me?" she snaps. She notices dr. Hopper coming outside of his office too. She takes a step back and feels the wall behind her. She swallows and her heart beats fast.

"I thought it was a good step for you to walk outside on your own," Robin says with a little smile. Dr. Hopper nods and back into his office.

"Well, I CAN'T!" Regina screams now. "You both know I CAN'T!" Anger and hatred glares up in her eyes once more.

"Well you seemed quite confident," Robin says, "we think you can't, but it looked like you wanted to prove us wrong so we let you."

"So this was a TEST?!" Regina screams. "A TEST?!" She sinks down to the ground, crying now. "I failed. I failed. I failed."

"Of course it wasn't," Robin says a bit stricter now, "we wanted to give you a chance!"

Regina shakes her head, desperate. "I failed. I had a chance and I failed." She keeps crying. She pulls up her knees to make herself as small as possible, determined to not get up.

Robin closes his eyes. He feels very empty, but his head is a chaos. "Will you come home with me?" Robin asks and he leans against the wall. He opens his eyes again.

"Do you even want me to come home with you? Or have you rather me shipped away to Boston?" Regina snaps at him, without really looking up. She notices the door to dr. Hopper's office is still open.

"Maybe you don't know, but I want to help you, Regina," Robin says, "I want you to be free of those fears, free of your past and the terrible things that happened to you. I want you to be happy!"

Regina's head snaps up at him. "I want to be happy too! But I can't go to a place like that! I'm pregnant and I won't be able to hide my magic!" she snaps again.

"But what do you want then?" Robin says, "tell me what you want." He is desperate, he really is...

"I want it to all go away! To be the Regina I used to be, before Leopold raped me and before Vincent came back to threathen me!" Regina startles from her own reaction. "I just... I want it to all go away." she then whispers. Tears stream down her face.

"I want that too," Robin whispers and he kneels down. He opens his arms, ready to take her in his arms... But only if she wants. "But I don't know how."

Regina looks up at him. She doesn't approach him, not yet, although she wants to. She wants to be close to him. "Do you want me to go to Boston?" she wants to know.

"No, I don't," Robin whispers, "but I think there is a point that wanting doesn't matter anymore, and if dr. Hopper says it...".

"But I need you. And I need my daughters. I want to stay right here, with you, with my family." Regina now leans against Robin and allows him to hug her. "I need you." she whispers again.

"I know," Robin says and he hugs her tightly. He doesn't know what to do anymore, and he doesn't know what's best.

After a little while Regina falls asleep in Robin's arms. After a couple of hours, she wakes up. She notices she's laying on the couch in dr. Hopper's office. She looks around. "Where is Robin?" she asks dr. Hopper.

"He is outside," dr. Hopper says, "I sent him away."

"Just outside the door?" Regina's body stiffens.

"Just outside the door," dr. Hopper says, "he didn't want to go any further. Don't think he went there willingly." He smiles, "but I think it's better that we talk alone for a while."

Regina sits up straight on the couch. "Alright." she whispers. "I guess I can try that." Regina looks at dr. Hopper.

"Good," dr. Hopper says, "how do you feel?"

"Better. Sleeping helps a bit. I'm not afraid when I'm sleeping." Regina answers. She feels a little less anxious. "Do I have to go to Boston?"

"It seems like a good option to me, but you don't think that do you?" he says.

Regina shakes her head. She already starts to get nervous again. "I'm pregnant. And I wouldn't be able to hide my magic."

"That's won't be a problem," dr. Hopper says, "there are more pregnant women there and that's just fine. Your magic can be a problem, but we have bracelets to stop that."

"Bracelets won't be the problem. My first impulse to poof away will be. I... I will be completely alone and I will be more scared than ever." Regina confides in dr. Hopper. "I need Robin. And I can't leave Emma and Snow, not again."

"I want to give you a chance," dr. Hopper says, "maybe I'm going to fast and maybe you just need some more time, but if I don't see progress in coping with your fears and stuff, I think it's really good to go there."

"What do you see as progress?" Regina wants to know. She startles when a car drives by down the street.

"That kind of things need to fade," dr. Hopper says, "you're frightened of every bit of movement, you can't talk when someone asks you something and sometimes it seems you're not on this world. Especially that last part is something we have to work on."

"How? How do you plan on helping me with that last part?" Regina wants to know. She looks at the door. "Robin is really standing behind the door, right?"

"That's my point, I don't know how, in Boston are people who can really help you deal with it, so if you stay here, you have to do a lot by yourself... And yes he is.”

"By myself? I... I can't do that." Regina looks at dr. Hopper, alarmed and panicked. "I... I don't know how. And if you can't help me... What am I supposed to do?" Regina wants to crawl back into one of the corners of the office, but she doesn't. She barely can help herself but she doesn't.

Dr. Hopper says nothing. This is exactly why he wants her to go to Boston. There is no one here with enough knowledge to help her...

"Go to Boston." Regina whispers. She understands dr. Hopper's silence. "Can Robin stay with me? And Emma?" she wants to know.

"Visitors are allowed, but stay... I can't guarantee that."

"I can't go without Robin and Emma. I... I can't. I can't protect them if they are not with me." Regina looks at dr. Hopper, uncertain and panicked.

"You can't protect them, if you are acting like this," dr. Hopper says clearly, but kind. "Hiding by every movement or sound is not a good way to protect people, Regina."

"I don't do this because I want to!" Regina snaps. She startles from her own reaction. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"I know that, but the question is now, will you go to Boston or will you try to change by yourself?"

"Haven't you been listening? I don't know how!" Regina snaps again.

"Then Boston it is," dr. Hopper says strictly and he stands up.

"No. No, please." Regina begs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She goes down on her knees to beg now. "Please, please. I'll be a good girl."

"I don't want you to be good Regina," dr. Hopper says, "I want to do what's best for you, and that's this. They can help you." He pics up a form and starts to write down Regina's name, adress et cetera.

"Please!" Regina begs. "Please, I'll do anything." She gets up and walks over to dr. Hopper. "Please. Please, I'll be good."

"Then what do you suggest?" dr. Hopper says strictly, knowing she won't have an answer to that.

Regina looks at him. "I... I don't know." she whispers. "I... I just can't leave Emma, Snow and Robin behind. I have to be here for them. I... I can't be alone out there. I can't even walk from here to Robin's home by myself. I... I can try to do it alone but what if I get a panic attack? Or what if he hurts me again?" Regina sits down across of dr. Hopper at his desk. "Please. I'll be so good. I'll be such a good girl. I can't go. Please."

"You can't be there for anyone if you're afraid of going outside on your own," dr. Hopper says, "the institute they have perfect security, Regina, being alone there won't be a problem. You'll be safe in there, no one can come in. But if you show me it's better to keep you here, I want to give you that chance, but only one chance. I want you to come back this evening in the dark on your own."

Regina nodds. "I... I'll try." she whispers. She slowly gets up and walks outside of Dr. Hopper's office. She looks at Robin who is indeed standing right behind the door. "Can we go home now?" she whispers to him.

"Yeah that's all right for me," Robin says, "I'm sorry I left you. I had to. We you okay?"

"You don't need to apologize. Thank you for waiting here. I... I have to come back this evening. Alone. In the dark." Regina looks up at Robin. "If I can't do that... It's Boston." she whispers.

"Okay," Robin says, "you can tell me what you two have discussed on our way home." He takes her hand and they walk outside.

Regina talks about Dr. Hopper while walking home. She feels anxious but less than before. She keeps holding Robin's hand but doesn't squeeze it very much. "I miss Emma." she suddenly whispers. "Can we stop by Snow and David?"

"Okay," Robin says, "you can take this?" He looks at her before they walk there, "you can't break there."

"I know." Regina whispers. And she does know. If she gets a panic attack with Snow and Emma... She won't be able to see her daughter any time soon. "I want to see my daughters." she whispers.

"Good," Robin says and they walk to the house. David opens the door.

Regina looks up. "Hello David. Are Snow and Emma home?" she asks him politely and with an almost normal voice.

"Yeah come in," David says, "Snow can be home any moment... Meeting," he smiles, "Emma is upstairs."

"Emma!" Regina calls her name from the bottom of the stairs. "It's me, Regina." She looks nervously at Robin. "We have to tell her I'm pregnant." she whispers at him.

"Mom?" Emma says and she immediately runs to door, "hey!" she says with a big smile. "Yeah," Robin whispers.

Regina gives her little girl (who's not so little anymore) a big hug. "We have to tell you something. Do you want to come sit next to me on the cough?" Regina smiles at her.

"You do?" Emma says, "I already thought mom... Snow was hiding something from me, she was hiding something, didn't she?"

Regina nodds. "I guess she wanted me to tell you the big news." she smiles at Emma. Regina's hand strokes over her own belly while looking at Emma.

"You’re not telling me..." Emma says shocked and exited when she sees her mom lets her hand go over her belly.

Regina nodds softly. "Yes, Emma. I am pregnant." She looks closely at Emma's reaction. Is she going to be happy or not at all?

"What?" Emma say full of excitement, "you really are?" Her eyes grow big and she looks at her mom, "so I'll get a baby brother or sister?" She starts to laugh and hugs her mom again.

Regina hugs her back as if she's never letting her go. "Yes, you are. Are you happy with that?" Regina laughs. When she's with Emma she feels a lot less anxious and scared.

"Yes yes of course! It's amazing, mom," Emma says and she can't stop laughing.

Regina laughs too and this time her smile reaches her eyes as well. She smiles brightly at Robin. She startles just a little bit when the front door opens and Snow walks inside.

"Regina," Snow says surprised, but when she sees Emma laugh she smiles too, "so I guess you told her the news?"

Regina nodds. "I did. And I'm guessing she's happy about it." she smiles.

Snow laughs, "well it seems like she does." Emma steps back and she starts to blush a little bit.

Regina smiles at both of her daughters. "Snow, can I talk to you, in private?" she then asks softly.

"Yes of course," Snow says surprised. Robin leaves with Emma and Snow and Regina are alone in Snow's bedroom.

Regina looks up at Snow White. "I... I just... I wanted to ask if Emma could stay over sometime?" she asks softly, but confidently.

Snow doesn't say a thing for a while and thinks. "Yeah," she then says, "I think that's all right."

"Really?" Regina asks, surprised as hell. "That... That would mean so much to me. Thank you. Thank you, Snow." she softly adds.

"No problem," Snow says and she smiles a little, "I can't keep her away from you forever."

"I think so but I still wanted to ask you." Regina smiles at her eldest daughter.

"Thanks," Snow says, "I realized it was not fair to keep her away from you, you don't deserve that."

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you, Snow." she whispers. She takes a step towards the young woman to give her a hug but she hesitates. She looks at Snow to see if she would like a hug or not.

Snow smiles and gives her mother a hug. Then she steps back and they walk together out of the room. "I didn't even ask how we’re doing?" Snow says and she looks at her mother.

"I'm... I'm fine." Regina whispers. She doesn't want to tell about dr. Hopper. She looks outside and notices it's starting to get dark already. She looks at Robin and he has noticed too.

"I think it's time for us to go home," Robin says with a smile and he looks at Regina, "we will visit you again soon," he winks and he laughs.

Regina softly nodds. She hugs Emma and Snow and nodds friendly to David who still doesn't seem to trust her completely. "Can't I walk to dr. Hopper from here?" Regina tries with Robin, once they're outside.

"This way is shorter and doesn't go trough the woods, I don't think this counts." Robin says and he shrugs.

"I don't think so too." Regina softly agrees. She takes Robin's hand while walking home, Robin's home. When they arrive there, she has to leave immediately for dr. Hopper. She looks at Robin, a bit anxious.

"You can do this," Robin says he gives her his phone, "call me if something happens okay?" He really hopes Regina will make it, but he doubts it.

Regina nodds. "Alright. Thank you." She gives Robin a kiss on the lips before she goes. Regina looks at lot over her shoulder to Robin's home until she can't see it any longer. She then focusses on the way in front of her. For a couple of minutes everything goes fine. She then starts to breath a bit faster when she hears branches break. "Is... Is someone there?" she asks out loud.

No one answers, only the wind that makes blows trough the trees. It starts to rain a bit and another branch brakes from a tree because of the wind.

Regina starts to walk faster and faster until she runs through the forest. She sees the end of the forest in front of her. She runs a bit faster now.

Near the forest a car drives very hard. It comes in Regina's direction with it's bright lights and drives past her.

Regina keeps running and running until she reaches dr. Hopper's office. She almost storms inside.

Dr. Hopper lets her in and smiles, "well how did it go," he says while he lets her sit on his couch.

Slowly Regina gets her breathing back under control. "I've made it. Wasn't that the point?" she snaps.

"It's not important if you made it, it's important how you made it."

Regina's gaze hardens. "That wasn't the deal." she snaps again.

"Do you really think I would change my mind completely by this one arrival?" Dr. Hopper says, "it gives me more hope that you can change".

"I've made it. So I don't have to go to Boston. That was the deal!" Regina snaps again. Her body shakes from the fysical effort.

"Do you really think I would make such a stupid deal? Of course you would make it, I didn't even doubt that."

Regina looks at him. She sighs. "First it went fine. Even when I couldn't see Robin's house any longer. It went fine. But then I got scared because I heard things, branches were breaking and it was scaring." she softly tells him what he wants to know.

"Okay," dr. Hopper says, "but no complete panic? You were just scared?"

"No, no panic. Just scared." Regina confirms without lieing.

"Good," dr. Hopper says and he writes it down in Regina's file. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Right after our... our session earlier, Robin and I went to Snow and Emma. I... I've told Emma I'm pregnant. Snow and David already knew, but Emma didn't. But now... Now she knows." Regina softly smiles at dr. Hopper.

"And that went all right I see," he says with a smile.

Regina nodds. "Yes. It went really well. She's really happy to be a big sister." She smiles.

"That's great," dr. Hopper says and he means it. He still thinks Boston is best, but he wants to give her a chance.

"I... I need to go home now." Regina softly says. "It's getting late. I... I'll call Robin to come and get me, alright?" She starts to get anxious now.

"I should try to walk home by yourself, just like you did when you came here." Dr. Hopper says. She needs to break her limits...

Regina slowly looks up at him. "That wasn't the deal!" she snaps again.

"You want to change, do you?" Dr. Hopper says calmly, "then you have to face your fears."

"This. Wasn't. The. Deal." Regina repeats, this time with darkness rising in her eyes.

"I can see you have yourself in control, Regina," dr Hopper says with a sarcastic undertone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina answers with anger, even hatred, in her voice.

"You're too scared to go outside, aren't you?" Dr. Hopper says, again very calm.

"I'm not scared of anything!" Regina snaps at him.

"Okay," dr Hopper says, "show me you're not."

Regina gets up and without giving him another second of her attention she walks downstairs. She stops at the front door and just... stands still.

Dr. Hopper stands in the doorway upstairs and watches her.

Regina just keeps standing there. She startles when she feels dr. Hopper's hand on her back. She looks at him with tears in her eyes. "I... I can't." she whispers.

"I'm sorry," dr. Hopper says and he leads her back upstairs, "you can call Robin, let him come here."

"To go home. Right?" Regina asks him, nervous.

"To discuss a few things," dr. Hopper says.

"Discuss what? Not Boston. Right?" Regina wants to know.

"I want to discus Boston," dr. Hopper says, "Regina, you need constant care, care we can't give you here...".

"I don't need constant care. I'm not scared when I'm at home with Robin or Emma. I'm not scared then."

"But you can't be with Emma and Robin the whole time, they can't be there all the time."

"I know. I... I know." Regina whispers. She calls Robin and it doesn't take long for him to get do dr. Hopper's office.

"Well how did it go?" Robin says when he walks in. He is relieved to see Regina here.

"I've made it. So no Boston." Regina quickly replies.

"That's what I want to discus," dr. Hopper reacts, "I still think Boston is the right thing to do, like I already said, Regina needs constant care, something we can't give her."

Regina looks up at Robin, afraid of his reaction.

Robin nods, "and what do you say?" Robin asks Regina, "beside that you don't want to go."

"Are you coming with me?" Regina softly asks him. "You and... And Emma, if she wants to?"

"Robin and Emma can't come with you Regina," dr. Hopper says, "there is visiting hour every week."

"Every WEEK?!" Regina snaps. "No!"

"Regina don't panic," Robin whispers and he lays his arm around her. "They will help you cope with your fears and when they say you're done; you can go home again. And yes, every week." Dr. Hopper adds.

"That's not enough." Regina whispers. "I need to see Robin every day."

"That's not allowed," dr. Hopper says, "you can call him quite often and that's what you get."

Regina sighs. When she starts to think about leaving Storybrooke she already breathes faster and her hands shake. "Emma. I can't leave Emma behind. Snow will never allow me to see her again."

"You have the right to see Emma," dr. Hopper says, "you're still her mother, so we will fix that."

"You'll bring her every week with you, right?" Regina asks Robin. "Every single time?"

"If she wants that, yes of course," Robin says. He doesn't want Regina to to, he really doesn't, but maybe it's for the better. He can't help but feel a little bit of fear.

"You don't want me to go, do you?" Regina whispers while looking at Robin. "I.. I don't want to go either. Please, let me stay. Please, don't let them take me. Please. Please, Robin." Regina clings around his neck. "Please, I want to stay with you." She softly cries now.

"I want to stay with you too," Robin whispers while he holds Regina tightly. "Does she really has to go?" he asks, but dr. Hopper is already signing the form and puts it in an envelop, "you will leave in two days," he says strictly, "the time for arguing is over."

The only thing Regina can do is cry. She holds Robin close to her. "I'm going to miss you so much." she softly whispers. For the next two days Regina lays in bed. When she's not sleeping she only cries. She clings to Robin and doesn't allow him to go far away from her. She doesn't eat. Robin has to make her suitcase because Regina doesn't want to do it. Two days later she and Robin get picked up to go to the airport. Gold makes sure Robin won't lose his memories.


	14. Boston

Regina and Robin tell Snow, David and Emma the bare minimum: Regina doesn't feel well after what happened in The Enchanted Forest and she needs to go to Boston to give it all a place so she can move on with her life. Snow and David take it surprisingly well and promise to take care of Emma. They also allow Emma to visit Regina every week, together with Robin. Emma cries a little but Regina promises it won't be for very long and she'll be back long before the baby is due. That seems to calm the little girl down a bit. Regina is relieved neither Snow nor Emma feels abandoned again.  
After many hugs and kisses Regina and Robin leave to catch their flight to Boston. Regina is very nervous and never lets go of Robin's hand. After a couple hours of travelling, they arrive at the speciliazed clinic where Regina will be staying. Robin reassures her that he and Emma will make this trip every weekend and that they'll stay two days each time so it won't be too exhausting for the both of them.  
Regina refused to wear one of the magical bracelets and after a long discussion with dr. Hopper, in which Regina promised to never use magic in public places, he gave her a chance to prove herself. She does have a magical bracelet with her in case the urge gets too big to throw fireballs at everyone. She then can put the bracelet on and take it off herself whenever she wants to. Regina feels comfortable with that promise and knows she will keep that promise.  
Regina and Robin slowly walk into the speciliazed clinic where they get greeted by one of the head nurses.

"Hello, you must be miss Mills," she says with a polite smile, "please follow me." Robin and Regina walk after the nurse while she tells there some things they need to know. "Mister you have to stay behind here, so miss Mills can bring her stuff to her room, it's a complete women-area, so you're not allowed in there. We will pick you up after that to visit the head master, who will tell you a lot more than I'm allowed to do. Are there any questions?" she says as they reach the door that leads to the dormitory.

Regina has been silent the whole time but now she looks at Robin, alarmed. "You... You're not going yet, right? You'll wait and don't just leave me here?" she asks him with a soft voice.

"No of course not, I'll wait here don't worry," Robin says, "he sits down on a bench that stands next to the door. The nurse tells Regina to come.

After a little hesitation Regina follows the nurse slowly. She keeps looking back to make sure Robin is still waiting for her. When she can't see him any more Regina gets a bit anxious but follows the nurse.

"I'm Nancy, I'll bring you to your room," the nurse says, "that room we just walked through, is the dormitory, it's the common room where everyone can just sit or play cards or talk you know." They reach Regina's room, "your roommate isn't there yet, you'll see her this evening."

Regina nodds softly. She just puts her suitcase in the room. "Can we go back to Robin now?" she asks, nervous. It's the first thing she says directly towards this nurse.

"Don't you want me to guide you through the ward?" the nurse says, but she already walks back to the exit of the ward.

"Later." Regina whispers. She follows the nurse back to Robin. She immediately holds his hand and stays close to him. "I want to go back home with you." she whispers. "Please."

"You know we can't do that," Robin whispers, "we can't turn back now, but everything will be all right."

Regina nodds softly. They follow Nancy to the head master. "You stay with me now, right?" Regina whispers to Robin.

"I will," Robin says and he gives her a kiss on her forehead. They reach the head master's room and the nurse lets them inside. Behind a desk sits a big man. He stands up when Robin and Regina enter the room, "welcome," he says and he shakes them both the hand, "sit down please."

Regina sits down, closely against Robin. She doesn't like a strange man. She looks at him to see what he has to say.

The man opens Regina's file, "Regina Mills," he says, "welcome here in this institution, my name is dr. Stevenson." He looks at them. "Did the nurse guide you to your room already?"

Regina just nodds. She holds Robin's hand but her eyes are focused on the man in front of her.

"Good," the man says, "I received your form from dr. Hopper is that right?"

Regina nodds again.

"Regina Mills, your birthday is on February the first, female, he noted here that you are mayor of Rockwood, Maine." He looks up, "am I right?"

"Storybrooke." Regina corrects him. "I'm the mayor of Storybrooke, Maine." Her voice is soft but not too soft.

"Storybrooke," the man says, "well I clearly see Rockwood, miss." He looks on the internet and doesn't find a town called Storybrooke. He just moves on to the next subject, thinking Regina is a bit out of her mind. "What's your age?"

"I'm 38." she now whispers. She looks at Robin. "I want to go home with you." Her eyes beg him to take her with him, back home.

"Home is not an option, miss Mills," the head master says, "tomorrow will be your first session, until then you can stay at your ward. There is a common room and there is your own room. All the other rooms are forbidden to enter, is that clear?"

Regina's heart starts to beat faster and her face pales. She's scared of this man and she doesn't want to be here. She looks at Robin, now clearly panicked. Her hands shake. "Please. I'll be good. I will be such a good girl." she begs him.

"Regina, you will be all right," Robin says and he looks at her, he takes her hands into his.   
"Was I clear?" the man repeats strictly.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "Yes, you were clear." She doesn't take her eyes off of Robin.

"Good," he says, "nine pm everyone has to be in their own rooms, the doors will be locked and opened again at 6 am in the morning. Breakfast, lunch and diner are on set times.   
You will meet your roommate this evening. Am I still clear?"

Regina shakes her head. "I don't like it if I get locked up." she clearly states.

"That's how it works here, miss Mills, we can't make any exceptions," he says and he looks up, "we do it our way, we are the ones that make the rules, do you understand?"

Regina gets up from her chair. "I want to go home now. Now. Robin? I'm done here. We're going home." She doesn't look at the doctor no more. He isn't worthy of her time.

"Please Regina," Robin says and he doesn't let go of her arm. Meanwhile the man calls someone to lock the door for him. Now the three of them are locked up in the room. "Please sit down," Robin adds. He knows this will only make it worse for her.

Regina immediately curls up in a corner of the office. "I'm scared alone." she whispers. "I... I want to go home to Emma and Snow."

Before Robin can react, the man stands up and looks Regina into her eyes, "come back here," he says with an angry tone.

"No. Please. I'll be a good girl. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Regina doesn't look him in the eyes.

"Good, then come here and sit down," he says strictly. Robin looks at her.

"No! I want to go home!" Regina now snaps at him.

"You won't go home," the man says, he almost grins, because he knows he has all the power.

"Yes, I am!" Regina snaps. She looks back at Robin. "Please! Don't let me here alone!" She sounds desperate as never before.

Robin stands up and grabs Regina's hand, "you can't go back now, you know that," he whispers, "I really want to take you home with me, but I can't, I don't have the power to do that. Please calm down."

"Please, let the cricket know I'm alright. Let him know I can come home. I'm scared of this man. Don't you see how he acts towards me? Robin, please, take me home." Regina cries now. She slowly sits back on the chair next to Robin. She holds her head down, defeated.

Robin feels broken too. He really wants to take her home, but he knows what Regina is doing now, will only make it worse. "Yes I see," Robin whispers, "but I don't have the power to get you out of here and you're only making it worse for yourself," he hates to say it, but it's the truth.

Regina annoys the man quite a lot and he picks up his phone.

Regina whispers at Robin while the doctor is on the phone. "Let Hopper know I'm ready to come home. And then tomorrow you can take me with you. The cricket has the power to release me. Please, Robin." She leans against him now. "Please. I won't be scared again. I'll behave normal. Please." she whispers in his ear.

"I will ask dr. Hopper, but don't have any hope okay," Robin says, "I'll be here three days from now, at visiting hour." 

*yes that's what I said!* the man almost shouts into the telephone, *another ward yes! she can't go to normal sessions with this behavior, she needs a stricter ward. Do you remember that other girl from Maine?* ... *yes I know completely out of her mind, they are quite similar, place them together in room 725!*

He smashes down the phone and looks at them. "I give you 10 minutes to say goodbye."

Regina looks at Robin, panicked. "Take me with you. Please. Please!" She almost starts to scream.

"No, Regina, I'm sorry, I can't," Robin whispers and he hugs Regina tightly, "you'll be all right and please remember, no magic, it will get you into trouble and that can't happen now."

Regina takes a step back once they are done hugging. She gives Robin a last kiss on his lips before he goes. "Three days." she whispers softly. Tears run down her face.

"Three days," he reacts and he turns to the man.

"Ready?" he snaps.

Regina just nodds. She watches Robin leave. Only then she looks back at the doctor in front of her.

"We are going," the man snaps when Robin has left. "Nancy brought your stuff to another room on another ward with far stricter rules and treatments. Room 725 is yours." Two man come into the room and grab Regina by her arms and push her forward.

"I can walk by myself!" Regina snaps, pulling away from the men. She doesn't like to be touched, not even on her arms, without her consent.

The men hold her arms very tightly, "you're not going anywhere, miss," one of the guards snaps.

"Let go of me! I can walk by myself!" Regina snaps again. Anger shows clearly in her eyes now. "I didn't come here for you to further traumatize me!"

"That's not our intention, miss," the other guard says more calmly. "But our boss told us your behavior was out of place, so we need to keep you from running away." The guards reach room 725 and drop her inside.

As quickly as never before Regina disappears in the darkest corner of the room to hide herself. And she's not coming out of there before Robin returns.

"Hello?" A girl says from above. There are two bunk beds in the room and she sits on the upper bed of one of them.

Regina looks up. "Hello." she whispers before returning back inside herself, knees pulled up and head buried atop of them.

The girl doesn't say a thing anymore for a long time. She just lies on her back on her bed. Then she speaks again. "what's the matter?" she asks.

Regina looks up again. "That doctor is an asshole." she states clearly. "And I want to go home."

"Tell me something new," the girl says and she almost grins, "that doctor has always been an asshole and he will always stay one, and I would want to go home too, if I had one...".

"I don't trust that man. I don't trust anyone I don't know." Regina mumbles. "Why... Why are you here?" she asks the girl softly. She had heard the doctor say this girl is out of her mind but so far Regina didn't notice anything peculiar about the girl.

"Sleeping problems, nightmares that haunt me during the days and I believe in things that don't exist." she answers, "what about you?"

"I'm scared of a lot of things. That's all." Regina whispers. "You believe in things that don't exist? Like what?"

"Not telling you," she says, "then you will immediately think I'm crazy." She smiles, "what's your name by the way," She just wants to change the subject.

"Regina. And I won't think you're crazy." Regina softly smiles. "What's your name?"

"I have weird associations with that name," the girl says and she moves to the edge of the bed to see what Regina looks like, "never mind, I'm Aurora."

Regina hides even further away. She doesn't like it when people stare at her like that. She startles when the door opens.

Nancy walks in, "your stuff, miss Mills," she says with a smile, "I'm sorry they brought you here," she quickly leaves again. 

"Do you have any sleeping pills?" Aurora asks, while she lies down again.

"No. I don't take any medication." Regina whispers. She looks at Aurora. "What do you mean you have weird associations with my name?"

"Nothing important," Aurora says, "I never saw her in real life, I should have but I didn't, but a lot of people talked about her. I know this doesn't make sense, does it?"

Regina smiles. "That's alright." she smiles. For the first time since she came here today, she feels relatively safe with this girl. "Do we have other roommates as well?" Regina asks, pointing at the second bunk bed in the room.

"No, we don't," Aurora says with a smile, she is happy to have some company and Regina seems a nice woman.

Regina sighs with relief. "Thank God." she whispers. She startles when the door opens once again. Time for dinner. Regina refuses and keeps sitting in her corner of the room.

"Aren't you coming?" Aurora asks, she hopes Regina will come, then she finally has someone to talk to...

"Not hungry." Regina lies. She wants a chance to poof away, away from here and back home.

"Well you will get hungry if you don't eat something," Aurora shrugs, "but I guess I'll see you tonight," she smiles and goes to the guard by the door.

Regina isn't interested and keeps sitting in her corner. She startles when the doctor walks inside. "I would like to be alone." she clearly states.

"All people need to come, no exceptions, like I told you before," he says and he grabs her upper arm and lifts her up, so she stands on her feet.

"I'm not hungry! Let go of me! I don't like it when someone touches me!" she exclaims. "I want to be alone!" Regina pulls away from him.

The man squeezes her upper arm very hard, "listen to me," he snaps and he makes sure she looks at him, "if you even want to leave this place, I guess you follow me now and eat some food!"

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps at him. "Let go of me! I'm telling you I'm not hungry!"

"Guards!" the doctor shouts and two men come to help him. They take her arms and lead her out of the room.

"No, please! I'll be a good girl. Please, don't hurt me!" Regina's heart beats fast now and panic shines through her eyes.

The guards let her go a bit so she can walk by herself, but they stay very very close. "We are not here to hurt you, miss Mills," the guard says and they walk on to the dining room.   
Aurora is sitting alone at a small table.

Regina quickly runs over to her roommate and sits next to her. She doesn't eat the food though.

"That happened to me too the first day I came here," Aurora says, while she takes a bite of a piece of old bread. "The food is disgusting, but after a while you will eat it anyway...".

"I doubt it." Regina smirks. She looks around and gets up. "I need to go to the bathroom." she says to one of the guards.

"Not during dinner, miss," the guard says. Aurora sighs, she knows this won't work...

"But I have to go NOW!" Regina yells.

"Stop it, you'll only make it worse," Aurora says and she walks over to Regina, she grabs her hand and pulls her to the table, "what are you doing?" she whispers.

"Don't they speak English? What part didn't they understand? I have to go to the bathroom." Regina hissed. "And I want to go home. They can't keep me here. I came here voluntarily. They have to let me go if I want to leave."

Aurora grins by the first sentence, but then gets serious again. "This ward doesn't work that way," Aurora says, "believe me I know everything about it... All those things you are trying now, I've already tried them, and trust me they will punish you if you go on now, so please don't fight them and maybe they will release you one day. You still have a chance to leave this place, if you don't fight...".

"Punish me?" Regina laughs. "If they only knew who I really am." she hisses. "What do you mean, release me one day? I'm not here for long, a couple of weeks tops. How long... How long have you been here?" Regina asks the girl.

"I've been here for three years now," Aurora says, "they will never release me... I just know they won't."

Regina gets back up again. "I really need to go to the bathroom!" she yells at the guards. "Like right now!"

"Regina please," Aurora says, but it's already too late. The guards call the doctor and after a while the doctor walks in and orders the guards to take her with them.

"Finally!" Regina snaps. But when she sees where they take her, she gets really angry. "Let go of me! Let go of me!" she screams.

The guards bring her to one of the hospital rooms, there they tie her up to the bed, while the doctor is preparing some medicine that will make her sleep immediately.

"No! Let go of me! No! You can't do this! Please! I'll be a good girl!" But it's of no use. Regina feels a little sting and it doesn't take long for her to fall asleep. The next thing she remembers is waking with a huge headache, still tied up to the bed. She softly cries. She startles when the door opens. "Please." she begs. "I'll be good. Please. I'll be such a good girl."

"Ssstt," Aurora whispers, "don't make a sound." She unties Regina and helps her get up. She knows Regina will need help to walk, because the medicine has still not completely faded. She experienced it herself a long time ago. "Ready to walk?" she whispers.

"How did you get in here?" Regina whispers. "Do they know? I... I don't want to get punished even more." Regina looks at Aurora. "I'm ready to walk." She leans on the woman.

"They don't know," Aurora says, "and they won't punish you," they slowly walk to their room again, "I'll tell you everything when we get back," she says.

Regina nodds. When they arrive back at their room, Regina lays down on a bed, with the help of Aurora. "Thank you." Regina whispers. She looks patiently at the woman until she starts to talk.

"The same thing happened to me about three years ago," Aurora starts, "I was angry just like you. Well... They gave me that same potion, but after that they just let me lie there, as if they have forgotten me. I laid there for four days, tied up. A nurse found me by accident and let me go. No one ever said a thing about it. The doctor and the guards just don't notice, or they don't want to notice..." She looks at Regina, to see if she has fallen asleep. "And how I got to you: I just know where the guards are walking and when the guards are making their rounds, it not that hard to come trough."

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you. For helping me. Now it is my turn. I want to go home and I'm taking you with me. You said you believe in things that aren't real? What did you mean by that? You can tell me." Regina wants to know.

"They are real," Aurora says.

Regina nodds. "I believe you. Do you... Do you trust me? I can get us out of here but it will require a lot, if not all, of my strength. Aurora.. Do you believe in magic?" Regina asks the girl with a soft voice.

Aurora looks at Regina and wonders if she can trust her. Did she really say magic. "You believe it too?" she whispers with a bit of fear in her voice.

A small fireball appears in Regina's hand. "I not only believe it. I can use it. Do you want to get out of here? Come home with me to Storybrooke? You'll love it their and I'll help you get settled." Regina almost sounds enthusiastic.

"Storybrooke?" Aurora says, "you come from there? You believe that it exists too?" She moves a little bit backwards, "no you're lying, you don't mean this," she says. She is afraid.

"I'm not lying, really. Storybrooke exists and I'm the Mayor of that little town. Do you want to see it? Get out of here?" Regina holds both of her hands up. It's up to Aurora to take them. "If there is something you want to take with you, do that, because I'm never going to let you come back here again. This place is awful." Regina smiles confidently at the girl. "You really can trust me."

"I have seen Storybrooke, a curse brought me there, but if was under a sleeping curse," she dares to look up and sees Regina. She wants to take her hands, but something is stopping her.

"My curse." Regina whispers. "Maleficent had put you under a sleeping curse, didn't she? And my curse brought you to Storybrooke. How... How did you get here? In this place?"

"So you really are the Regina I thought about, the Queen?" Aurora says, "are you really interested in how I get here?"

"Yes. Yes, I am. Aurora, do you know the story behind my curse? It wasn't because I wanted to hurt anyone. On the contrary, except for 1 person, I gave everyone a good life. But everyone was so scared of this curse... I've altered it as best I could but families who weren't together at the moment the Curse was enacted, were ripped apart... I.... I did the best I could to prevent that." Regina looks up at the girl. "So yes, Aurora, I would really like to know how you ended up here."

"I didn't know that," Aurora says, "I was never scared of the curse, I would have done the same if I would get back the person I love the most. I wasn't that lucky," She smiles, "but my story... The, well... Your curse took me to Storybrooke, I was in a coma there, but one day I just woke up, I think almost ten years had passed by by them. I had terrible nightmares and I still have them and I couldn't live a normal life, because they haunted me during the day. I went to dr. Hopper and he told me... Forced me to go here. But you weren't there, I've never seen you there."

“The past 5 years I was back in The Enchanted Forest, with my mother and King Leopold. Long story but for me just 5 days have passed while in Storybrooke 5 years had past. So... I'm a bit... anxious and scared of a lot of things. That's why Hopper send me here. But we're going back to Storybrooke because this isn't the place for us. Do you want to come with me?" Regina holds up her hands again.

Before Aurora can answer the door swings open and the doctor stands in the doorway, Aurora quickly grabs Regina's hand but the doctor already pulled her away.

"Let go of her!" Regina screams. Without thinking she fires a couple of fireballs against the doctor. He falls on the ground. Regina takes Aurora's hand and poofs the both of them away, to a safe place. Storybrooke.

Aurora shakes of fear. She doesn't dare to look. "Regina?" she whispers.

"It is alright, Aurora. Look around. Please. I'm right here." Regina holds her hands in hers. They landed near Robin's house in the woods.

"No no no no," she only whispers and she hides her face in her hands, "no please." She starts to cry.

Regina takes Aurora in her arms and sooths her like she used to sooth Emma. "It is alright. You're safe. You're safe." she whispers. "Open your eyes, please, look around. We're in Storybrooke."

"No," she whispers and she feels like she can't breathe anymore. Tears stream down her cheeks.

"It's alright. It really is. You can trust me, Aurora. I'm not the Evil Queen anymore. You can trust me. If you look around, you'll see the woods and in the distance a little house. Robin's house. He's really sweet and trustworthy."

Aurora opens her eyes for a second, but closes them immediately. She doesn't fear Regina; she doesn't fear the evil queen. She fears freedom.

"Let's go, Aurora. It's almost dark and I'm scared being outside in the dark. Can you walk with me to Robin's house, please?" Regina starts walking, holding Aurora against her. "Open your eyes, dear. We're safe."

"Leave me," Aurora says and she opens her eyes now. There is no one here for her. She is alone and free and she doesn't know how to handle it.

"I'm not leaving you here. I'm here for you and I'll help you, but you have to give me a chance. You're not alone here. I'm here for you and Robin and my daughters will be too." Regina takes the girl with her, not loosening her grip, holding her tight but at the same time safely against her own body. She leads Aurora to Robin's house. "You'll be alright. I promise. You're not alone." Regina knocks on the door and waits for Robin to answer it. She doesn't want to poof inside; she doesn't want to startle him. She's a bit nervous; will he send her back immediately or will he listen to her?

"Why do you think I won't give you a chance," Aurora says a little bit angry. For the first time in the days Regina was with her, she feels a nightmare coming up. "Can you leave me for a moment?" she asks, while Regina is still holding her arm. Images from her dream has already started to spin through her head, only flashes but it will get worse and that's not a pleasant sight. "Regina I don't want you to be here," she whispers, "please let me go, I'll be back I promise."

"I'm not leaving you alone. You don't have to go through this alone." Regina holds Aurora close to her while the nightmare washes over her.

Aurora starts to cry when the nightmare gets to her, she almost sinks to the ground, but Regina holds her up. The nightmare is far less strong then it normally is, because Regina's arms are around her and she feels safe. "Wake me up, please, wake me up!" she says almost screaming.

"It's alright, dear, I'm right here. You're awake. You're awake. Open your eyes, Aurora, it's alright." Regina speaks with a soft and calming voice.

Aurora immediately opens her eyes. She is completely out if breath. When she sees Regina's soft eyes, she calms down and lets her head rest on Regina's shoulder, "thanks," she whispers while her arms are wrapped tightly around Regina's waist.

"Come on. We can both use a little rest. I'll stay with you." Regina leads Aurora to Robin's cabin and knocks on the door.

Robin finally opens the door; he didn't hear the first knock... "Regina?" Robin says his eyes bright, "what... What are you doing here?" He says and he hugs her, then he looks at Aurora, "hello," he says and they shake hands.

"I couldn't stay there, Robin." Regina starts to explain. "They tied me up to a bed because I wanted to go to the bedroom during dinner. I don't have to go back, right? Promise? And Aurora neither. Alright?" Regina almost stumbles over her words.

"Come in," Robin just says and he smiles, "I'll try to keep you two here, I promise," he says, but he doesn't know if he can do that. He starts to make a fire.  
"Who is he?" Aurora whispers to Regina.

Regina smiles. "That is Robin Hood. He's the father of that little one inside of me." Regina gives Robin a soft kiss on the lips. "I'm not going anywhere again. I'm not going back. They can't force me. It's a horrible place."

"Okay," Robin whispers. Aurora smiles, "you didn't tell me you were pregnant," she says, "so this is the man you talked about."   
Robin laughs and after that they talk a bit about everything, about what happened and why Regina brought Aurora.

"So.... So you believe me when I say it was a horrible place and we don't want to go back there?" Regina looks at Robin with hope in her eyes.

"I do," Robin says and he kisses her in her forehead, "I really do, I'm sorry I let you go there."   
"If you think this were the most horrible things they do right there, you're wrong," Aurora says when Regina finished her story, "I've been there for three years. The things you experienced were horrible, but they are nothing compared to what the other horrible things they can do to you." She shivers by the thought of it.

Regina gives Aurora a small hug. "You're here now. And you don't have to go back ever again. I'll get you settled here in Storybrooke." She leans against Robin, tired now. "I'm sorry I can't go back there." she whispers. "I'll try my best to not be scared anymore, even if you're not with me. I promise. I promise." Regina softly cries now. She's exhausted but at the same time so happy and relieved to be back with Robin, although it has been only half a day since she last saw him. "Do you still love me?" she whispers to him.

"Regina I love you more than anyone," Robin says. He wipes her hair from her face and dries her tears with his sleeves. "It will get better, I believe in you," he kisses her, "and I'll help you."  
Aurora smiles, but then looks away and stands up. "I think I should find a place to stay for the night."

"No. Please. You can stay here for tonight. Right, Robin?" Regina asks him. "She can stay, right?" Regina starts to turn the couch into a bed. "It is no problem, really."

Robin nods, "you can stay here, that's no problem," he says. Aurora smiles, "thanks, but you don't have to change the couch Regina, I'll just sit... I never sleep."

Regina looks at her. "Well, I'm changing the couch just in case. Maybe you'll sleep better here than in the hospital." Regina finishes the couch. She looks at Robin, exhausted.

"If there is anything you need, just come to us. We sleep upstairs," Robin says, "do you think you'll be all right down here?" Aurora nods and sits down on the prepared couch. Robin and Regina walk upstairs.

Regina sinks down on the bed. "I'm really sorry Boston didn't work out." Regina whispers. "They... They bonded me to a bed. I was so scared."

Robin smiles, "don't be sorry for that, I'm glad you're back," he kisses her, "maybe that's their way to let people do what they want...".

"But I didn't go there to do what they want. I went there to get better but instead they made my fear for getting strapped up even worse. But I feel safe with you." Regina softly smiles at Robin. "I'll go to Dr. Hopper tomorrow to let him know. Is that alright? I'll.... I'll go by myself. I can do that, right?"

"Of course you can do that," Robin says, "what do you think he'll say?"

"I think he's going to be angry with me." Regina whispers. "But I don't care. He can't make me go back there." She lays her head against his chest. "And afterwards I'm going to Snow and Emma." She smiles.

"Good," Robin says and he smiles too. It has been a long time since he saw her calm and confident like this. He loves it.

Regina talks a little about Boston but soon drifts asleep. She sleeps very good now she's back with Robin. Nothing will ever take him away from her.

After Regina fell asleep, Robin falls asleep too. In the middle of the night he wakes up because of a scream that comes from downstairs.

Regina wakes up too. "Aurora. She's having a nightmare." she whispers. They both run downstairs.

Aurora sits straight up in her bed, she is breathing very fast.   
"I'm sorry, I'm fine," she whispers and she looks at them, "I'm sorry to wake you up."

"That's alright. Are you really fine?" Regina asks, just to be sure.

"Yeah yeah," Aurora quickly says and she hides her shaking hands. "You can go to sleep again, I'm sorry."

Regina looks at Robin and nodds. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you." Regina lays down next to Aurora on the couch which she has turned into a bed earlier. "Try to get some sleep." Regina whispers to Aurora while Robin walks back upstairs.

"No I don't want to," Aurora whispers, "I'm fine I promise, I don't want to bother you."  
In Boston she always dealt with her nightmares alone, so she knows it's possible to do it now too. But still... when Regina is by her side she feels a lot safer. "Really I can deal with it without you," she says. She is too afraid to bother Regina.

"I'm already laying down, dear, so you might as well do the same." Regina smiles at the younger woman. "I'm not leaving you alone."

Aurora smiles and lies down. "I don't want to sleep," she whispers.

"It's alright. It really is. I'm right here. You can wake me up whenever you want to. Just try to get some sleep." Regina whispers with a soothing voice. She starts to tell a story, her story from back in The Enchanted Forest.

Aurora closes her eyes. She grabs Regina's hand to make sure she is with her. Regina's words sound sweet and soft and Aurora slowly falls asleep. But when she really falls asleep, the nightmare comes up immediately and she starts to cry.

Regina doesn't wake her. She knows Aurora needs to get through this. She does let her feel she's not alone; Regina holds the woman close against her body and strokes her hair softly. "It's alright. You're not alone." Regina whispers.

After about an hour, the nightmare starts to fade and Aurora sleeps a normal sleep, unconsciously feeling safe in Regina's arms.

When she feels Aurora is sound asleep without nightmares, Regina falls asleep too. She keeps holding the girl and that's how they wake up the next morning. Regina smells coffee and wakes up with a smile. She slowly lets go of the girl and then walks over to the kitchen. She surprises Robin by kissing his neck while he's standing with his back towards her.

Robin laughs and almost pours the coffee next to the mug. "You..." Robin sighs, but he can't stop smiling. He shakes his head and turns around to give Regina a kiss.

"Hi there." Regina smiles after a long and deep kiss. "I'm so happy to wake up with you." she whispers in his ear. She softly kisses him again and lets her hands disappear under his shirt.

Robin lays his hands on her back and holds her close while they kiss, "me too," Robin whispers with a wink, "the world is so boring without you."

"Is it?" Regina giggles. She poofs the both of them to his bedroom. She looks up at him with her big, brown, dark eyes. Not dark from evil but dark from lust. "I've missed you." she whispers with a soft smile.

"You did?" Robin says, pretending he doesn't believe her. "I've missed you too," he then whispers.

Regina smiles. She leads his hands to her hips, to her panties. "I've really missed you." she winks at him.

Robin lets Regina lead his hands down and he starts to undress her, "aha," he says with a grin and he kisses her.

Regina kisses him back and feels safer than ever. She pulls out her shirt and then Robin's shirt. She looks at him. "I love you." she whispers.

"I love you too," Robin whispers and he softly strokes her back and lets his hands go down to her hips. He gives her another long kiss and then looks at her.

Regina softly nodds. She knows Aurora is sound asleep downstairs so they have all the time they want. She lays down on the bed and pulls Robin next to her. She pushes down his pants as well.

"Do you know you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen?" Robin says with a grin. Regina undressed him completely now.

"You haven't told me that yet." Regina giggles. She strokes his chest, pulling him closer against her body. "Go on." she whispers with a harsh voice.

Robin laughs and does what she says, he just goes on and kisses her, "well then you know it now," he whispers with a wink.

Regina giggles. She feels Robin's hand on her belly, stroking the place where their baby is growing inside of her. Regina's eyes grow darker when she realises their child is still cursed. That their child will never lover her, only Robin.

"Maybe we can ask your mother," Robin whispers, knowing what she is thinking about. "Every curse can be broken, right?"

Regina shakes her head. "I don't think Cora has her magic any longer. Taking that curse out of me, the curse of a fast and painful pregnancy, will have required all of her magic." Regina whispers.

Robin is silent and looks at the ceiling, "is there another way?" he whispers.

"There isn't. But I'll be fine as long as he or she loves you." Regina softly answers him. It's a lie.

"You won't," Robin says, "I know you won't, it's our child," He doesn't know what to do.

"Yes, I will." Regina repeats. "The most important thing is when he or she loves you. I'll be fine." Another lie.

"Don't lie,"

Regina startles. "I'm.. I'm sorry." she whispers. She looks up at Robin but realizes she's pinned down to the bed because he's above her. But she doesn't panic; she trusts him. "It's just... I can't do anything about it, Robin. I better accept it than try to fight it." she tries to explain.

"I know," he sighs and he lies down next to her, "it's just hard," he whispers and for the first time in ages he feels tears coming up. If anyone deserves to be happy... to be loved... it's Regina, and everytime again, someone wrongs her. It hurts him so much.

Regina turns on her side to face him. "It's alright, Robin. It really is. I have you and Emma and Snow and this little bean inside of me... I'll love him or her with every ounce of my being and I'll do everything to give that bean the life it deserves." She smiles at Robin.

Robin can't help but smile, she almost seems... optimistic. He tries to find some kind of hint that she is lying, but he can't find it. He takes a deep breath, "I love you," he just whispers and he kisses her, it's the only thing that can make him forget the pain for a while. 

"I love you too. I... I can't imagine my life without you." Regina smiles. She gives him a soft kiss on the lips. "Now... Where were we?" She giggles.

"You are so weird," Robin laughs and finishes what he started.

Afterwards Regina lays comfortable in Robin's arms. She doesn't want to leave this bed ever again, but she knows she has to go to dr. Hopper and then Emma and Snow. "I have to go." Regina whispers to Robin. "I have to talk to dr. Hopper."

"You're right," Robin whispers and they dress themselves again. "Good luck," he smiles and he gives her a kiss. He gives her a phone, but doesn't asks if he has to go with her. It's a good thing that she wants to go alone, he doesn't want to ruin it.

Regina walks downstairs and softly wakes Aurora to tell her what she's going to do.

"Are you sure about that?" Aurora asks, "you don't know what he will do...".

Regina nodds. "I'm sure. I just wanted to let you know I'll be gone for a while, but Robin will be here and look out for you. I'll come back, I promise." After a smile and a hug, Regina, now dressed in a light dress and black pumps, walks over to Dr. Hopper's office. She feels a bit anxious walking through the woods by herself, but at least it isn't dark this time. After not long she arrives at his office and knocks on the door.

"Regina?" Dr. Hopper says. He sounds surprised and a but angry, "what are you doing here, come in." He says and he closes the door behind her, "sit down," he says and he fills a glass with water.

"That place you send me to was no good." Regina explains. She tells him all that has happened, from her arrival till her way back home. She doesn't mention Aurora because she doesn't know if the girl would like that. After her story she looks up at Dr. Hopper to see his reaction.

Dr. Hopper grabs Regina's wrist and places the bracelet around it. She can't use magic anymore and dr. Hopper locks the door. "Where is Aurora?" Dr. Hopper says. The doctor from Boston called him when he found out Aurora and Regina were missing; both were his clients before they came there...

"Why... Why do you do this?" Regina whispers. She backs away from him. "Let me go. Let me go or you won't live to see another day." Anger glares up in her eyes.

"You just ruined my life," dr. Hopper says and he grabs the sleeping medicine out if his pocket and pushes the needle into Regina's arm. Before Regina falls asleep he snaps, "I'll bring you back to Boston.”

"No! No, please!" Regina puts up a fight but the sleeping medication has weakened her and it doesn't take long for her to fall asleep. The next thing she remembers is waking up with her hands tied together, sitting next to Dr. Hopper in his car. Regina looks at him. "Please. I'll be good. Don't bring me back to Boston." she whispers softly.

"You will go to Boston, Regina," dr. Hopper says, "I'm sorry, but my life will be ruined if I don't."

Regina starts to hit him with her whole body. "Let me out of this car!" she screams.

"No," he snaps, "I would calm down if I were you! I won't let you out, you'll go to Boston, no matter what!"

"Please! I'll be a good girl! I promise!" Regina begs.

"You will be a good girl of you don't fight me and just go with me to Boston," dr. Hopper says, "we are there in half and hour.”

"Why do I have to go to Boston? What's in it for you?" Regina wants to know.

"The institute of Boston has the best security in the world, and now two of MY clients have escaped," dr Hopper says, "they will destroy me if the media will publish this, they will loose their status and guess who they will blame!"

"I can make them forget all about Aurora and me. Please. I'll do anything. Just don't make me go back there."

"No you can't," dr. Hopper says and he points at the cuff around Regina's wrist and grins. Evil feels quite good sometimes.

"Take it off and I'll help you. I promise." Regina softly suggests.

"No," dr. Hopper says, "better tell me where Aurora is."

Regina shakes her head. She remains silent.

"Fine," dr. Hopper says, "I'll find her anyway."   
They drive on and reach the institute. A lot of guards are ready to bring her in. They won't give her a chance to escape. Dr. Hopper leads Regina out of the car.

"No. Please!" Regina begs once again. "Robin. I need to call Robin!"

"I'll tell him," dr. Hopper says, "don't worry," he smiles and the guards take Regina in. They bring her to the doctor.   
"Welcome back, Regina," he says.

Regina doesn't say a thing. She just looks at him.

"I'll send you back to your new room, 726," he says, "lunch is in 10 minutes, behave yourself," he doesn't look up and the guards lock Regina up in her room until lunchtime.

Regina feels utterly defeated. She sits down in a corner of the room and just stares in front of her.

"Lunch, miss Mills," a guard says and he opens her door.

Regina shakes her head and keeps sitting in her corner.

The guard grabs her by her arm and makes her walk to the lunchroom. He lets her sit down on a table.

Regina looks at her hands. "I can't eat with my hands tied up." She looks at the guard.

The guard unties her hands, and then stands next to her table to watch over her.

Regina doesn't eat. She just stares in front of her.

"Lunchtime is over," the guard says and he gets her up again. "I had to say your session is in two hours." He then brings her back to her room.

"Not interested." Regina mumbles.

"You have to go to the sessions, miss Mills, you don't have a choice."

Regina shrugs and disappears back into her corner. When they come to get her, Regina doesn't move.

The same guard comes to pick her up again. He brings her to a room where three doctors are ready.   
"Miss Mills, please sit down," the doctors, a woman, says. "Do you know how these sessions work?"

Regina remains silent and just looks at the woman who spoke to her.

"You can take in this serum willingly," the doctor starts and she shows Regina a glass with the serum inside, "if you don't take it willingly, I will inject the serum, far more painful..."   
She smiles, while the other two people tie Regina's arms up to the chair.   
"This is how it works. This serum brings you in a fear landscape, it's a simulation, but for you it feels as if everything really happens. Every fear landscape contains one of your fears, for example if you are afraid of sharks, you'll get thrown in a pool with sharks... Simple." She looks at Regina, "do you still understand?"

Regina's eyes narrow in anger. "You can't do that to me." she snaps. "Let go of me! I want to call Robin!"

"It will help you cope with your fears, because you can control them," the woman says without listening to Regina's wishes, "you can end your simulation by calming down. Get your breath under control and stuff. When your heart beats normally again and when your body relaxes, the simulation stops and you succeed, am I still clear?"

"What if I can't do that? What if I can't get my breathing under control?" Regina wants to know.

"Then we stop the simulation," the woman says, "we don't want you to die... We try the same fear again the day after that, and if you fail again, the day after that again, and so on."

"I'm not afraid of anything so you can untie me and let me go." she snaps.

"We will see about that," the woman says and she holds the glass with the serum in front of Regina's mouth, "now open your mouth. We start with only one of your fears today, so you can get used to the serum."

Regina doesn't open her mouth. Hatred glares up in her eyes. "Can you first take my bracelet off? It doesn't feel comfortable." she asks softly. "Then I'll drink the serum and I'll work with you."

"We don't make deals here, miss Mills," the woman says, "you have ten seconds to open your mouth, or we will do it the hard way."

"I just... Want to be able to confront my fears without any inhibition. Please?" She tries again.

The woman pretends not to hear Regina and goes on counting.

"5... 4... 3..."

Regina drinks the serum. At first she doesn't feel anything special but after a little while her eyes start to see things she knows aren't there. But the more she tries to fight the serum, the more real the images and sounds become. She feels she can stand up from the chair. She looks around her and recognizes her old bedroom in The Royal Castle. She turns around when the door opens. "Leopold." she whispers softly.

"I'm glad you're here," Leopold grins as he walks in, "it's time for some fun," he walks to her and pushes her to the bed with his hands on her hips. He kisses her, "ready to get me a son?" he asks with an evil smile.

"You aren't real. This isn't real." Regina tries to calm herself down but it doesn't work. Leopold's hands are too clearly on her body. "Let go of me!"

"No why would I," Leopold whispers, "I need you to give me a son," he now laughs and pushes her on the bed. He makes sure she can't move anymore. He is ready to tie her hands up, because he knows she will fight.

"No! Please!" Regina screams again. "Please, don't hurt me, I'll be a good girl!"

"Then show me that you can be good," Leopold says and he moves a bit away from her.

Regina looks up at him. Her heart beats still fast. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"You know what I want," Leopold whispers and he comes very close now. Their lips almost touch and he lets his hands go over her waist.

Regina just looks at him and doesn't do anything.

"Fine, we will do it the hard way, as you wish," Leopold says and he ties her hands up to the bed. He slowly starts to undress her.

"Please... I'll be a good girl." she begs very softly.

"Oh will you," he says and he undresses himself to, "wait I forgot one tiny detail," he grins and he picks up a dark potion out of his pocket, "it will make you pregnant immediately," he whispers.

Regina almost shokes when she hears this again. "Please." she begs. Her body can't take this much longer.

"Open your mouth," Leopold snaps and he opens the tiny bottle.

"Plea.se." Regina whispers. In the chair with the doctors in Boston, a bit of blood drips out of her mouth. "I.. I.. ca.n't.." she mumbles.

The doctor lets her in the simulation for a little bit longer, but after a while she sees Regina will collapse if she doesn't stop.   
She shuts the simulation down and waits for her client to wake up.

Regina wakes up after a couple of minutes. She doesn't dare to open her eyes, afraid to see Leopold in front of her. She pulls at her arms and starts to panic when she feels she's still tied up. "Please." she begs softly. "I'll be a good girl, Leopold. Please. I promise I'll be such a good girl."

"You can open your eyes, miss Mills," the doctor says, "it's over." Another doctor cleans Regina's face.

Regina pulls away. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers. She still doesn't dare to open her eyes. "I'll be good. I'll be good."

"Miss Mills, open your eyes please," the doctor says very calmly. She unties Regina's arms.

When Regina feels her arms getting untied, she slowly looks up. She's exhausted. "I... I need Robin. Please." she whispers.

"Tomorrow is visiting hour," the woman says, "if you are lucky, he will come and see you then," she says, "now you can go back to your room," she smiles and opens the door.

Regina isn't able to stand up. She's too weak. She just looks at the doctor. Is she really just going to send her to her room without talking about what happened in the simulation?

"I know what your thinking," the woman says, "Dr. Stevenson will pick you up in an hour, so you can calm down first, do you need a guard to bring you to your room?"

"No. No dr. Stevenson." Regina whispers. Panic grows in her eyes already. "Can I call Robin? Please?"

"You have to discuss that with dr. Stevenson," the woman says, "he can tell you." She closes the door behind Regina, so she now stands alone in the empty hallway.

Regina sinks down on the ground. She's just not able to hold herself up. She still feels Leopold's hands on her body. She looks up when someone, another patient, walks by. "Excuse me?" Regina waits until the woman looks down at her. "Do you mind helping me out of this bracelet? It's a tricky one, I can't put it off myself. Do you mind?" Regina extends her arm towards the woman. "Please?"

"Yes of course," the woman is surprised by this weird question, but still wants to do it. "Had a rough session?" she asks while she tries to get the bracelet off Regina's wrist. It doesn't work... "I'm sorry," the woman whispers.

Regina sighs. "Thanks for trying." she whispers. She softly gives this woman a smile but then turns back inwards. She startles when Dr. Stevenson comes to pick her up to his office.

"You said you could go home," dr. Stevenson says while he grabs Regina's upper arm and gets her on her feet, "well... It seems you were wrong." He laughs.

"Let go of me!" Regina snaps. She pulls away from him. "I don't like it when you touch me!"

"I don't like it when you scream at me," dr. Stevenson says calmly, "and I don't think you like it if I give you a sleeping-injection again." He grins and pushes her forward.

Regina remains silent and follows him to his office. She sits down in the chair across of him. She looks at him.

The doctor uploads Regina's data to his computer, "I see you failed," he says, "have you any idea how that's possible?" He looks from the screen to Regina.

"I don't know but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that I'm scared." Regina snaps again. She doesn't like this man at all.

"Of course it does," he says, "can you tell me some more about your fear, what made it so hard to calm down and what was the moment the simulation stopped."

"I want to call Robin." Regina whispers. "May I? Please?" She looks at Dr. Stevenson with hope in her eyes. "I'll be a good girl, I promise." Regina slowly gets up from her chair and walks over to the doctor. She slowly starts to stroke his chest. "I promise I'll be good." she whispers.

"I assume that this time you really mean it," the doctor says and he lets her stroke his chest, "no more screaming and snapping."

Regina nodds. "I promise." she whispers. She slowly sits down on his lap, facing him. She now strokes his face.

"You know how you can get what you want, don't you," the doctor says with a grin, "but I find that threatening, miss Mills," he states and then he whispers, "take the phone, you have ten minutes." He lifts Regina up and sets her on the ground. She really knows how she can please him, the only thing he has to do is resist it... Easy, isn't it? He leaves the room and lets Regina call.

Regina quickly dials Robin's number. "Robin. It's me. You need to come and get me in Boston. The cricket brought me back but I can't poof because he put a bracelet on my wrist. You have to come and get it off of me. Please, I need you. I'm scared here. Robin, please." Regina rambles.

"Regina, stop, I can't follow you like this," Robin says when Regina talks on an on. He knows she has probably only five minutes or so, "I'm on my way to Boston already," Robin continues. "I don't have something to get that bracelet off you, but we can talk about that tomorrow okay?" He is so relieved to hear her voice.

"You come tomorrow? Really?" Regina sighs with relief. "A knife. I need you to bring a sharp knife. I can cut off my hand so the bracelet is off and then I can heal it again." she whispers. "I can't wait to see you. I'm so sorry I've let this happen."

"Regina... You can't cut your hand off!" Robin exclaims, "and how can I get a knife to you, there is top security...".

"Then figure something out to get that bracelet off of me. Are you bringing Emma with you?" Regina wants to know.

"Emma is with me, yes," Robin says, "do you think it's safe to take her with me? With all the stuff going on with Aurora...".

"Please, take her with you. Let Snow watch over Aurora." Regina startles when the door opens and Dr. Stevenson comes back inside. "I... I need to go. I see you tomorrow. Please, be there. I need you." Regina whispers before laying down the phone. She looks at Dr. Stevenson. "Thank you for letting me call." She nervously strokes her belly where her little bean is growing inside. She takes a step toward him. "How can I thank you?"

"Get out of my office," he says very very calmly. He doesn't look at her.

"I... I can try to talk about my fear?" she softly suggests.

The doctor is surprises by her reaction, "Yes Yes, let's do that," dr. Stevenson says and he turns to his computer screen again, "tell me about it please."

Regina sits back down on the chair at the desk, across of him. "My ex-husband." she whispers. "He made me afraid of men, of getting touched without my consent."

"Okay," the doctor mumbles and he is again surprised. Didn't she just come to him... Stroking his chest... Touching him...?  
"Tell me more about it, you didn't get your fear under control, what was the point you couldn't bare it anymore?"

"When he tied up my hands." Regina whispers. She nervously plays with her hands.

"Why did he tie up your hands, miss Mills?"

Regina remains silent. She can't say those words out loud. She shrugs.

"Regina, why did he tie up your hands?" the doctor says more strictly, knowing it's something she doesn't want to tell him.

Regina startles when he uses her name. "You know why." she whispers. "Please, don't make me say it."

"It's good to say it," dr. Stevenson says more strictly, "you can get your fears under control when you talk about them, maybe you can even let them go and that will help you in the next simulation tomorrow morning."

Regina gets up again and walks towards him, positioning herself behind him. She starts to massage his shoulders. "He tied up my hands so he could rape me." she whispers in his ear.

"And what can you do to make it less frightening," dr. Stevenson says, trying to act professional, like he is supposed to be. But with a woman behind him, massaging his shoulders, (a woman that doesn't seem as out of her mind as the others around him) makes it very hard.

"Nothing. I need a strong man to help me against Leopold." she whispers in his ear again. "I can't do it myself. I need someone like you." She strokes his chest again, this time while standing behind him.

"My job is to talk about what happened, the simulations help you to cope with your fears. You need to do it yourself," he says.

Focus focus focus... He keeps saying to himself.

"Then enlighten me." Regina whispers. "How do I do that? Not being afraid of him any longer?" She kisses him softly on his cheek.

"Stop it," he whispers, "stop it, you need to relax, that's the only thing I can tell you, don't let him get to you."

"Relax? How do I relax?" Regina whispers. She turns him towards her and takes place on his lap again.

"You need to lead," dr. Stevenson says, "don't let him do this to you... Do it to him, if you know what I mean, make him afraid of you." He whispers in her ear.

"Like this?" Regina asks him. She kisses him on his lips and wipes her tongue over his lips, demanding entrance to his mouth. Her hands slide under his shirt after leading his hands to her back. To the zipper of her dress.

"Stop," he whispers, but actually he doesn't want to stop at all. He hasn't been so close to a girl for 20 years... His job didn't allow him to, and now he realizes how much he missed it.

Regina softly pulls back. "I'm sorry." she whispers. When she wants to get up from his lap, he doesn't allow her that. She looks at him.

"It doesn't appear to me that you are very afraid of men," he says while he holds his hands on her legs.

"But I am." Regina whispers. "I'm afraid of getting hurt that way again." She tenses under his touch.

The doctor remains silent for a while and lets his hands go.   
He lets her walk away from him, "I see," he whispers.

Regina sits back down on the chair in front of him. "I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"You can go back to your room," dr. Stevenson says strictly, "tomorrow eleven o'clock in the morning, you need to be here for visiting hour."

Regina nodds. She quickly hurries back to her room and hides in her corner. She wants to stay there until it's the next day and Robin is there.

Day turns into night and night turns into day. 7 o'clock in the morning Nancy knocks on Regina's door.

Regina looks up when Nancy enters her room. "Not hungry." she whispers.

"I'm here to bring you some clothes," Nancy says, "I saw you didn't take any clean clothes with you."

Regina looks at the woman in surprise. "Thank you." she mumbles. "That's very kind of you." She looks at the woman. Will she expect some sort of other thank from her?

"No problem," Nancy says, "is there anything else you need?"

"Robin. I need Robin. And my daughter." Regina whispers. "She's... She's only 12 years old. She needs me."

"I'm sorry," Nancy says with a soft voice, "will they visit you today?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, they will." A soft smile glances over her face before she turns inwards again.

"They make you happy, don't they?" Nancy says with a smile.

"Yes, they do. I just... I just want to go home to be with them." A tear runs down Regina's face. She quickly wipes it away.

"I understand," Nancy says, "they are lucky to have someone who loves them so much," she sits down on one of the empty beds, "you won't be here forever."

Regina doesn't like it, someone being nice to her. Actually, she does like it, but she doesn't trust it. Not completely. She crawls a bit further into the corner, afraid to look up at this kind woman.

Nancy stands up when she sees Regina is afraid of her, "I'm sorry," she says and she walks to the door. "You're safe here, I promise, you don't have to be so afraid." She smiles.

"Not safe. Nowhere safe." Regina whispers. Still tensed up she strikes over her belly.

"I understand," Nancy says, "well..." She sighs, "I hope you have a nice meeting with Robin and your daughter."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. Maybe... Maybe tomorrow I'll talk a bit more to you, if... If you'd like that." Regina keeps sitting in her corner until it's almost 11AM. She nervously waits until Nancy comes to get her for Robin and Emma's visit.

"Yeah that's okay," Nancy says and she leaves. 

When it's almost 11 o'clock she knocks on Regina's door again.

Regina quickly gets up. "Are they here?" she asks immediately when Nancy enters her room.

"They will arrive soon," Nancy says and she leads Regina to the room where Robin and Emma will come. She sighs, "I'm so sorry about this..." she says while she puts handcuffs around Regina's left wrist and attaches them to the table. She doesn't look into Regina's eyes when she goes on, "There can only be one person with you, so they will switch after half an hour, do you first want to see your daughter or your husband?"

Regina pulls at her arm. "Please. I don't like that." Regina starts to panic. "Emma. I want to see Emma. Please, take this off of me."

"I'm not allowed to do that, miss Mills, I'm sorry," Nancy says. She feels really sad about it, because she really wants to take it off. "Just relax and then I'll bring Emma to you," she says whiles she sits on the chair in front of Regina's and looks her into her eyes.

Regina pulls once more at her hand. "Please! I want to hug my daughter and Robin. Please, I'll promise I'll be good. Call Dr. Stevenson. Tell him I'll be good. Please." Regina begs now. Tears run down her face. "I'll drink the serum for the simulation without any problem. Please, just... Please." She pulls again.

"Miss Mills I'm so sorry," Nancy says, "dr. Stevenson told me that whatever you would say, I should never take off those handcuffs, so you need to calm down and I'm sure hugging Emma will be just fine." She dries Regina's tears with her sleeve.

Regina pulls away. "Don't touch me!" she snaps. "Can I see my daughter now? And can I say goodbye to her after Robin?"

"I'm sorry," Nancy says again, "and yes I'll make sure that's possible, she walks to the door to let Emma in, "are you ready?"

Regina nodds softly. Tears stream down her face when Emma walks inside the room. "Emma!" she cries.

"Mom!" Emma says and she runs to Regina. She hugs her very tightly as if she would never let go again, even while hugging is a bit hard with one hand tied up. "I love you mom," Emma whispers.

"I love you too, dear. I love you too." Regina can't stop crying. "Come sit with me." she whispers and takes Emma on her lap. "How are you? Is Snow being nice?"

"I'm fine and yes, Snow is always nice," Emma says with a little smile, "what are they doing to you, mom?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, dear. Nothing you should worry about." Regina pulls Emma close to her. She feels a sparkle when Emma's hand touches the bracelet on her wrist. "Do you want to take that bracelet off, Emma? I can't do that with my hand tied up."

"Ehh... Yes, but why do you want that?" Emma says, "and I do want to know what they are doing to you, I wondered about that every day since you were away. Please."

"I just... Talk. About what happened in The Enchanted." Regina whispers. She puts her wrist in front of Emma, the one with the bracelet on. "It itches." Regina winks.

"Mom I'm twelve, don't lie to me," Emma giggles and she takes the bracelet off without any effort. "So what does it do?" she says while she turns the object around in her hand. She places it around her own wrist and a weird feeling goes through her body.

Regina looks at Emma. "You know I have magic, right?" She smiles at the girl. "That bracelet makes me unable to do magic. Thanks for helping me. Now I will help you." Regina winks and gets the bracelet off of Emma's wrist. "Can you keep a secret? Will you hold on to that bracelet for me? Until I get back home?" Regina smiles again. "Just don't put it on, because you can't get it off yourself. That's why I needed you to get it off of me. So thank you, Emma." Regina hugs her little girl with all the love in her body. "Thank you." she whispers again. Regina then gets another bracelet out of the pocket of her pants and puts it on. It looks like the magical bracelet but it doesn't contain anti magic.

Before Emma can react a guard comes in to tell their time is up, "I will," Emma says without asking any more questions, although one is already going through her mind: does this mean she has magic too? "I'll see you next week mom," she says and she waves her mother goodbye, the bracelet safe in her pocket.

Regina hugs her daughter again. "I'll see you in half an hour to say goodbye, alright?" Regina strokes her hair. She nodds to Emma as a sign she believes in her to keep their secret. She then looks up when Robin enters the room. "Robin." she whispers. Tears stream down her face again when he takes her in his arms. "I want to go home. Please."

Robin doesn't react he only holds her close. She knows he can't do anything. This time Robin takes Regina on his lap, because he doesn't feel like sitting in the other side of the table. He kisses her tears away. "How was your talk with Emma?" he says.

"Good. It was good. I miss her so much. Robin, you need to get me out of here. It hurts so much." Regina cries. She doesn't mention the bracelet. No one can found out. She pulls at the handcuffs. "They tie me up like I'm some kind of monster. They hurt me." She cries against his chest.

Robin softly strokes her hair and let her cry, "maybe that's because they think you are a monster, Regina, I think they see all their patients as monsters," Robin whispers, "but you need to prove them you're not... That you're just normal and that you can handle the world." He strokes her hair and looks at her.

"They will never let me go." Regina whispers. "You need to convince the cricket, Robin, please." Regina whispers.

"I already did, but I'll try again," Robin says, "I really will." He doesn't know what to say anymore, so he stays silent. He loves it to have Regina close to him. That's enough.

Regina rests her head against his shoulder. "I love you." she whispers.

"I love you too," he whispers back and they just sit in silence until a guard comes to says the time is up.

"I was allowed to say goodbye to my daughter as well." Regina says. She softly kisses Robin. "You'll call and you'll be back next week, right?" she needs to be sure before he leaves.

"Of course," he says and he gives her one last kiss. When he walks out of the room Emma comes in. She hugs her mom, "goodbye," she says with a smile.

Regina smiles. "Bye, dear. I see you next week, alright? I trust you to keep our little secret." she whispers in the girl's ear. "I love you." Regina gives her daughter one last hug and then waves goodbye. She looks at Dr. Stevenson when he comes to get her.

"I just got a call," dr. Stevenson says, "there is someone else who wants to see you so I'll keep you here for a little while longer."

Regina looks surprised. Who wants to see her? She looks up when the door opens again.

Snow walks in and looks at her mother.

Regina looks at Snow. "Snow." she whispers. She just looks at her, doesn't know what to expect. "How... How are you?"

Snow looks at the ground, "I really thought it was good again between us," Snow says, "I wouldn't reject you, and maybe it's hard to see you like this, but if you think Emma can handle it, why can't I...?"

"I don't know, Snow. I don't know anything anymore." Regina starts to cry. "I'm just so tired." She cries harder.

"Mom please don't cry," Snow says drying her own tears. She walks to her mother and hugs her, "sometimes I just need you and I miss you," Snow whispers.

"I miss you too. So very much. I... I want to come home with you and Robin and Emma." Regina cries. She holds her eldest daughter as close as she can, not wanting to let her go. "The cricket needs to release me. He can do that."

"Robin tried so hard, but he won't let you go," Snow says, and she pulls back, "I think I should go," she whispers and she looks at her feet.

"Why not? Why won't he let me go?" Regina whispers.

"He says you need it," Snow only says, he said a lot of things, but she doesn't tell.

"That's all?" Regina wants to know, knowing her daughter is holding something back.

"No, but the rest doesn't matter," Snow says and she walks to the door.

Regina nodds. "Do you come again next week? I... I would love that." Regina whispers.

"Yes... Yes I will," she whispers and she smiles, "good bye, mom.”

Regina softly smiles back. "I love you, Snow." She looks at her while she walks away and startles when dr. Stevenson comes back inside.

"Meeting time is over," he says and he opens her handcuffs, "had a good time?"

Regina just nodds softly. She looks at him. "Now what?"

"I have bad news for you," he says, "but I'll tell you after your session," he leads her to the room, where the doctors are already ready.

"No. No, not again!" Regina wants to pull away. "What's the bad news?" she wants to know.

"First your session," dr. Stevenson says and he pushes her into the chair. The doctors tie her up again, while one of them prepares the serum.

"Why do I have to be tied up again? I promise I can sit still here." Regina whispers.

"You don't know what you'll do when you're under the serum. We can't take risks," dr. Stevenson says.

Regina nodds. That she can understand to some degree. When the serum is ready she willingly drinks it. She knows she has no other choice.

Leopold appears again. This time he has a knife in one of his hands and a potion in the other. "Regina," he smiles.

Regina wants to pull at her tied up hands but she notices she's free and stands in her bedroom back in The Royal Castle. "Leopold." she whispers, panic in her eyes.

Leopold walks to her and pushes her slowly to the wall, "I have something for you," he says and he holds the potion in front of her eyes, "you only need to drink it."

"No! Let go of me! NO!" Regina screams at him.

He makes it unable for Regina to move and holds the potion against her lips, "drink!" he snaps, while he lets the knife go over her neck. A small cut appears.

Regina moans of pain. That makes is easy for Leopold to pour the poison into her mouth. Regina's body shakes in the chair. "Please." she whispers.

"Do you already feel the pain," Leopold grins, "or do you want me to help the pain a bit," he makes the cut deeper and deeper.

"Please. I... I'll be good." Regina whispers. Back in the chair, blood drips out of her mouth. "Please." she begs.

"You always tell me you'll be good, but you never are," Leopold snaps and he makes a giant cut in her arm. 

Before Regina can react the doctors stop the simulation, they were in shock when they saw the cuts appear on Regina's arms and neck.

Regina coughs up blood. Again she doesn't dare to open her eyes. "I promise I'll be good this time. I promise." she mumbles.

"How is this possible," dr. Stevenson says when they bring Regina to the hospital wing, so they can take care of her wounds. Nancy is trying to get her back; she tells Regina to open her eyes.

"I'll be good. I promise I'll be such a good girl." Regina mumbles again.

"Miss Mills, you need to wake up," Nancy says, but it doesn't work. A doctor starts to clean and bandage her wound. "Regina," Nancy says, maybe calling her real name will help, "Regina, open you eyes."

Regina's eyes flash open and she looks in the kind face of Nancy. Regina looks around. "Where am I?" she whispers.

Nancy sighs of relief, "in the hospital wing," she whispers, "something cut you, but you'll be all right," she tries to smile.

Regina nodds. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't be," Nancy whispers.

"I'm tired." she whispers. "Can I sleep? Please?"

The doctors are ready with Regina's wounds.  
"I'll bring you to your room," Nancy says and she helps Regina up, "do you want to walk?" She says while she is already on her way to pick up a wheelchair.

"Yes, please. I can walk." Regina pulls away from any contact. "I can walk." she repeats very softly.

"Okay," Nancy says. She understands that Regina wants to walk by herself, but she stays close to her.

Slowly Regina follows Nancy to her own room. She needs to stop now and then but she wants to walk by herself.

Nancy smiles, "you are strong," she whispers, "do you know that?" She knows Regina doesn't belong here, although her fears seem quite dangerous and horrible. They arrive at Regina's room.

"I'm not hungry so you don't have to come and get me for lunch." Regina whispers before entering her room and closing the door behind her. She lays down on her bed and falls asleep. She wakes up a couple of hours later, screaming.

The one who is on watch unlocks the door and walks in, "are you okay, Miss," a young man asks kindly.

Regina keeps screaming and can't wake up from her nightmare. "No! Please!"

"Miss Mills," the man says and he walks into the room, he touches Regina's shoulder, so she wakes up, "you need to wake up."

Regina very quickly gets out of her bed and hides in a corner. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I'm sorry." she whispers.

"It's no problem, miss Mills," he says, but he doesn't know what to do, he only knows how to knock people down if they break out... Or break in. "I'll get a doctor for you okay?"

"No. No, not necessary." Regina whispers. "I don't want to get a sleeping injection. Please. I... I'll be good."

"Maybe you can climb into your bed again and try to get some more sleep,"

"Let me be alone, please." Regina whispers. When the guard leaves, she keeps sitting in her corner. She falls back asleep on the ground and gets woken up by Nancy the next morning.

"Hey," Nancy whispers as she sees Regina has finally woken up, "you have slept for a very long time.”

Regina looks up. "I was tired." she shrugs. She slowly gets up from the floor. "Can I take a shower? Please?"

"Oh Yes," Nancy says, but she knows the showers here are horrible, "you can use the shower in my apartment," she softly says, "the showers here are terrible... But don't tell anyone!"

Regina smiles, a genuine and warm smile and the first one since she got here. "Thank you." she whispers.

"You're welcome," Nancy smiles and reaches out her hand, "shall we go?"

Regina allows Nancy to help her get up. She nodds. "Is it alright for me to leave?" she wants to know.

"To leave your room? Of course it is, you can walk around the corridors whenever you want, exept during the night or your sessions." she says.

"I mean to go with you to your apartment." Regina softy asks.

"Ow, you aren't, but my apartment is here in the building, so no one will notice," she says, "all the staff lives here, just in another section not far from here. You don't have to come if you don't dare, you really don't, it was just an offer."

"I do dare. I'm not afraid." Regina quickly replies. "Thank you for the offer." She slowly follows Nancy.

"No problem," Nancy says, "I really can't let you take a shower where you are supposed to take one, if you understand what I mean, they are horrible believe me." She leads Regina to her apartment, where she lives with her husband, a young man called Jonatan. He greets Regina when she comes in and gives Nancy a kiss. Nancy pushes him away with a laugh and leads Regina to the bathroom.

Regina smiles at Jonatan and follows Nancy to the bathroom. "Thank you, again." Regina whispers. When Nancy leaves her alone to shower, Regina locks the door. She feels much safer that way. She then takes a long and hot shower. Afterwards, dressed in clean clothes Robin brought with him, Regina unlocks the door and walks back into the living room.

"You look absolutely gorgeous," Nancy says when Regina walks into the living room again. She stares at Regina's perfect dress for a while and then stands up from the couch.

"Thank you." Regina answers, very shy. "I... I think I need to eat something. Do you mind bringing me back?" she asks softly.

"No no of course not," she says and she kisses Jonatan goodbye, "let's go," she says, almost happy Regina wants to eat something. They arrive at the dining room, as if nothing happened.

They arrive in time for breakfast. Regina slowly sits down at an empty table and eats 1 slice of bread. She then waits until she can go back to her room.

Breakfast is finished and everyone leaves the room. No one comes to see Regina.

Regina just keeps sitting. She doesn't move. She just keeps staring in front of her.

"Miss, it's time to leave," the guard by the door says.

"Hmm? Oh, right. Sorry." Regina gets up and wanders through the hallway before noticing Dr. Stevenson coming her way.

"Regina," he greets her and he walks on.

"Can I call Robin? Please?" Regina quickly asks him.

"You can't.”

"I can thank you, if that's what you want." Regina whispers clearly, her hand on his for a second.

"Didn't you hear me?" dr. Stevenson says and he looks at her, trying to ignore her hand touching his.

Regina startles and pulls away. "Yes. Yes, I did hear you. I'm sorry." She quickly hides in her room in a corner again.

A month passes by. Regina has sessions everyday. The sessions with her biggest fear, Leopold, never went well, so a few weeks ago the doctors started with some lighter fears, abandoning her biggest fear for a while. Nancy lets Regina take showers in her apartment when it's possible and dr. Stevenson is as angry as ever. Robin, Emma and Snow come every week and when dr. Stevenson is in a good mood he even lets Regina call with Robin, who tells her every time that she has to eat, because he knows Regina won't if no one tells her to. He really hopes she does it.

"Regina Mills, come to dr. Stevenson's office please. Miss Mills, to office," sounds through the speakers of the ward.

During that month Regina sleeps every night in her corner. She feels safer there. The only thing she looks forward to is when her family comes to visit. The rest of the time she's silent and doesn't eat much, but enough to stay alive. Some of her lighter fears have been taking care off. She's no longer afraid in the dark and she's no longer afraid to end up completely alone and abandoned. She still carries the non magical bracelet which nobody has found out.

When she hears what's been said through the speakers, Regina slowly makes her way to Dr. Stevenson's office.

"Sit down please," dr. Stevenson says, "I think you know Robin was arrested a month ago?" He looks at Regina.

Regina nodds. She knew but didn't know any specifics. She waits until Dr. Stevenson continues.

"Well today he has finally got his sentence, he had been given a four-month jail sentence, because he kept information about Aurora away from us. Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan will have an imprisonment of two months."

"What?!" Regina snaps. "Who is going to take care of Emma when the three of them aren't there?!" Panic washes over her. "Please. Drop the charges. Blame me. I'm the one who took Aurora with me. Please!"

"Miss Blanchard and David Nolan found a place for Emma to stay," dr. Stevenson says without talking about blame, "Aurora is here again, since I think two weeks, she has been replaced to another ward."

"A place to stay? Like in the system? I don't think so!" Regina snaps. "Please, I need to go home to my little girl. Please." Regina begs now. "She needs me. Please. I... I'll do anything."

"They didn't tell me where she would stay," dr. Stevenson says, "but they told me it was somewhere safe, tomorrow she even comes to visit you. You know I can't let you go."

Regina gets up and walks over to Dr. Stevenson. "Please. I'll do anything." Regina whispers. She slowly sits down on his lap and strokes his chest. She leads his hand to the back of her dress.

"Regina I can't do anything," he says, "I'm sure your daughter doesn't want you to do this."

"But you do, don't you?" Regina smiles. She softly kisses him. "Go on. You can touch me." She needs to get out of here, her family needs her. "Please." she whispers.

"Yes I do," dr. Stevenson says and he kisses her for a for a very short time, "but I told you, I can't do this, I'll lose everything I have." He stands up, so Regina falls on the ground. 

Regina breaks. She starts to cry and isn't able to stop any time soon. "I need to be there for my little girl." she cries in desperation. "My family needs me. I'm done here. Please." Regina's body starts to shake uncontrollable. A panic attack washes over her. "Please! You can't rip my family apart like this!" Her heart beats fast and she doesn't have her breathing under control. "I'm capable of taking care of Emma, please, I need to go home!" Fear of losing consciousness shows clearly in her eyes now.

"This amount of panic doesn't really convince me, miss Mills," dr. Stevenson says. He doesn't feel like dealing with this in a proper way so he injects a sleeping medicine in her arm and let the doctors bring her to the hospital wing.

"No..." Regina's voice dies out when she falls asleep. After a couple of hours, she wakes up with a headache. She pulls at the ties around her wrists and ankles. "Please!" she screams.

"it's all right," Nancy whispers, "relax or you will hurt yourself.”

"Nancy." Regina whispers. "Emma needs me. She's going to be all alone. She needs me. I need to get out of here. Please!"

"She is safe," Nancy says softly, "dr. Stevenson told me she is with family, so it's all fine."

"Family? Emma doesn't have any family besides me, Robin and my eldest daughter." Regina replies, confused now. "Which family is he talking about?"

"He didn't tell me," Nancy says, "but I'm sure she is fine."

"She's not!" Regina snaps. "She needs me, her mother!" She snaps again. "Let me go! Let me go, please!" Regina begs now. "Please. I'll be a good girl."

"Miss Mills, please," Nancy says, "I don't want to give you that sleaping medicines again, please calm down." She lays her hand on Regina's cheek and softly stokes it. "Emma will be here tomorrow."

Regina pulls her face away. "I... I don't like it when you touch me. Not when I'm tied up." she explains with a very soft voice.

"I'm sorry," Nancy says and she just sits still next to Regina's bed.

"Can I go to my own room for the night?" Regina whispers. "Please?"

Nancy nods and slowly unties Regina's ankles, she hesitates when she unties her hands.

Regina just looks at her. She remains silent and just waits.

"Will you promise me you'll just go to your room?" she whispers, "no fighting... Or fleeing?"

"I need to go to my daughter." Regina whispers.

Nancy keeps Regina's hands tied up. "You can't," she says. Nancy isn't letting her go anymore.

"I thought you were my friend." Regina whispers, hurt in her eyes. "But I really can't trust anyone, can I?"

"He threatened me," Nancy says, "but no... maybe you can't trust anyone," she whispers with tears in her eyes. That really hurt.

"He? Who's he?" Regina wants to know. "Maybe I can help you."

"You know who, the one man who has all the power right here," she says, "I don't need your help."

"Dr. Stevenson?" Regina whispers. "Is he the one you mean?"

"Of course he is," Nancy says.

"If you let me go, I can help you. Please, Nancy." Regina whispers.

"No," she whispers, "I gave you a chance, but you wasted it."

"Nancy, please. I.. I really can help you. You just have to give me a chance. Please, untie my hands." Regina begs now.

"I can’t take that risk," Nancy says, "he will destroy my family, I will never be save again if you leave this place!"

"I'm not leaving, I promise. I promise, Nancy. Please. Just give me a chance." Regina whispers.

"You just said you need to go to your daughter, that doesn't really sound like staying for me." she says. She is really scared.

"I... I can't explain how exactly I'm going to help you, but I promise dr. Stevenson won't be a problem. I promise. You just need to give me a chance and... trust me." Regina whispers.

"I'm sorry miss Mills," Nancy says, "you should know more than anyone that I can't take this risk, I love my family just as much as you do yours, I can't let anything happen to them."

"Please. Nancy, please. You can trust me, I swear. What can I do for you to give me a chance? Please."

"What will you do when I release you?" Nancy says, "and don't lie."

"I will go talk to dr. Stevenson without mentioning your name." Regina answers honestly.

"You can't," Nancy says, "I'm the only one who can set you free, he will know it was me."

"All I ask for is a chance, Nancy. Please." Regina begs one last time.

"I can't give you that chance if I don't know for sure that he won't touch anyone I love!" Nancy says and she almosts starts to cry, "you need to understand that!"

"I understand." Regina whispers. She closes her eyes, tears running down her face. All she asks for is a chance and nobody seems to give her that.

"Would you give me a chance, if the life of the people you care about are in danger?" Nancy says, she is frigtened. Regina should understand...

"Yes. Yes, I would. Because I trust you." Regina whispers, very honestly.

"I'm sorry," she whispers.

Regina closes her eyes again. "You can go. I want to be alone."

Nancy leaves the room, feeling more horrible that she has ever felt in her life.

Regina cries herself to sleep. The next morning, she wakes up with another headache.

In the morning dr. Stevenson comes to get Regina. "good morning," he says.

Regina just looks at him but doesn't say a word.

"Your sweet little daughter is here for you," dr. Stevenson says with a grin, "so I guess you want to see her."

"Can you untie me? I... I don't want her to see me like this. Please?" Regina asks him, softly and calm.

"Yes," dr. Stevenson says strictly, "follow me.”

Regina calmly follows dr. Stevenson. On the way over to her little girl, she asks if she can go to the bathroom, just quickly. "You can even wait in front of my door so you're sure I won't escape. Please?" she suggests herself.

Dr. Stevenson know something is not right here, she finally gets to see her daughter and now she wants to go to the bathroom... But he lets her go.

Regina quickly goes to the bathroom and washes her hands afterwards. Before she walks out of the bathroom, together with dr. Stevenson, she pushes him against the wall and rips out his heart. She smiles while she looks up at him. "Now..." she smiles.

Dr. Stevenson gasps for air. "What... Wh-" he can't get the words out, because he almost collapses.

Regina squeezes a little bit. "You're going to walk me to my daughter and you're going to tell her the news that you're releasing me tomorrow. She can sleep one more night with the people who are taking care of her now and I'll pick her up first thing in the morning. You're going to let me out of here, without any restrictions and you're going to drop the charges against Robin, Mary Margaret and David. Do you understand me?" Regina asks him.

Dr. Stevenson leans agains the wall, his hands placed on his chest. "I' will, miss, I promise," he says, "please.”

"After I'm gone tomorrow, you're also going to release Aurora and close her case forever. She is never to come back again." Regina smiles and squeezes just a little again. "You're not going to hurt Nancy or her family. She has nothing to do with this. And last but not least... At the end of this week you are going to walk away from this place and never come back. Find another job. Just nothing that involves working with people. Because you suck at it. Do you understand me?" Regina asks again.

Dr. Stevenson collapses before he can answer. He lays unconcious on the ground and doesn't move.  
"Mom?" Emma says. She looks at her mother and can't believe it.

Regina quickly hides the heart of dr. Stevenson inside her pocket where no one can see it. She turns around to her daughter. 'Emma." she whispers. After locking the door to the bathroom, she lowers to the ground, to the same height as her daughter. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to see this but there is no other way." Regina explains.

"You just killed that man! And what's that in your pocket?" Emma says, "or do you think I didn't see you hide it?"

"I didn't kill him. He's unconcious, but he isn't dead. I promise." Regina gets his heart out of his pocket. "This is his heart. I'm not going to kill him, Emma, I promise you that. I'm... I'm influencing him so I can take you home tomorrow and so he will drop the charges against our family. I'm doing this for us, for our family, Emma. Can you... Can you understand that?" Regina asks softly.

"You ripped his heart out?" Emma says, "how can you do that to someone." She finds all this stuff a bit scary, "you'll come home tomorrow?"

"If you let me finish this and promise me to never tell anyone you saw this. Then I can come home tomorrow and I won't have to come back here ever again." Regina answers honestly.

"But you need to give him that heart back," Emma says worried, "he... He can't live without it," she looks at her mom.

"I will. I promise. Tomorrow before I go I'll give him his heart back. You don't have to worry about that, Emma. I'll instruct him what to do and before I go I give him his heart back. He then won't remember anything but he'll still knows what he needs to do, what I instructed him. Do you understand?"

"Yes yes, I do. But isn't that very unfair?" Emma says.

Regina nodds. "It is. But dr. Stevenson isn't fair either, Emma. He threatened one of the nurses and he's pressing charges against our family because we tried to help Aurora. Does that sound fair to you?" Regina calmly asks her youngest daughter.

This calm voice has always frightened Emma a little, "but mom... Well... Snow told me that revenge is never the answer."

Regina nodds and smiles softly. "And Snow is right. She really is. But this is the only way to come home and take care of you and our family, Emma. This man is never going to release me from this place. He likes torturing people and he will never let me come home. I don't see any other way, dear, I really don't." Regina whispers those last words.

Emma nods, "it won't hurt him? And you will finally come home again?" Emma smiles now, "and then you'll stay home, won't you? ... Promise."

"It won't hurt him. And I will come home and I'll stay home. I promise, Emma. I promise." Regina hugs her little girl before turning back to dr. Stevenson who is waking up slowly. Regina asks him again if he understand everything she just said.

"Kill me," he snaps, "just kill me." His voice is barely hearable. Emma runs away.

Regina shakes her head. "I won't. You don't deserve that." Regina puts his heart back into her pocket. "Now, you're going to do what I just told you and you're not going to try anything because then... I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do." Regina turns around and runs after Emma. "Emma!" She finds her little girl in the hallway.

Emma just runs on, without looking at her mother when she calls her name.

Regina runs after her daughter and because she's faster than her, she quickly grabs her by her arm, softly. She doesn't want to hurt her daughter. "Emma, are you alright? I... I didn't kill him." Regina whispers in her ear while giving her a warm hug.

Emma hugs her mother back and smiles very bright, "you came after me," she whispers and she closes her eyes, "you really did...". Her mother came running after her. She ran... only for her, and that makes her feel like she is special, maybe even worth something.

"Of course I did, Emma. I love you." Regina whispers back. "With who are you staying at the moment, dear?" she then asks with a smile on her face.

"I'm staying with grandma," Emma says with a smile, "I've already been with her for five days now."

"And is she being nice to you?" Regina wants to know. She wants to give her mother a chance so she gives her the benefit of the doubt.

"Yes," Emma says, "why wouldn't she be?"

"Just asking to be sure." Regina winks at her. They watch Dr. Stevenson walk towards them and hear him say the things Regina instructed him to say.

"I almost did everything you told me to do what," Dr. Stevenson says, "can I have my heart back now," His chest hurts and he feels dizzy all the time.

"You can have it back before I leave tomorrow." After glancing through the hallway to make sure no one is there, Regina pulls out his heart. "And you won't remember I have your heart until tomorrow right before I leave." Regina slips the heart back into her pocket.

Emma and Regina walks to the exit of the building. Cora waits for them at the entrance hall. "Hello," she says when she sees Emma, but when she looks up she sees her daughter, "Regina," she smiles, "I didn't expect you here."

"Mother." Regina softly smiles. She gives her a warm hug. "Thank you for taking care of Emma. I'll be getting out of here tomorrow, so what do you say we travel back to Storybrooke together?" Regina suggests.

"Yes, great plan," Cora says and she hugs her daughter back, "Emma and I will book a hotel then." She smiles when Emma nods, "how are you doing, Regina?" she asks.

"Better now I know I can go home tomorrow." Regina smiles. She looks over her shoulder to Dr. Stevenson. "Isn't that right, doctor?" She gives him a big smile.

Dr. Stevenson has an angry look on his face, "yes Miss," he says.

"Do you have his heart?" Cora whispers and she raises her eyebrows. She knows the behavior of someone without a heart very well...   
"Well done," she whispers, while she grins and shakes her head.

Regina smiles but looks at Emma. "I promise he will get his heart back before I leave. Do you want to pick me up tomorrow morning?" Regina asks her mother and daughter.

"All right," Cora says, "where shall we wait? The Parking station? I don't think those guards will let us in the building when there is not visiting hour."

Regina nodds. "Great idea. Thank you, mom." She gives both of them a hug before going back inside with Dr. Stevenson. "I will be at my room until tomorrow morning and I'll have my bag ready to go. I don't want to be disturbed." Regina closes the door behind her. She puts his heart safely away underneath her clothes. She looks up when someone knocks on the door and enters her room.

Nancy walks in like to change Regina's pillow and blankets. She doesn't look at Regina, still very afraid. In the corner of her eye she sees Regina is packing her stuff. "Are you leaving?" she softly dares to ask.

Regina nodds. "I am. Tomorrow. Like I said my family needs me." She looks up at Nancy. "Thank you for being so kind to me while I was here. Dr. Stevenson is leaving this facility at the end of the week so I suggest the staff needs to find another, more compassionate, psychiatrist."

"I don't deserve a thank you," she whispers, "He... is he really leaving?" she says. She doesn't want that Regina thanks her, not after what she has done.

Regina nodds. "Let's just say he... he had a change of hearts." She smiles at the woman in front of her. "I take it you and the rest of the staff find someone better fit for this job?"

"Okay," Nancy says, "well... Good bye then, it was very nice to meet you." She means it, Regina was the first one in all those years she really could have a conversation with.

"It was really nice to meet you too. Again, thank you for being so kind to me." Regina gives Nancy a small hug before she leaves her alone in her room. This last night Regina sleeps in her bed. The next morning, she gets woken up by Dr. Stevenson.

"Aurora didn't want to come, miss Mills," dr. Stevenson says when Regina has woken up. He is afraid she won't give him his heart back now...

"She wants to stay here?" Regina asks for confirmation.

"She told me to go away, she won't let me talk to her," he says.

Regina nodds. "That's alright. Once you resign from this job at the end of this week, the staff will find someone more suitable as a psychiatrist, someone who will be able to help her. Let her know I will visit her regularly." Regina looks at Dr. Stevenson. "Now leave me. I will get ready to leave."

"She won't let anyone help her, I'm sure about that," dr. Stevenson says, "the only thing she will do is starve herself to death, but I will tell her."

"She won't let anyone help her who isn't qualified for the job. Tell her you're resigning and I'll personaly meet the new psychiatrist to see if he or she is fit for the job. You make sure I can do that, right?" Regina smiles at dr. Stevenson.

"Yes miss Mills," dr. Stevenson says and he bows his head. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Wait outside of my room so I can dress myself, please." Regina says while turning around. She starts to undress herself, making sure dr. Stevenson sees her naked back before leaving the room. A little bit of teasing never hurt anyone. When Regina is finished she calls dr. Stevenson back inside. "I'm ready to leave."

Dr. Stevenson takes a deep breath, "okay," he says, "and ehh, I called the prison where you husband is staying and they won't drop the charges..." He looks at the ground.

Regina's eyes flash up towards dr. Stevenson. "If you drop the charges, everything should be just fine." she snaps. "Try again. Now!"

"It's already done, miss Mills, there is nothing I can do about it," he says.

Regina takes his heart and squeezes it a little bit. Not enough to knock him unconscience but enough to let him feel the pain. "Try. Again!"

"Yes, yes," dr. Stevenson says and he runs away.

Regina smiles. After about half an hour dr. Stevenson returns to her room. "So?" she asks him.

"I'm sorry," he says and he doesn't dare to look at Regina.

Regina mumbles something into his heart. That he is to resign from this job the day after tomorrow and make sure Regina herself can get to know the new head psychiatrist of this facility so she knows the other patients are in good hands. She tells him to never work with people again and to forget all this has ever happened. With a lot of anger Regina pushes his heart back into his chest. "Now. Will you walk me outside?" she smiles at him.

Dr. Stevenson is very confused, "fine," he says and he brings her to the exit.

"Thank you. I do hope you find a job that suits you better than this one." She says goodbye to dr. Stevenson and then turns around to her mother and Emma. "Emma!" she smiles brightly.

"Don't act so surprised mom, you knew I would be here," Emma giggles, but she still runs to her mom and gives her a hug.

Regina gives her youngest daughter a long and warm hug back. "I'm so glad I can come home with you." she whispers in her ear. She then looks up at her own mother. "Thank you again for taking care of her." she softly smiles.

"No problem at all," Cora says, "we had quite a good time together," she smiles and Emma nods.

"You did? I'm glad." Regina smiles at the both of them. "Now tell me, Emma, she didn't make you eat her lasagna, did she?" Regina winks at her daughter.

Emma starts to laugh, "now she didn't," she says, "she didn't dare!"

"Good." Regina winks at her mother now. The three of them walk over to the car that will take them to the prison where their family currently is, not far from the facility.

"I called this morning," Cora says, "we can be with Robin, Snow White and David, until dinner."

Regina nodds. "Thank you, mother." she whispers. She's nervous to see the three of them. "Can we see them together or each individual?" she wants to know.

"Together," Cora says with a smile, she fixed that for her, "unless you want to see them one by one."

"No, together is great. Thank you." Regina gives her mother a genuine smile. She's glad her mother is here to help her because she doesn't know if she could do this all by herself. "Thank you, mother." Regina replies softly.

Cora winks, "no problem, dear," they drive on to the prison, Cora does the talking and the walk in.

Regina and Emma follow Cora in silence. Regina holds Emma's hand tightly in her own. "I'm right here with you, dear." Regina whispers.

"Mom," Emma sighs, "I'm not afraid," and she gets out of her mothers arms, "I'm not a baby," she grins.

Regina smiles brightly. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting you're already 12 years old." She winks.

"I forgive you," Emma laughs.

Regina giggles. She's a bit nervous to see Robin.

They get to the room, in which Robin, Snow and David are staying. Emma immediately runs to her parents and hugs them. Robin smiles at Regina and walks to her.

"Robin." Regina whispers while finding her safe spot in his arms. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," he says and he kisses her. This was the first real hug they had in ages, a hug where Regina is free.

"I'm so sorry. I... I tried to get you guys out of here but I... I failed. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers, feeling very, very guilty.

"It's okay," Robin says, "I tried to safe Aurora, but I failed too," he strokes her hair.

"It isn't fair." Regina softly cries now. "I just want to go home with all of you."

"We will be home again in four months," Robin says, "we can make that."

Regina shakes her head. "You will be away eight months, won't you?" she whispers.

"I promise I'll be home before the baby comes," Robin says, "maybe they will release me sooner."

Regina nodds. "Is it possible to talk to the one who's in charge here?" she wants to know.

"And kill him, so I can go home," Robin says with a laughs, "things don't work that way Regina."

"Not kill him." she smiles. "Influence him."

"No that's not going to happen," Robin grins.

"Why not? Don't you want to be home with me?" Regina pouts.

Robin raises his eyebrows, "you know what I mean.”

"No, I don't." Regina takes a step back. "I can get you all out of here by tonight and you don't want my help?"

"No because it will get us into trouble, again," Robin says, "do you remember the last time you freed yourself with magic?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, I remember." she whispers. A tear runs down her face.

"Good," Robin whispers, "we will get through this."

Regina nodds. "We will. I'll come visit you every week, I promise. And the both of you too." she whispers at Snow and David.

Snow and David nod and Snow forces a smile.

Regina kisses Robin softly. "I'll miss you so much." she whispers.

"I'll miss you too," Robin says, "but you have Emma, don't forget that." He smiles.

"I will take good care of her. I promise." Regina whispers. "I'll take very good care of our daughter, Snow. I promise." she now speaks to Mary Margaret.

"Of course you will," Snow says and she hugs her mother, "you are her mother too, Regina, and I know you're the best mother in the world."

"Am I? I highly doubt that, but I try my best." Regina whispers in Snow's ear. "I try my best to keep our family whole."

"Good and you will," Snow whispers back, "will you take Emma with you when you come here? If she wants to and if she has time," she smiles, "it's very busy at school."

"I promise I'll take her with me every week if she wants to. I've always been homeschooled, so if Emma doesn't understand something at school, I can always help her with that. If that's alright with her, of course." Regina answers honestly.

"Good," Snow says and David nods. Emma looks around and is surprised when she doesn't see Cora. "Where is grandma?" she asks Regina.

"I don't know." Regina mumbles. She asks the guard, who is standing outside of the door, where her mother went.

"Your mother?" the guard says, "what do you mean?"

"The woman who was with me and my daughter when we first came here. Where is she?" Regina wants to know.

"I haven't seen anyone, miss.”

Regina looks over her shoulder to Robin and Snow. "That's odd." she whispers to them.

Snow and David look at each other and back to Regina, "how is that possible?" Snow asks. Emma looks around and so does Robin, "she doesn't have magic, does she?" Robin asks.

"I didn't think so." Regina whispers. "But those are worries for when we go home. I want to enjoy every minute with you."

"we can play cards with the whole family," David says with a grin and he picks up a set of cards out of his pocket, Emma laughs, "with almost the whole family," she says.

Regina smiles. "I'm in."

"Me too," Snow says and Robin nods. they sit down around the table.

"Emma, do you want to help me?" Regina suggests. She smiles at her daughter.

"No," Emma grins, "I can win without anyone's help.”

"I'll believe it when I see it." Regina laughs. But indeed, after a couple of rounds Emma has beaten every adult. Regina enjoys moments like these so much, she can't wait for everyone to be home in 8 months. She strokes her belly. She's nervous about having to leave soon. Where is her mother?

After quite a lot of rounds, Cora comes inside again, "well," she says while she smiles to the group, "make yourself ready to leave."

Regina looks up at her mother, surprised. "What did you do?" she immediately wants to know.

"Exactly the same thing as you did," Cora says, "I don't have much magic, but still enough to rip out some hearts."

"You... You did that for... For me?" Regina whispers, stunned.

"Yes, I did," Cora says and she smiles.

Regina looks over her shoulder to Robin, Snow and David, to see what they think about this.

"Let's go then," Snow says after a long silence.

Regina just nodds and follows everyone outside.

"I know what I'm doing," Cora says when everyone around her is acting kind of suspicious.

"Alright then." Regina decides to just follow her mother.

The guards don't stop them when they walk outside.

When the whole group is standing outside, Regina can't help but to laugh of happiness and jump into Robin's arms. "Let's go home!" she smiles brightly.

Robin holds her up and laughs with her, "yes let's go," he says and he kisses her. The rest already sat down in the car and look at Robin and Regina with a grin.

When they all sit down in the car that will take them to Storybrooke, Regina's smile couldn't me brighter. "Finally." she whispers.

Robin smiles and they leave. David drives them all the way home. They only stop to have dinner.

Once they get home, Regina looks at Emma. With who is she going to go home?

Emma walks to Snow to go home, her room and all her stuff is in Snow's house... She smiles to Regina.

Regina smiles back. She rather had Emma to come home with her but she realises all of Emma's things are at Snow's place. "See you tomorrow? All of you?" Regina asks softly.

"Yes," Snow and Emma says. "Breakfast at Granny's," David suggests.

Regina nodds. "I would love that." She hugs her two daughters for a long time and then turns towards her mother. "Thank you. I... I don't know how to thank you." she whispers.

"Thank yourself," Cora says, "the heart-thing was your idea."

Regina nodds. She hugs her mother softly and then walks home with Robin. She smiles at him while walking. "I love you. You know that, right?" she asks him.

"I do," Robin says and he lays his arm around her shoulder.

Regina smiles and walks home with him, feeling completely safe and loved.

They walk inside. The house is completely dark and clean. Robin turns on the lights.

Regina jumps in Robin's arms again. She laughs. "I'm so glad to be home with you. Finally!"

"Me too," Robin says and he keeps het up, kissing her neck. "I'm so glad I can hold you again without those handcuffs and more than an hour," he grins.

Regina nodds with a bright smile on her face. "Me too. I don't ever want to go back there. But I have to. I want to make sure the next psychiatrist is someone fit for that job." she explains.

"But that's different," Robin says, "you're not some kind of prisoner anymore.”

Regina nodds. "Indeed. I want to help the people in there. I... I know what it's like on the inside and it's not something anyone would like or benefit of." She shakes a bit when she thinks back at at the simulations.

"Helping them is the best thing you can do," Robin says, "it's really not good what they are doing there, so it's time for a change."

Regina nodds in agreement. "It really is." she smiles. "But now it's time for something enterly else." She winks at Robin.

"O is it?" he says and he raises his eyebrows.

"It really, really, really is." Regina giggles while pulling out her t-shirt. She takes Robin's hand and leads the both of them to his bedroom.

Robin pulls out his shirt too and undresses himself completely. He pulls her on the bed and kisses her.

Regina kisses him back and lets him undress her completely. "Go on." she whispers in his ear.

Robin does what she says and lays his hands on her back. He goes on. It has been a very long time...

After enjoying each other for a very, very long time, Regina falls asleep in Robin's arms. She feels safer and happier than ever.

Robin smiles and falls asleep too. It has been a long time since he felt this happy and he enjoys it with everything he has.

Regina wakes up early the next morning. She decides to go downstairs and make Robin pancakes for breakfast.

When Robin wakes up he smells pancakes and coffee. He smiles and walks downstairs. "What a surprise," he says. Normally he was the one who was up early.

Regina smiles brightly. "I wanted to surprise you." she smiles.

Robin smiles and wraps his arms around her, "I like it," he says.

Regina smiles back. "Now, don't eat too much because within an hour we need to be at Granny's." she winks at him.

"I know, I know," Robin says.

Regina giggles. "I'm going to get ready, is that alright?" She smiles at him.

"Why wouldn't that be all right?" Robin grins.

"Because that means I have to leave you here downstairs, unless... You'll help me get ready?" Regina winks, doesn't wait for an answer and walks up the stairs.

Robin shakes his head, but follows her, "what do you need, miss Mills," he says with a laugh.

Regina and Robin have a lot of fun dressing one another. Regina enjoys this moment so very, very much. "Come on, Robin! We're going to be late!" she giggles.

Robin looks at the clock and sees Regina is right, "o no!!" he says very dramatically and he pushes Regina out of the room and downstairs.

Regina laughs while walking down the stairs. Robin and she walk over to Granny's. "I need to see Dr. Hopper after breakfast." Regina says.

"Are you sure?" Robin says, "shall I go with you?"

"That would be nice, thank you." Regina smiles. When they walk into Granny's Regina immediately notices Emma. "Hello dear." she smiles.

"Hi mom," Emma says. She, Snow and David are already sitting at the table.

Regina and Robin sit down next to the others. "Did you all sleep well, in your own bed?"

"It was wonderful," Snow says with a deep sigh, "so much better!"

Regina smiles brightly. "I know, it really is." she giggles. "What do you want to do today?"

"I'm going to work," Snow and David say at the same time. Emma looks at her mom, "and I'm going to school."

Regina smiles. "Sounds like a good plan. Robin and I are going to talk to dr. Hopper, because he needs to know what happens in that facility."

"What are you going to tell him?" Snow says.

"The truth. It's as simple as that." Regina smiles.

"But are you angry with him?"

"I don't know actually. Maybe. Maybe not. I want to believe he doesn't know what's going on over there." Regina answers honestly.

"Good," Snow says.  
They go on eating their breakfast and then Emma, Snow and David have to leave for work and school.

Robin and Regina leave for dr. Hopper. Regina knocks on the door to his office.

The blue fairy opens the door, "Regina, Robin, hi," she says very surprised but with a happy voice, "I'm so sorry, dr. Hopper isn't here."

Regina looks at Robin, confused. "What do you mean, he isn't here?" Regina wants to know.

"He is just gone," the blue fairy says, "he left a not, which I found yesterday. It said he left town and would never come back."

"Did he say where he went?" Regina wants to know.

"No," the blue fairy says, while she lets Regina and Robin come in, "I only got this note."

"Damn." Regina whispers. "I had hoped to talk to him about Boston."

"I'm sorry," the blue fairy says, "and unfortunately I think he was serious, because all his stuff is gone."

Regina nodds. "Thank you." She smiles and leaves with Robin. "Now what?" she asks him.

"I don't know," Robin sighs.

Regina takes his hand in hers. "Now we..." But Regina can't finish her sentence because someone suddenly shows up in front of them.

"Now what?" Hook says with a grin.

"What do you want?" Regina snaps.

"My bean.”

"I don't have that for you." Regina snaps again.

"I give you two days," Vincent snaps back, imitating Regina's strict voice.

"I won't have that bean in two days."

"I think you will, if you know what I will do when you don't have it!" Vincent says.

Regina shrugs. "I don't think that's going to happen.'

"You've grown more confident, I like that," Hook says, "Boston has done something good." He smiles and walks away from them.   
Robin hugs Regina, "that was perfect," he whispers.

Regina's hands shake. "Maybe." she whispers. "But he's going to come back in 2 days’ time."

"Two days is enough," Robin says, "maybe we can find a bean or something."

"I'm not planning on helping him, Robin." Regina answers him.

"Okay," he says, "Well then we shouldn't worry about him now."

Regina nodds. "You're probably right." she smiles. "What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know," Robin says, "what do YOU want to do?"

"I don't know." Regina whispers. "I wanted to talk to Dr. Hopper what happens in that facility, but I guess that's not an option any longer." Regina sighs.

"I think he knew exactly what happened there, Regina," Robin says.

"You do? How come you think that?" Regina wants to know. She looks up at Robin with questions in her eyes.

"Why would he run if he didn't," he says and he looks into Regina's eyes.

"That can be right." Regina nodds. "But still. I had hoped to at least talk about it. Will you... Do you want to listen to me?" Regina then whispers.

"Yes of course I want that," Robin says, "tell me everything you want."

"Not here. Not where everyone can hear us. Maybe... Maybe back at your home? Please?"

"Yes, Yes of course," Robin says and they walk to his home.

Regina has a feeling something is off with Robin, something isn't right, but she doesn't know exactly what so she pushes that feeling aside. When they get home Regina sits down on the couch and pulls her knees close to her.

Robin sits down next to her, "so what do you want to tell me?" he asks her.

"Are you alright, Robin?" Regina first wants to know.

"yes I'm fine," Robin says with a nod, "why?"

"You seem a bit... off." Regina mumbles.

"O no, really, no don't think that," he says with a fake smile.

Regina looks at him, uncertainty in her eyes. "What is going on, Robin?" she wants to know.

"Nothing," Robin lies, "really nothing." He takes Regina in his arms and kisses her.

Regina takes a step back. "What is it?" she asks again.

"I told you it's nothing," Robin says, "I'm just tired or something, I don't know."

"No, you're not. It's something else. What's going on?"

"No-thing," Robin says.

Regina takes another step back. "I don't believe you." she whispers. "What's gotten into you?"

"Fine don't believe me," Robin says, "it doesn't matter."

Regina starts to get anxious and hides in a corner of the house. "I don't like it when you act like that." she tells him.

Robin sighs, "you just have to trust me," he says.

Regina nodds slowly and comes back out of her corner. "Alright." She sits back down on the couch and starts to talk about Boston. "I had... sessions. Back in Boston." she starts softly.

Robin sits down next to her and only listens. He just hopes she doesn't ask him things again,

Regina tells a bit about Boston. "What is going on?" she asks Robin again.

"Stop asking me that," Robin says and he stands up.

"No, I won't stop. You're going to tell me what's wrong!" Regina snaps now.

"No," Robin says, "I won't."

"Yes, you will!" Regina starts to scream now. She stands closely in front of Robin. "Tell me!"

"Things don't work this way, Regina," Robin says, "you can't just scream at me to get what you want."

"Things don't work either if you don't tell me what's going on!"

"In this case things will work better if I don't tell you," Robin says.

"I don't believe that." Regina snaps. "What's going on, Robin?" she asks again.

Robin walks away. He goes upstairs to take a shower.

Regina's body shakes from anxiety now. What if Robin isn't Robin but someone disguised as him? How can she trust him if he doesn't tell her everything that's going on? She hides in the darkest corner again and makes herself as small as possible.

When Robin has finished his shower. When he walks downstairs and doesn't see Regina, he knows she is hiding again, "Regina..." Robin says, "I promise, I'm only trying to help you okay?"

Regina remains very silent. She's too afraid of him at this moment.

Robin sits down on the couch, "can't you just trust me, Regina," Robin says, "like I trust you?"

"How can I trust you when you're not telling me everything that's going on?" Regina whispers softly.

"Because..." Robin says, but he doesn't go on, "one day I'll tell you and maybe you will even be happy about it"

Regina just looks at him. "I don't understand." she whispers.

"You will one day," Robin says, he knows if he tells Regina, she will stop him... Them, so he doesn't, but he really wants too, because this feels so wrong.

"I want to understand it now!"

"Promise me you won't stop us," Robin only says.

"Us? Who is us?" Regina wants to know.

"Promise."

"Promise." Regina whispers.

"Me and Cora are working on a potion to give our child his or her love for you back..." he starts.

"You... You... What?" Regina mumbles.

"We are helping you," Robin says, "so our child will be normal again, so our child can love us both."

"You... You're trusting Cora?" Regina mumbles now.

"Yes," Robin says, "I trust her because you wanted to give her a chance.”

Regina slowly nodds. She did say that but does she really trust her mother? Not completely. But she's trying to help her, isn't she? So maybe... Maybe she should trust her. A small smile appears on her face. "Thank you." she whispers.

Robin smiles and walks to the kitchen If Regina won't ask more, he won't tell her more, he doesn't want her to stop the thing they are doing.

Regina follows him to the kitchen. "What exactly are you and my mother doing to make that poison happen?" Regina softly strokes her belly.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Robin says and he smiles when he sees Regina stroking her belly.

"I am worrying about that, so you better tell me." Regina tells him.

"well you more than anyone know that magic always has a price."

"What's the price?"

"Your mother's life." he says while he is busy making the tea.

Regina drops the glass she was just picking up.

"She wanted it," Robin says, while he starts to pick up the pieces of glass from the ground.

It's like Regina's body doesn't want to cooperate any longer. She sinks down to the ground and doesn't know how to breathe correctly.

"Regina," Robin whispers and he lifts her up again. He wraps his arms around her to keep her up, "it was her own choice, she said she wanted to do this for you.”

Regina shakes her head. "No. I don't want her to do that." she mumbles.

"That's why I didn't want to tell you," Robin whispers, "because your mother asked me to keep everything a secret, so you wouldn't stop her."

"I can't let you do this." Regina whispers. "She's my mother. I... I can't let her do this!"

"She wants to do this for you, Regina," Robin says, "of course I tried to stop her at first, but she doesn't want to."

Regina remains silent for now. She lays down on the couch in the living room and stares in front of her. After a while her eyes get heavy but she doesn't want to sleep.

After a long time, Cora comes in. When she sees Regina, she already knows what happened.   
"You told her, didn't you?" she asks Robin and he nods.

Regina wants to react but she's so tired, so tired. She falls asleep right after her mother came inside the house.

Robin and Cora talk while Regina is asleep. Cora wants to give it to her now, but Robin doesn't want to, not after everything that happened to Regina.

Regina mumbles in her sleep. "Mommy, no! I can't let you do this! Mommy!" Regina cries.

Cora looks at Robin, but then walks to Regina. "Sweetheart, it's okay," she whispers and she strokes her hair.

Regina, still asleep and crying, holds Cora close to her. "Mommy. Don't do this. Please, I'll be good. Don't do this. I believe in you; you don't have to do this. Please."

"Regina wake up," Cora says, "I want you to be happy."

Regina doesn't want to wake up so she keeps her eyes closed, hoping neither her mother or Robin will notice she's actually awake.

"I know you don't want me to do this," Cora says, knowing Regina is not asleep anymore, "but I want to fix things, because after all... This is all my fault."

"No fixing things. I won't allow it." Regina whispers very softly.

"Please Regina," Cora says, "I can't live this way."

"I won't allow it!" Regina screams now.

"Do it for me.”

"No!"

Cora wraps her arms around her daughter and sighs, "okay," she whispers, "I won't."

Regina nodds. "Promise?" she whispers.

Cora looks away, "yeah," she whispers.

Regina smiles now. "Thank you, mommy." She looks up at Robin. "I'm fine, as long as our child loves you. I really am."

Robin nods and walks upstairs. She deserves so much better...

Regina strokes her belly. "I should get an appointment with dr. Whale for an ultrasound, shouldn't I?" she asks Cora.

"I think that about time, yes," Cora says with a little smile.

Regina nodds. "I'll call him right away." She picks up the phone and calls the hospital and asks for dr. Whale. She tells him she needs an appointment for an ultrasound.

"I see," dr. Whale says, "and when do you want to come?"

"When you have time." Regina smiles.

"The day after tomorrow, three o'clock?"

"That's perfect, thank you. See you then!" Regina smiles on the phone and then puts it down. "Robin?!" she asks down the stairs.

"Yes?" Robin says from upstairs.

"We have an appointment with dr. Whale the day after tomorrow. Do you want to come to the ultrasound?" Regina teases him.

"Why do you even ask?" Robin says. He doesn't come down.

"I'm... I'm just teasing you. I'm sorry." Regina quickly goes back inside the living room and hides in the darkest corner.

"Regina," Cora says, "you don't have to hide yourself.”

"Let me be alone." Regina whispers.

"I won't," Cora says, "come here.”

Regina shakes her head, sits down on the ground and pulls her knees closely against her.

"Come on, Regina," Cora says and she walks to her. She sits down beside her daughter and looks at her.

"I want to be left alone. Please." Regina whispers.

"I want that your child loves you," Cora whispers back.

"And I want to be left alone!"

"Fine!" Cora snaps, "good luck with it, I'm sure it will make you very happy." She stands up.

Regina now makes herself even smaller than before. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't be," Cora says, "if that's what you want..."

Regina remains silent for now.

"Are you sure you want to be alone?" Cora asks.

Regina doesn't answer.

Cora sits down on the couch and picks up a book.

Regina just keeps sitting in her corner. She's exhausted from being anxious all the time but she doesn't know how to act 'normal' again.

After a while Cora speaks again, "you can come and sit here with me, corners are quite cold." she says.

Regina shakes her head and keeps sitting in her corner.

"Whatever you want," Cora says and she goes on reading.

"Why is everyone so angry with me?" Regina whispers.

"We are not angry with you, Regina," Cora says, "we're just sad and don't know what to do. Robin wants you to be happy... And I, I'm just patient and wait for you here."

"I want our child to love Robin and me, but not at the cost of your life." Regina whispers.

"There is no other way," Cora says, "and I have to say, this life is not worth it for me... This life without magic and with an unhappy daughter."

"I will be unhappier if you continue with this stupid idea!" Regina snaps.

"Yes, you made that clear already," Cora says calmly, she smiles a little.

"So you won't do it?"

"No," Cora lies. She doesn't tell she already made the deal and that she can't go back.

Regina nodds. "Good." she smiles. She gets up out of her corner and walks upstairs to Robin. "Robin? Are you... Are you angry with me?" she asks him softly.

"No I'm not," Robin says from upstairs.

Regina walks over to him and hugs him softly. "Promise?"

"Yes," he whispers when she wraps his arms around him, "I promise," he hugs her back.

Regina smiles. "School's almost out. Do you want to come pick up Emma with me?"

"Good idea," Robin says.

Regina smiles. She tells her mother what they are going to do and together with Robin she walks to Emma's school. They arrive just in time when the last bell rings.

Emma walks out of the school with a one of her friends. Snow doesn't pick her up anymore (she is too old for that), so she doesn't notice Regina is waiting for her.

"Emma!" Regina shouts at her, when she sees her youngest daughter.

Emma turns around and sees her mother, "hi!" she says and she waves. Emma tells her friend Anna to come and together they walk to Regina. "What are you doing here?" Emma asks.

"I wanted to pick you up from school. I thought maybe we could go for a drink at Granny's or maybe you want to come home with us?" Regina suggests.

"Well I'm going to the cinema with Anna today, so I can't come," Emma says with a little smile, "sorry, but I can come tomorrow."

Regina nodds, not showing her disappointment. She knows Emma is 12 years old and this is what teenagers do. She smiles and pushes 20 dollars in Emma's hand. "Here you go. I hope you have fun. Bye Anna." Regina smiles at both girls.

Emma looks at Anna with a smile when her mother gives her the money. "Thanks, mom," Emma says, "and see you tomorrow."   
"Bye, miss Mills," Anna says with a smile and she and Emma run away.

Regina looks up at Robin, a bit hurt, but also knowing this is the normal way of things.

"She is a teenager Regina," Robin says when she sees hurt in Regina's eyes, "you can't keep her with you forever."

"I know. I know." Regina mumbles. "But I can't get my head around the fact that I've lost 5 years with her."

"I understand," Robin says, "but isn't it good to see how happy she is after those five years? She is a lot happier since you came back, I can assure you."

"She is? Wasn't she happy while I was gone?" Regina wants to know.

"She was sometimes," Robin says, "but it was very hard for her to suddenly move into another family. Snow and David are nice and her 'real' parents, but they were almost total strangers at first. She came to me a lot... She missed you."

"She... She did? Do you want to tell me about those 5 years?" Regina softly asks Robin. They sit down on a bench in front of the Town Hall.

"Of course, what do you want to know?" He asks, because he really doesn't know where to start.

"What was it like for her, in the beginning, with Snow and David? Why did she come so much to you? Not that I don't like that, I love that idea, you two spending time together, but... Why?"

"To be honest, she came to cry and talk about you, because she couldn't really talk about you with Snow and David, because they were angry," Robin says, "you have no idea how miserable she was after you left."

A tear falls down Regina's face. "I'm such a bad mother." she whispers. "How was she while I was in Boston?" she wants to know.

"You're not, Regina," Robin says and he kisses her cheek, "she didn't talk about Boston with me a lot, and in the time you were there she was very quiet...".

"It was a horrible place." Regina whispers. "A horrible, horrible place. Those simulations..."

"You told me yes," Robin says, "did it even help?"

"With the smaller fears, yes. Not with... Not with... Him." Regina whispers.

Robin nods, "I'm sorry I let dr. Hopper send you there, I still feel horrible about it."

"It's not your fault, Robin." Regina smiles a little bit. "It's his fault. I'm curious to see who's going to replace dr. Stevenson. I hope it's someone who's fit for that job."

"If you choose who will lead that place, I'm sure that person will be fit for the job," Robin smiles and he kisses her on her lips.

"Really?" Regina whispers. "Thank you. For believing in me." She smiles now.

"Yes," Robin says, "and I will always believe in you," he winks, "and I think that maybe... It will be better for Emma if she moves to your house again," he whispers.

"You think... What?" Regina whispers. "Why do you think that? Are Snow and David not good for Emma?"

"They are," Robin says, "they are very good parents really, but Emma was never very happy with them. I can know it, she came to me all the time to talk about that. They didn't raise her for the first 7 years. When she talks about you... Then she sounds happy, have you never mentioned that?"

"No." Regina whispers. "Not really. I don't know." She looks in front of her, confused.

Robin laughs, "she doesn't tell you she rather lives with you, because she doesn't want to hurt Snow and David, but when you were in Boston she told me she was a lot happier when she lived with you."

A small smile appears on Regina's face. "I guess I better talk to her about moving back into our home first thing tomorrow then?" she asks Robin.

"Oh no," Robin says with a grin, "she can't know I told you. You can't just go to her and say it, you need to lead the conversation to that point."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Regina sighs.

"I don't know, but I'm sure you can find a way, and otherwise you can tell her," Robin grins, "but she will be mad at me."

Regina chuckles. "I wouldn't want that." she laughs. "I won't tell your secret, I promise." She smiles brightly at him. "So now what? Do you want to visit Snow and David with me? I imagine they are at home as we speak."

"Fine yes," Robin says and they stand up.

"Are you sure?" Regina strokes over her belly, a bit tense now.

"Yes why wouldn't I?" Robin asks. He lays his hand on Regina's.

"Alright then." Regina smiles. The both of them walk over to Snow and David's appartment. Regina knocks on the door and they wait until someone opens it.

Snow opens the door. She just got home from school. "Hi," she says when she sees Regina and Robin.

"Hello." Regina smiles at her eldest daughter. "Can we come in? Or... Or are we interrupting you?"

"Of course you can come in," Snow says with a smile, "I just got home."

Regina nodds. "How was school today?" she asks, interested, while walking inside. Regina doesn't let go of Robin's hand.

"It was fine, just like always" Snow says, "how was your day?"

"It was... Calm." Regina answers softly. She hates the fact she doesn't really have anything to do.

"All right," Snow says, while she sits down at the couch, "no tasks that have to be done? Or did you quit your job as mayor?"

"I don't know. Didn't anyone take that job when I was gone those 5 years?" Regina wants to know.

"Dr. Hopper took the job with some help from others," Snow says, "but I heard he is gone... ".

Regina nodds. "He is. I just hope he didn't run off to Boston to take over the job of dr. Stevenson. Because that cricket is evenly unqualified for that job as the other one." she answers Snow.

"Yes I guess he is the wrong person for that job," Snow days, "you also don't know where he went?"

"No. I don't. I actually don't care either. As long as he stays away from that facility in Boston, I'm good." Regina smiles.

"Well that's clear and I think so too," Snow says with a smile, "but why did you come here?" she asks, knowing it's not just for a nice visit.

"I just wanted to visit my eldest daughter and her husband." Regina smiles warmly. "Can't I do that?"

"Yes of course you can do that," Snow says with a smile, "but most of the time you have something you want to discuss. But nice that you to came here."

"I like visiting you." Regina smiles. "I've missed you so much when I was away, back to The Enchanted Forest, and when I was in Boston."

"I missed you too," Snow says, while she makes some tea, "unfortunately Emma isn't here, she is away with a friend, like every day...".

Regina nodds. "I know, we... we ran into her after school. I was planning to pick her up to get a snack at Granny's, but she was going to the movies with her friend Anna." She looks up at Snow. "Please tell me that Anna is a good girl and doesn't have a bad influence on Emma?" she asks with a soft smile on her lips.

"I don't know," Snow says, "I've never really talked to her... They are away together for most of the time, so I think they are having a good time...".

Regina looks at Robin with a worried look. She then turns back towards Snow. "So, you... You don't really know with who she's hanging out with or what she's doing after school or at the weekends?" she asks her eldest daughter with a soft voice.

"No I don't, I asks sometimes.... She is twelve and she doesn't really like it when I ask her what she did, she always says she is not a baby anymore." Snow says, "but what do you think then?"

Regina smiles softly. "I already thought she would say something like that so she can go her own way. I probably would have act the same way you are doing right now, which is to let her be, not ask too many questions so there can be peace at home. Right?" Regina then chuckles. "But it's our job as mother to know where she is, with who, what she's doing, for how long and when she will be back home. At least... That's just my idea." Regina ends with a whisper.

"So you think I'm a bad mother?" Snow says, trying not to snap, "I know when she will be home, Regina. And yes everything is at peace here. I just don't want to argue with her, because that's what happens when I ask her about her day! It's not my business she says. All. The. Time."

Regina startles a bit. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to give you the idea that you're a bad mother because you're not. You're a good mother who's doing the best she can with a teenage daughter." Regina softly looks up at Snow.

"Yes that sounds convincing!" Snow says, "doing the best..." she repeats Regina's words in an angry tone. "If you want to know where she is, you have to ask her, then you'll see you really don't want it argue with her."

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers again. She gets up from the couch, not letting go of Robin's hand. "Maybe it's best if we just go." she adds softly.

"Yes thanks for this nice visit," Snow snaps.

Regina quickly leaves Snow's apartment and almost runs away, now letting go of Robin's hand and not looking to see if he's following her or not. She keeps walking, now running, towards her own home.

"Regina please," Robin shouts and he runs after her. Soon he reaches her and he grabs her arm.

Regina startles and yanks her arm away from Robin. "No! Don't touch me!" she almost yells. "I need to go home, my home, ours, I don't know, I just... I just need to be there." Regina rambles.

"That's okay," Robin says when he lets go of her arm, "but we can walk there too, we're not in a hurry."

"Yes, I am!" Regina runs again and almost flies into her home, finding her way upstairs, into her bedroom and into her closet where she locks herself in. She doesn't want to face the world, not now.

"Regina," Robin sighs from the outside of the closet, "Snow was just in a bad mood, just ignore it...".

"Robin, please, I need to be alone for a while. Please?" Regina almost begs.

"Okay," Robin says, "I'll wait for you here, you can come out whenever you want."

"What don't you understand about being alone? I want to be alone here, in my home. Our home. I don't know. Can I please come to your place when I'm ready? Please?"

"Okay," Robin says. He is worried about her and doesn't want to go. He hesitates but then leaves her house.

"Finally." Regina thinks to herself. She can finally cry and that's what she does. She cries for hours and hours. Afterwards she falls asleep in hee closet, safely locked away from this world.

Robin is very worried, but he decides to leave Regina alone... To give her some space.

Regina keeps sleeping in her closet. She wakes up when she hears a lot of noise inside the house, and knowing that's not Robin, Regina keeps sitting in her closet.

Emma comes into the house, thinking no one is there. She runs to her own room with a lot of noise. She is very angry and lets herself fall on her old bed.

Regina softly gets out of her closet and her bedroom and carefully knocks on Emma's door. She knew it was her at the sound of her footsteps. "Emma? It's me, Regina. Can I come in?" She waits for an answer.

"No! Go away!" she shouts. She would have shouted that to everyone who would have knocked on her door.

"I'm not going away, Emma, but I will leave you for now. I will be downstairs in the kitchen if you want to talk to me. Alright?" Regina takes a deep breath and walks downstairs. She needs to be on her best if she wants Emma to move back with her.

Emma doesn't come downstairs. She just walks around in her old room, angry and sad.

Regina waits patiently at her youngest daughter, but after about an hour she goes back upstairs and knocks back on the door to Emma's bedroom. "Emma? Are you alright?" Regina asks.

"Yes," Emma says. She sits at her desk and looks out of the window.

"Is it alright if I come inside to talk?"

Emma keeps quite for a long time.

“Yes," she says then.

Regina slowly walks inside Emma's room. She sees her daughter sitting at her old desk, looking out of the window. Regina slowly sits down on Emma's bed. "Do you want to sit next to me?" Regina asks, her voice soft.

"No," Emma says. She sits with the right side of her body to Regina, because she doesn't want her mother to see her black eye and the bruises on the left side of her face.

Regina nodds. "Alright then. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"I'm just angry," Emma says, "and Snow is angry with me."

"I see. Do you want to tell me a little more about that? Why are you angry?"

"I didn't come home on time," Emma says, which was part of the truth.

Regina nodds but stays silent for now. She wants Emma to tell her story on her own, not because she pushes her.

"I've been in a fight," Emma whispers.

"In a fight." Regina repeats softly. She doesn't get angry; she wants to hear Emma's side of the story before she judges. "Does Snow know that?"

"She does," Emma says, "she couldn't miss it."   
She doesn't look at her mother.

"I imagine your eye is black and your face is bruised? Do you want me to heal that before you tell me what happened, why you got into a fight?" Regina asks, still with a soft voice and not angry at all. Not anger but concern sounds through her voice.

"You don't have to heal me, because I'm not going to tell you that." Emma says, her voice is cold and emotionless, "you'll be so angry when you hear it...".

"If you don't want to tell me, that's alright. I will heal you nevertheless. But remember, I can't help you if you don't tell me at least something." Regina softly answers her daughter. "May I heal your face, Emma?"

Emma almost doesn't dare but she turns her bruised face towards her mother.

Regina, slowly, heals Emma's face. "There you go. Like nothing has happened." She then looks at her daughter with a more serious face. "But something did happen, Emma, didn't it?"

"Well... Anna has a lot of older friends and we went to a party last night," Enma starts and she sits down at her desk again. She is freezing.

Regina just nodds. She sees Emma is cold so she lays a blanket over her shoulders, but then she sits back down on the bed and listens to Emma.

"You have to know Anna was... Is the only friend I have," Emma says, "you really want to hear this all?"

Regina nodds again. "I do. You can tell me what happened, Emma. I can't help you if I don't know what this all is about."

"So I finally had a friend and she asked me to go with her to a party. Well... I went and since then I'm with her almost every day," Emma says, "her older friends can buy alcohol and pills for us and then we just go...".

Regina tries not to be angry. How is it possible Snow missed all of this? "So what happened for you to get into a fight?" she asks softly.

Emma sighs, "there was a boy... He was quite drunk and... And so was I," she says, but she is too ashamed to go on.

Regina nodds. "Did you... Did something happen?"

Emma almost disappears under her blanket. "It happens all the time, mom, it's part of the fun...".

"It's alright, dear. You can tell me." Regina whispers softly. "Did you agree to it?"

"I didn't know what to do," Emma whispers, "I was afraid and that was when I hit him. I just slammed him in his face and he... He hit me back, but then harder... And more."

"You defended yourself, that's very good, Emma." Regina encourages her daughter to talk further.

"No it's not," Emma says, "they only laughed at me, because I was so weak and afraid... And they started to hit me... and they kissed and touched me everywhere, mom, and I was so afraid," Emma starts to cry, "so I drank more and more...".

Regina takes her youngest daughter in her arms and strokes her hair. "You can tell me the rest too, sweetie. You can let it go. Go on." she whispers softly.

"I'm sorry I'm such a coward," Emma only says.

"You're not, sweetheart, you're really not." Regina whispers in her hair now. "Did a boy hurt you? There?" Regina needs to know.

"I don't know," Emma says, "I really don't know what happened to me after the fight," She doesn't know why she tells this a lot easier to Regina than to Snow... She feels safer with Regina.

Regina strokes Emma's back. "That's alright, dear, it's alright." she just whispers. "That's how you got that black eye and all those bruises on your face." Regina understands now. "Listen to me carefully, Emma. I'm not angry at you, although we probably should have a talk about drugs and alcohol soon, but there is one thing we need to do and we need to do that right now. I need you to see a doctor to see if everything is alright with you down there. We need to know if your maidenhead is still intact or not." Regina explains to her daughter.

"No, mom, I don't want that," Emma says and she starts to cry again. He holds her arms tightly around Regina, "it's all right I'm sure," she whispers, but she really doesn't know...

"I know you don't want that, sweetie, but it needs to happen. I'm so sorry. If you want, I'll stay with you the entire time, but it really needs to be checked out." Regina softly answers, still stroking Emma's back.

"What will he do?" Emma says, still crying. She looks at her mom, her eyes full of tears.


	15. Boston 2.0

Regina explains to Emma what Dr. Whale will do. "He will examine you to see if you're still a virgin. If that's not the case, Dr. Whale will test you on diseases." Regina thinks to herself that if Emma turns out not to be a virgin anymore, she can't promise not to kill those stupid kids. Or at least punish them for what they did to her little girl. Regina looks at Emma. "Does Snow know about this, Emma? Were you able to tell her? And was this the reason for being home too late?"

Emma doesn't argue anymore; she knows it's useless. If she was with Snow she would just have screamed and shouted and she would have got exactly what she wanted. But she knows such things don't work with Regina.   
"She doesn't know" I would never tell Snow about something like this," Emma whispers, "and yes, that was why I was late... Very late."  
She leans against her mother's shoulder, while tears still stream down her cheeks.

Regina keeps stroking Emma's back and hair. "It's alright, sweetheart, mommy is right here." Regina whispers. She then looks Emma in her eyes, lifting her chin up with her hand. "We will talk to Snow later. Right now we need to go to the hospital. Do you want me to stay with you the whole time?" Regina asks softly, not angry.

"I don't want to go there, mom," Emma says, "I really don't." She cries on Regina's shoulder and wraps her arms around her mother's neck, "please," she whispers.

"I know, sweetie, I know, but I don't think you want to be sick or pregnant, do you?" Regina whispers softly, holding her little girl close against her. "I'll be there the whole time, I promise."

"No I don't want that, but..." Emma cries, "okay..." she whispers, "but you need to be there, promise."

"I promise. I will there every step of the way. Let's go, let's get it over with, alright?" Regina walks with Emma to the hospital and asks for Dr. Whale.

"Regina, Emma, hello," dr. Whale says and they shake hands, "come in."

Regina holds Emma close. "Do you want me to tell what happened or do you want to tell, Emma?" she asks her daughter.

Emma looks at dr. Whale and sits down at the chair. "I... I just..." Emma starts, but she is to ashamed of herself that she can't get a word out. She looks at her mom.

Regina nodds softly and tells Dr. Whale the things he needs to know to adequately investigate what needs to be.

Emma looks at the ground while Regina and dr. Whale talk with each other. After the talk dr. Whale tells Emma to lay down.  
Emma does what he says, but she looks at her mother the whole time. While dr. Whale does what he has to do, tears silently roll down Emma's cheeks. She feels so ashamed...

Regina keeps very close to Emma and keeps talking to her. "It's alright, dear, I'm right here. You don't have to feel ashamed, this isn't your fault." Regina reassures her daughter, knowing how she feels without Emma saying that to her. Regina strokes her hair. "It's going to be alright. Right, Dr. Whale?" Regina looks up at the doctor to see. Is her daughter still a virgin?

"She is definitely not virgin anymore" dr. Whale days, "but no deseases and I can tell you she is not pregnant."

Regina just nodds. "Thank you, doctor." She waves him away. She then turns to Emma. "I'm relieved you're not sick and you're not pregnant." She softly smiles. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Are you angry with me?" Emma whispers, she feels panic inside and you can see the fear in her eyes.

Regina shakes her head. "I'm not angry with you, I promise. I'm just... concerned. Really concerned, Emma. You're 12 years old and I understand the importance of friends, but... The ones you have are not of the good kind." Regina continues with a soft voice. "I don't like the drinking and using drugs. I hope you understand that?"

"Yes, but they're the only friends a have, mom," Emma says, "and twelve is not young, I can choose for myself." she doesn't react on what her mother says about drugs and drinking.

Regina softly smiles. "I know. 12 isn't young and you're a bright and smart kid. Which is why I don't understand the alcohol and drugs, sweetheart. And how come those are the only friends you have? What about Jefferson's daughter, Grace? Isn't she nice to you?" Regina wants to understand.

"Everyone drinks and everyone uses drugs, it's normal, that's why I do it. And besides that I'm not smart, ask Snow, then you can hear that I'm not smart at all," Emma says, "and Grace... She has her best friend. She doesn't need or want other friends."

"Emma." Regina sighs, while sitting down next to her now. "Of course you are smart. You're my daughter, aren't you." Regina winks, not mentioning the fact that she's too young for alcohol and drugs isn't even allowed in Regina's home. "Why would Snow tell me you're not smart?"

Emma can't smile, "There were parent-teacher conferences this week and Snow told me the teacher said I was behind with everything...".

"Thats what the teacher says. What do you say? Has Snow listened to your side of the story?" Regina asks softly.

"Well I'm not the one who decides I'm behind or not. My notes are not good. I've got a lot of failing grades lately." She looks away.

"How come you have F's? Do you understand what the teacher explains or do you have a lot of questions? Doesn't Snow help you with your homework? Or.. Or do your friends don't make their homework and encourage they you to do the same?"

"I told you I only have one friend and that's Anna." Emma says quite loud, "I just don't feel like making homework and I also don't feel like paying attention during class, so I don't." She doesn't tell Regina she skips a lot of classes too.

Regina just nodds, trying not to make Emma angry. She takes a breath before she continues. "I understand." She strokes Emma's hand. "Are you happy with a friend like Anna?" she then asks softly.

"I'm happy I have a friend, so yes," Emma says.

Regina nodds softly. "I won't forbid you to see Anna. I can't do that. You have to decide for yourself if you like having her as a friend or not." Regina lifts Emma's head up with her hand so she can look in her eyes. "I do however don't like the fact that you're getting F's because you don't like doing homework or paying attention at school, Emma. Can you understand that?" Regina asks, still with a soft and understanding voice.

"Yes I do, but I don't care," Emma whispers, "Anna doesn't pay attention, so I don't pay attention too, and besides that I'm just to tired to listen to the teachers."

"How come you're tired? Is that because you get home late every night?" Regina wants to know, without judgement in her voice.

"Yes," Emma only says, Snow never notices her when she climbs out of the window at night.

"I don't understand, Emma. What happened? Why are you acting out like this? Can you explain this to me? I... I want to understand." Regina asks softly.

"I was bored and alone, that's why," Emma whispers, "you were away and I didn't like it at home with Snow ans David... and when I went to those parties with Anna, doing secret and bad things, I finally felt I meant something, that I wasn't completely useless."

"You don't like living with Snow and David?" Regina asks softly.

"No," Emma says, "I just need you, mom, you are the only one who truly understands me and who even listens to what I have to say, even when what I say is bad. Snow doesn't do that. You raised me, but you left me...".

"I am so sorry that happened, Emma, that I made you feel like I didn't care enough about you to stay. I'm so, so sorry about that." Regina whispers. A tear runs down her face. "Can you forgive me for what happened, Emma?" she then asks softly.

"I already forgave you," Emma says, "but... Will you stay with me now? And can I live with you?"

Regina looks at her daughter, surprised. "You... You want to live with me?" she asks surprised, but before Emma can change her mind, she already continues. "Of course you can, sweetheart! Whatever you want. And I promise I'll stay. I promise." Regina gives the girl a warm and loving hug.

Emma smiles, but the tears don't stop falling. "Do you want to live with me too?" she asks, and she hugs her mother back.

"Of course I want that. I would love that!" Regina laughs. "We do however need to talk to Snow and David about that. Do you want them to know about Dr. Whale?" Regina asks her daughter.

Emma smiles when she hears that her mother really wants her back, but then she answers Regina's question, "No I don't want that," Emma says, "they won't understand and... The less people know it the better." She can't help but still feel ashamed about all this.

Regina nodds. "That's alright, I understand. But we do need to talk to them about you moving back with me. What do you say we do that right now?" Regina suggests.

"Okay," Emma whispers. She is very afraid. "What if they say I can't come with you? What if they'll hate me?"

On their way over to Snow's apartment, Regina explains to the girl that a mother never hates her child. Unconsciencely she strokes over her own belly. "Snow and David will never hate you, sweetheart. And if they say you can't come with me, well... That's up to you, isn't it? You have to be able to choose with who you want to live." Regina keeps Emma close to her own body. "And I'll be there to support and help you, dear." She smiles confidently before she knocks on Snow's door.

Emma nods, still feeling insecure.

"Hello," says Snow when she sees Emma and Regina together, "well... Come in," she herself walks inside and Emma and Regina follow.   
"What's the matter?" she says, when she closes the door behind them.

Regina sits down in the couch, next to Emma. "Emma would like to live back with me." Regina slowly but clearly explains what needs to be but remains silent over the fight and the details.

Snow looks at Regina and then to Emma, "is that what you really want?" she says with tears in her eyes. When Emma nods Snow stands up, trying not to cry, "I need a moment" she whispers, "I'm sorry," she runs to the kitchen, closes the door behind her and bursts into tears.

Regina looks at Emma. "I'll go check if everything is alright with your mother. You go ahead and pack your things, alright?" Regina walks over to the kitchen and knocks on the door. When she doesn't get a response, she opens the door with magic and enters the kitchen. "Snow? Are you alright?" Regina asks softly, standing next to her eldest daughter.

"What do you think?" Snow says louder than she wants. She looks away, "you were right after all...".

Regina shakes her head. "I am sorry, Snow. But... I raised her. That creates something." She sighs. "Maybe it's for the best if Emma stays with me, at least for now. She doesn't do good at school and she doesn't talk to you about that or about anything for that matter. What do you say? I want to hear your opinion too."

"Yes, maybe it's for the best," Snow says and she starts to clean up her kitchen counter, she needs to keep doing something or she will explode and maybe even hurt someone. "She doesn't trust me at all and she knows all to well how she can overpower me... It doesn't work and if she wants to be with you fine, I'm done with everything." She places a cup very hard on the counter and it breaks, her hand starts bleeding, but she doesn't care.

Regina just nodds. "Do you want me to heal that, dear?" she asks softly, walking a step closer to Snow.

"No thanks," Snow says, "you... You can go with Emma. Don't worry about me..." She wipes away the blood with her white shirt and goes on replacing cups and plates. She can’t stop crying and all her cups become red.

"Snow, please." Regina waves with her hand over Snow's hand to heal it. She then takes her eldest daughter in her arms and holds her closely against her. "I will always worry about you, sweetie." she whispers.

Snow lays her head on Regina's shoulder, although she feels angry, sad and broken, it still feels safe in her mother's arms. "What happened to Emma?" she whispers.

Regina strokes Snow's hair and back. "She was barely 7 years old when I suddenly left for 5 years. That's a big deal for a little kid. You know that better than anyone, don't you? Your father died when you were just 10 years old." she whispers. "But we'll get her back on track, I promise. But I need your help, Snow. We need to do this together." Regina softly smiles at her eldest daughter.

"With me it was different, I had a wonderful mother. Emma didn't have that, she doesn't even trust me..." Snow says, "you knew me already when you became my mother and you knew you would become my mother, because you killed my father yourself. Emma just suddenly knocked on my door and I didn't know what to do... I'm a bad mother, you were right, and I think you'll be better off without me, I can only mess things up."

"You're far from a bad mother, Snow." Regina protests. "You're doing the best you can and so what you need some help right now? That's alright." Regina smiles softly again. Both women startle when someone knocks on the door to the kitchen.

No one comes in... Nothing happens after the knock.  
"What was that?" Snow whispers.

Regina walks to the door and opens it. "Emma?" Regina asks, quite loudly.

There is no reaction.

"Emma?!" Regina runs upstairs to Emma's room and barges in. "Emma?"

The room is empty and no one reacts. There is a note laying on the table: 

‘One magic bean, tonight at the clocktower.  
Best regards.’

"Hook." Regina mumbles, full of anger. Regina explains to Snow what is going on.

"He took Emma?" Snow says and she looks at Regina with fear in her eyes.

"He did. To get to me. So I give him a magic bean. But there aren't any in Storybrooke. The only way for him to get back to where he wants to be, which is Neverland, is... Is by pixie dust. From The Black Fairy." Regina whispers.

"No not the black fairy," Snow says and she looks Regina in her eyes, "you can't do that! She will destroy you or someone else."

"If she will destroy someone, it will be me." Regina decides. "I can't let anything happen to Emma or you or Robin."

"You can't let that happen," Snow says and she grabs Regina's arm, "what if she loses her mother?"

Regina shakes her head. "She won't. The Black Fairy enjoys torturing me. She won't kill me." Without a further thought Regina calls The Black Fairy out loud, to make her appear.

"You called me?" the Black Fairy says with a smile. She lets her hands go over her dress and looks at Regina.

Regina nodds. "Yes, I did. I... I need pixie dust. Hook took our daughter, Emma."

"And what do you have to offer?" The Black Fairy says, raising her eyebrow.

"What do you want?" Regina asks, softly, not taking her eyes off the woman.

"I asked you what you have to offer," she says again.

"Myself." Regina whispers softly.

"And what's so special about you," The Black Fairy whispers while she walks to Regina. She stands very close and lays her fingers under her chin.

"I'll be a good girl." Regina whispers softly. "My mother taught me well."

"Regina don't do this," Snow begs, "there must be another way!"

"Just don't... Don't take me away from my daughters." Regina continues softly. "I'll do whatever you want, whenever you want, but please, I need to be here for my children. Please." Regina whispers.

The Black fairy sighs and smiles, "every Friday you come with me and you do what I say, the rest of the week you can be with your daughters." She lets a little bottle with fairy dust appear in her hand, "do we have a deal?"

"Yes. We have a deal. Thank you. Thank you." Regina whispers. "This will make Hook be able to fly to Neverland?" she just wants to know.

"Of course it does," the Black Fairy says, satisfied, "see you at Friday then." She laughs and disappears, leaving the dust in Regina's hand.

Regina looks at Snow White. "That isn't such a bad deal to get our daughter back now, is it?" They walk to the clocktower together and wait for Hook to appear with Emma. "There he is." Regina softly says to Snow when the man walks towards them, Emma's hand in his so she can't run away.

"I still don't like it," Snow says.

"Can you please let me go?" Emma says with a sigh. But they walk on and reach the clock tower. "do you have it?" he snaps at Regina.

Regina nodds. "I have pixie dust, especially for you. So you can take your bloody ship and fly away to Neverland. Give our daughter back now."

"Hand over the pixie dust and you will have her," Hook says, "but not before I hurt her a little bit."

"No! Please!" Regina shouts out. She quickly hands over the pixie dust to Hook and then waves with her hand. She poofs Emma in the arms of Snow White. "You can hurt me, but you're not touching one of them." Regina snaps.

Hook grins, "as you wish," he says and he walks away.

Regina turns around to Emma. "Did he hurt you?" she wants to know while hugging her little girl.

"A bit, but it wasn't that bad," she says, with a small smile around her lips. "How did you get that pixie dust?"

"I... I made a deal with The Black Fairy. It was the only way, Emma. But don't you worry about it. I'll only be gone on Friday's during the day. For the rest of the week I'll be with you and Snow and Robin. Don't worry about it." Regina smiles reassuring.

"You shouldn't have done that," Emma says, "deals only break things. What will happen on those Friday's?"   
They walk away from the clock tower.

"I don't know. But I guess I'll find out tomorrow, don't I?" Regina winks at her girls. "You both don't have to worry about me. I've been through worse than a Black Fairy." Regina, Snow and Emma walk over to Snow's appartment so Emma can take her stuff, the most important things at least, to take with her to Regina's mansion. While Snow and Emma say goodbye for now, Regina calls Robin outside of the appartment. She explains everything that happened during their time apart and asks him to come over to her house within the hour so they can be together.

Emma goes upstairs to prepare her room and in an hour Robin enters the house. When he sees Regina he hugs her tightly, "you broke our promise," he whispers.

"I had no other choice. He had Emma. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers. "Are you angry now?"

"I'm worried, very worried," Robin says and he kisses her, "and maybe a bit angry yes," he says with a grin. He is joking.

Regina looks up at him, first confused, but then also grinning. "You're not. You're teasing me." she smiles.

Then Robin laughs, "yes I am, sorry" he says and he walks inside. "But I am worried, that was the truth."

Regina nodds. "I can understand that." she whispers. "I'll make my lasagna and I suggest we don't go to bed too late. We're all tired. Do you want to get Emma while I put everything in the oven?" Regina suggests.

"Yes of course," he kisses her and goes upstairs. There he helps Emma to make her room ready again.

After 45 minutes Regina calls the two of them downstairs. "Dinner is ready!" she shouts. She serves everyone a big piece of lasagna before sitting down herself. "Emma, tomorrow you are going to school, alright? And at the weekend you and I are going to sit together to work through your schoolwork."

Emma sighs, "yes," she says, but she doesn't mean it. She takes a bite of her lasagna without looking at her mom.

"Don't worry, Emma. I won't be the mom who wants you to sit at your desk from morning till evening, not getting a break." Regina winks at her youngest daughter. "Schoolwork is never really fun, but I'll make your favorite snacks and we can see a movie when we're done for the day. What do you say?" Regina looks at Emma, hope in her eyes.

"Yes yes," Emma says, but again she doesn't mean it. Anna will not like it if she doesn't skip classes anymore and that she pays attention again, "but I'm so far behind... It takes so much time to catch up..." she adds.

Regina nodds. "We'll catch up with the most important things, but you're a smart girl, sweetheart. You can do this. We can do this together." Regina smiles reassuringly at her daughter. The three of them finish dinner and Regina looks at Emma. "I suggest we all go to sleep. I trust you not to climb out of the window to meet Anna?"

Emma smiles, it feels good that her mother wants to do this with her. "No I won't," she says to her mother, "you can go to sleep."

Regina nodds. "I like to hear that." she smiles softly. Regina will give Emma her trust and won't lock her up in her room with magic. She trusts her daughter. She hugs her daughter goodnight and then cleans up the kitchen, together with Robin. "Let's go to sleep. The Black Fairy will be claiming me tomorrow so do you want to make dinner for Emma and yourself? Please?" Regina asks him. On the way to their bedroom, Regina checks on Emma. She softly opens the door and walks over to Emma's bed. "Mommy loves you, sweetheart." she whispers in her ear. She then goes to sleep, together with Robin. She startles when someone wakes her up in the middle of the night.

Robin shakes Regina's shoulder, "are you awake? Emma is gone," he whispers.

"She what?" Regina sighs. "Alright. Just go back to sleep. I'm not going to look for her right now. She is nothing with me being angry right now. She'll be back in the morning and when I get back from The Black Fairy, she won't be so happy to see me." Regina decides. She goes back to sleep.

"Okay," Robin whispers, "I'll keep my mouth shut tomorrow then." They fall asleep again.   
At 00.00 the Black Fairy enters the house "Come," she whispers in Regina's mind

Regina wakes up when she hears The Black Fairy's voice inside her head. She kisses Robin softly on his lips and then poofs away to the clock tower.

The Black Fairy grins and poofs the two of them away to another realm, her realm.

Regina looks up at her. "You can travel between realms? With just a flick of your hand?" she asks, stunned.

"What do you think?" The Black Fairy says, pretending to be offended, "I'm the most powerful creature in all the lands." She laughs.

Regina just nodds. "Why are we here?" she wants to know. She nervously strokes over her belly.

"This is MY realm and I need you to do some small things for me that I don't feel like doing myself." She leads Regina to her big and dark office underground.

"What do you need me to do?" Regina asks.

The Black Fairy lets a piece of paper appear in Regina's hand. There are three names on it. "Find those people for me, will you? And bring their harts to me after you killed them."

"I.. I don't do that anymore." Regina whispers softly. She looks at The Black Fairy.

"And now you will start doing it again," the Black Fairy says.

Regina takes a step back. "Please. I'll do anything. Just don't... Don't make me a monster again." she softly whispers, almost begging.

"No," The Black Fairy says, "I'm not trying to make you a monster, I just need you to do that for me." She laughs.

"What if I don't do it?" Regina wants to know.

"Then I won't send you back," the Black Fairy says, "because you need me for that."  
She knows she has all the power.

Regina slowly nodds. "Alright." she whispers. "Where can I find them?"

The Black Fairy hands over a map, on which three dots are moving. "Follow these," she says, pointing at the moving marks, "and you'll find them."

Regina nodds. She poofs away to the first dot and quickly finds the first person. A young woman. Regina waits until she's alone with the girl and then rips her heart out. She crushes her heart as fast as she can, a tear running down her face. "I'm sorry." she whispers softly. She then finds the second person. An older man. She does the same to him. When she finds the third person, she hesitates. A young girl, barely 18 years old. But Regina knows she needs The Black Fairy to get back home. She crushes the girl's heart after ripping it out of her chest. For the third time Regina apologizes. She then poofs back to The Black Fairy. "Done. Can with go home now?" Regina asks softly.

"I asked you to bring me the hearts," she says while she is blowing the dust of some of her books.

Regina curses herself. She was so fixated on getting home, she forgot that part of what The Black Fairy asked of her. "I... I'm sorry." Regina whispers very softly. She takes a step back, afraid to be punished.

"This time I forgive you," The Black Fairy says, "but next time you should be more careful. One more kill to make up for your mistake," she says and another dot appears on the map, "kill her and bring me her heart."

Regina quickly obeys. She poofs to the dot on the map and rips out the heart of a very young girl. She then poofs away, back to The Black Fairy. She hands over the heart. "What possibly could that young girl have done to you?" she asks softly.

"She annoys me," The Black Fairy only says and she takes the heart.

Regina just nodds. She waits for what comex next.

"Next Friday, same time same place," she says without looking at Regina and she poofs Regina away to Storybrooke. 

School just finished and Emma walks home.

Regina walks over to her daughter. "Hello, dear." she smiles. "Do you mind me walking home with you?"

"No," Emma says and she shakes her head, "are you back already? What did you have to do?"

"She needed me to trace some people and I've helped her with that." Regina answers, half honestly. "Did you have a good night's sleep?" she then asks Emma, letting her know through her voice that she knows she was gone.

Emma knows her mother noticed she was gone, but she still tries, "I did," she whispers and she looks at the ground, her heart beating very fast.

"I'm glad you slept good for the short time you were in bed." Regina answers, not angry, just a statement.

Then Emma starts to run. She runs to the forest away from her mother.

Regina follows her, calmly. She finds Emma sitting near Robin's house. "Emma? You don't have to run away from me."

"I'm not so sure about that," Emma says and she tries to hide herself.

Regina sits down next to Emma and takes her in her arms. "Emma, I want you to know you never have to run away from me. I'm not angry with you, I'm just... disappointed. You made a promise and you broke it. How do you feel when I break a promise?"

"I...I don't know," Emma says, "but... you just don't understand.”

"Can you explain it to me then, Emma? I want to understand. Please?" Regina asks her daughter softly.

"I have to go there," Emma says, "and if I don't promise you I won't go, you will lock my window... And then I can't go.”

"Where do you have to go?" Regina asks, interested.

"To the parties," Emma says.

Regina nodds. "I see." She looks at her daughter. "Do you like those parties, sweetie?"

Emma keeps quite for a while, "yes," she lies.

"Why are you lieing to me, Emma? You know you can be honest with me, don't you?" Regina asks softly.

"Then no," Emma says shortly.

"That is settled then. You're not going to those parties any longer." Regina decides, still with a soft voice. "You can put the blame on me."

"No!" Emma exclaims, "I have to go, they'll kick me out if I don't go. Really, you can't say that."

"Like I said, you can put the blame on me. But you can't expect me to give you permission to go to those parties where things like alcohol abuse, drugs and fighting happens, Emma. No more parties from now on, at least not until your grades are better. And I don't want you to skip school any longer." Regina's voice is a bit sterner but still soft.

"No, really mom, you don't understand," Emma says. She is breathing and feels frightened, "they will blame me and then everyone will turn against me." She stands up, "you can't stop me!"

"Actually, I can. I'm your mother and you have to follow the rules of my house. And one of those rules is no going out to parties until your grades are better. That's the only deal I'll make and if you don't like that rule, then here's another one: no going to parties until you're 16 years old. You can choose which one you prefer." Regina decides again.

"I should have stayed with Snow," Emma snaps and she runs away again. She is really angry; her mother doesn't know what they will do to her if she doesn't come anymore... They will this she is a weak idiot and that can't happen.

Regina walks to her home. She sends Snow White a text message that if Emma should go over there, she should send her back to Regina's home. Regina then walks inside her mansion, knowing Emma will be back by evening. "Robin? Where are you?"

"I'm here," Robin says from their bedroom upstairs. He reads through some files for work. "Wait I'll come," he says and he walks downstairs to Regina.

"Emma took off again." Regina explains what happened after she came back from The Black Fairy's Realm. "She needs to learn some basic rules again, doesn't she? Or... Or am I too harsh?" Regina wants to know.

"Well if I hear what those parties are like, I don't think you're too harsh." Robin says, "but did everything go al right with the black fairy?" he wants to know, he worried about her this whole day.

Regina just nodds. "Yes, it was fine. She needed some help to track down a couple of persons, that's all." She smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry about me." she then smiles. She looks up when the front door opens.

"Tracking some persons down? I don't believe that's all, but you can tell me later," Snow walks in.  
"What happened?" she asks.

Regina explains the whole story to Snow White as well. "She will be back, don't worry. Deep down Emma knows she isn't happy with her friends. Her acting out is practically begging for boundaries she so desperately needs. She knows she needs the ones I give in order to get her life back together. She knows all of this, she just doesn't realise it yet."

Snow nods, "maybe you're right yes, it can’t go on like this...".

But Emma isn't planning to come back this evening. She is in Anna's house and Anna's parents aren't home. They are drinking a lot already before going to the party in the club tonight.

When Emma still isn't home by midnight, Regina decides to go look for her. After not searching for a very long time, she finds Emma, Anna and the rest of the group at the local club. "Having fun, dear?" Regina asks her daughter, showing up behind her and taking her gently but firmly by her wrist so she can't run away again.

Emma startles and looks at her mother. She is not completely on this earth because of the drinks, but she knows she doesn't want this. "Go away mom," she snaps in a soft voice.   
"Is that your mother!" Anna laughs from the other side. The others laugh with her and, although her mind is spinning, Emma feels embarrassed.

"It's time to go home." Regina states clearly. "And I suggest you all do the same if you don't want to get in trouble."

"Get in trouble?" Anna says with a laugh and again the people around her laugh with her. She is kind of the leader of the group. "Mom please don't do this," Emma whispers, she tries to stay cool.   
"Good luck with your mommy at home," Anna says, "I hope she will read you a bedtime story, babies need that." She winks and laughs again, "and o yes! Don't forget to tell her you kissed with that boy over there."

"Emma, we are going home." Regina decides. She takes Emma with her without losing her hold on the girl's wrist. "Anna, I'll have a talk with your parents first thing in the morning." Regina pulls Emma with her outside.

"Go ahead," Anna says, "I'm sure they will be so angry!" she says with a very sarcastic undertone. She walks away with her friends, still laughing.

"Mom let me go!" Emma says when her mother pulls her outside. She tries to free her wrist, but it's useless, "you have ruined everything!"

"On the contrary. One day you'll thank me." Regina states. She poofs the both of them to the mansion. "You are going to sleep now and we'll talk in the morning. Don't you dare sneak away again, Emma, because then I will need to punish you." Regina lets Emma go to her room and then walks to Robin in their bedroom. She sighs when she lays down next to him.

"Everything all right?" he whispers. They talk for a while and then try to sleep.

In the meantime Emma sneaks out of the window again. She rather gets punished by her mother (of she ever finds out) than that all her 'friends' will turn against her, because that will mean that she will have a terrible school year from now.   
She walks into the club where Anna and the rest still are. They bully her, but after some time and some drinks that starts to fade and everything seems a bit normal again. 5 o'clock in the morning Emma returns home and falls asleep, but after an hour she wakes up very sick. She runs to the bathroom and throws up...

Regina wakes up very early in the morning when she hears her daughter throwing up. She quickly runs over to the bathroom. She knows Emma has snuck out again. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" Regina asks softly while holding aside her daughter's hair. "What's going on?"

"I'm just feeling a bit sick, that's all," Emma says.

"That doesn't surprise me, after partying all night, even though I warned you about being punished." Regina waves with her hand and magically locks all windows in the house, as well as the front and back door. "You're grounded until I say you're not." she decides without hesitation.

"Fine lock me up," Emma snaps, "that will make everything better." She pushes her mother away.

"It will keep you from meeting your friends who really aren't friends, Emma. Real friends don't push you to do things you don't want to do. One day you'll understand that I'm helping you right now."

"I do want it," Emma shouts, "and you're ruining my life, not helping me!"

Regina doesn't answer and while walking away, she says breakfast will be ready in an hour. Until then she needs to stay in her room and get ready for a day of studying.

Emma brushes her teeth and takes a shower, because she looks horrible. Then she walks to her room and locks her door.

After an hour Regina calls for Emma and Robin that breakfast is ready.

"Do you really think I'm coming to have breakfast with you?" Emma snaps.

"That's entirely up to you, sweetie." Regina answers with a smile. She laughs when Robin starts to tickle her. "Just know if you don't come, you'll be missing a cozy breakfast with pancakes and waffles and me and Robin."

"I don't care," Emma snaps, "have fun together!"   
Robin kisses Regina on her cheek, while he has his arms wrapped around her, "did you make pancakes?" he grins.

Regina smiles. "Yes, I did. And waffles as well." The two of them sit down at the breakfast table. Regina explains to him she wants to show Emma a loving household, one where she is wanted and perceived as part of it, but only when she wants to. Regina isn't going to push her but will invite her time after time.

"That's good," Robin says, while eating the delicious pancakes and waffles. "Have you any plans for today?" Robin asks, he has to go to work...

"I'm going to sit right next to Emma while she's doing all of the homework she has neglected over the past months, and I'll be there if she needs my help." Regina looks up at him. "You need to go to work, don't you?"

"Yes I have," Robin says with a smile. He stands up and picks up all the stuff. "Good luck with Emma," he says, when he puts on his jacket. He winks and kisses her, "see you tonight."

"I love you." Regina smiles at him. When he's off to work, Regina cleans up the breakfast table but puts a plate with pancakes aside in case Emma gets hungry. She then calls Emma again, this time to start her homework downstairs at the diner table.

"Go away," Emma says. Her door is still locked.

"This is your one and only warning, Emma. It's time to do your homework and I'll be sitting right beside you to help you where you need it."

"Go. Away!"

Regina waves with her hand and poofs Emma out of her bedroom and into the dining room, right in the chair in front of all her school books and homework. "You're going to do your homework now, sweetheart."

Emma stands up and walks away, without saying anything.

Regina keeps poofing her back, even without looking up from the magazine in front of her. "I can do this all day, Emma, but if you want to watch a movie later tonight or call Anna, you better start doing some homework. Please?"

When her mother keeps poofing her back, Emma stays on her seat, but doesn't touch or even look at the homework in front of her.

Regina doesn't look up. "I'll question you later about your homework, sweetheart." she lets Emma know.

"Fine," Emma says, not doing anything. She doesn't care if her mother asks her about her homework...

"If you want to call Anna or see a movie, you'll have to pass, Emma." Regina states clearly.

"I don't want that," Emma says. It's a lie, but she won't make her homework... Never.

Regina nodds. "Alright. That's your choice. But you'll still be sitting here until you at least have done some of your homework. I don't care if it's one page or a hundred. It would mean a great deal to me if you just show me you still want to pass this year at school. I would love to see the smartness I know you have in you, Emma."

Emma turns her back towards her mother and says nothing, overthinking the words her mother just said.

Regina remains silent for now. She knows her daughter is thinking about what she just said and weighing over her options.

Emma keeps silent, stands up and walks away.

Regina lets her go. She just keeps sitting at the table and waits for what Emma is going to do.

Emma lays down on her bed and picks up her phone. She starts to chat with Anna, who is at school doing nothing.

Regina waits patiently downstairs, knowing what Emma is doing at the moment but hoping that if she let her, she will do her homework later.

Emma doesn't go downstairs again. She won't do what her mother says.

After about an hour Regina calls for Emma. "Emma? It's time for lunch!"

"I'm not hungry," Emma shouts back.

"You need to eat something because after lunch you'll be doing homework again!" Regina shouts back, down the stairs.

"No!"

Regina waves with her hand and poofs Emma's phone into her own hand. "You are going to do some of your homework, Emma." Regina repeats. "I'm going to eat lunch now. You need to be downstairs in 30 minutes to continue doing your schoolwork."

Emma doesn't react and locks her door again. She lays her blanket over her body and after a while she falls asleep... She was so tired.

Regina checks up on her daughter a couple of times but lets her sleep until it's time for dinner. Robin will be home within a few minutes, so she wakes up Emma very softly. "Emma? Sweetheart, it's time for dinner. I can imagine you must be very hungry?" She softly strokes her daughter's cheeck.

"I'm not, go away," Emma whispers.

"Come on, Emma. You can't keep acting like this. You know you have to eat something and you know you have to do your homework so you can pass this year of school. Why are you making it so hard on yourself? Emma, tell me, please, because I don't understand it and I so badly want to understand it."

"I don't care about all those things," Emma says, "I won't do what you want."

"Can I ask you something, Emma? And can you answer me honestly?" Regina wants to know before she asks her question: "Why did you want to move back here, with me, if you refuse my help so very much? You could have stayed with Snow and David and continue this act without them fighting you or discussing anything you do. Why then move back in with me, knowing I won't accept this kind of behaviour?" Regina gets up and before she leaves the room, she turns around to her youngest daughter. "Think about that before you answer that, alright?" She then leaves Emma's bedroom, closes the door and walks downstairs to eat dinner with Robin.

Emma softly cries and falls asleep again. She doesn't have to think about that, she knows it already.

Regina kisses Robin softly when he enters the mansion. She sighs against him, relying on him to hold her up. "I can't get through to her." she whispers softly.

Robin lays his arms around her and kisses her back. "You can get through her YET," Robin says, "tell me about it." He keeps standing close to her, holding her up.

Regina tells him about her day, all about her day, even the question she just asked Emma a couple of minutes ago. She leans against him.

Robin smiles and kisses Regina's forehead, "sounds like a though day indeed, but what you need to do is keep calm and stay strong and maybe she will even answer your question tonight or tomorrow."

Regina nodds. "I do hope so." she whispers. She almost falls asleep against Robin's strong chest. "I made dinner for all of us." she whispers softly.

"Do you think Emma will come too? Did you ask her?" Robin asks and he lifts Regina up. He carries her to the couch and sits down beside her. "And if she won't, I'm still here and I'm quite hungry," he says with a small laugh.

"I've called her down the stairs and when I went up I've asked her too, but she won't come." Regina whispers. "I want to eat with you." She tries to sit back up but she's just so tired.

"That's her own choice," Robin says, stroking Regina's hair, "one day she will eat with us again, but for now I'll bring you some food here, because eating at the table doesn't seem to be a very good plan right now."

Regina mumbles something incoherently before falling asleep. She's just too tired to stay awake. She falls asleep with her hand over her belly, as if to protect it from nightmares.

Robin smiles and lets Regina sleep against his chest. He lays his hand on her hand on her belly and immediately feels sad. Is it even possible that Regina is happy?

After a couple of hours Regina wakes up. She looks around her and feels scared but she doesn't know exactly why.

"Hey," Robin says. He let Regina sleep on the couch while he cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes. He has kept some food for her and when he sees Regina is awake he warms it up for her.

"Not hungry." she whispers. "Where is Emma? Is she still in her room? Did she come downstairs?"

"She didn't come downstairs," Robin says, "I brought her some food, but I don't know if she took it. And you have to eat something." He says with a smile and he sits down next to Regina with a plate of food.

"I'm not hungry." Regina repeats softly. She looks at the stairs, hoping Emma will come downstairs to answer her question.

"To be honest I don't think she will come downstairs," Robin says, when he sees Regina looking at the stairs, "she doesn't want to do what you want right now, if you understand what I mean."

Regina nodds. She pushes her plate with food away from her. "Not hungry." she mumbles again.

"Emma told me exactly the same," Robin says with a sigh and he stares out of the window.

Nervously Regina strokes her belly. "I forgot my apointment with dr. Whale." she suddenly whispers.

"You did," Robin says, "that's not a very big deal... We will make another appointment."

Regina nodds. "I'm sorry." she whispers. "I'm... I'm feeling anxious and scared again, Robin." she admits to him.

"Can you tell me why?" Robin says, looking into her eyes, "what's the reason that you're scared again?"

"I... I don't know. It... It doesn't feel good. Inside of me." Regina strokes her belly again.

Now Robin gets a little bit worried too, "what doesn't feel good?" he says. He looks her deep into her eyes now and lays his hand on hers.

Regina looks up at him. "It feels like our bean doesn't want to be in me. In my body."

"Maybe that's part of the curse," Robin whispers, "what do you think? And does it hurt?"

"No, it doesn't hurt." Regina answers him. "Not much, at least. It's more an uncomfortable feeling, I guess."

"Okay," Robin says, "we can ask your mother if she knows what it means...".

Regina shakes her head. "No. I don't want to bother my mother with this. It's going to be alright, I'm sure of that." She softly smiles at Robin and strokes his chest. "I'm tired. Shall we go to bed?"

"But if it gets worse we will ask her, okay?" Robin says and they walk upstairs together. On Regina's pillow lays a note and a workbook from Emma:

* I tried to do the exercises of the first chapter, but I don't get it at all... will you help me with them tomorrow? Love, Emma *

"Yes, alright, if it gets worse we'll ask my mother." Regina mumbles before she walks upstairs with Robin. When she sees the note on her pillow, a bright smile appears on her face. She quickly goes check on her youngest daughter, but she's sound asleep. Regina softly strokes over her hair and whispers in her ear that she surely wants to help her out tomorrow. She then goes to sleep with Robin.

The next morning Regina wakes up early and makes pancakes and waffles again.

Emma silently comes downstairs, followed by Robin. She doesn't dare to say a thing.

"Goodmorning, sweetheart. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Regina smiles at Emma, giving her a couple of pancakes on a plate.

"Yes, you too?" Emma asks softly. She sits down at the table, but doesn't feel hungry.

"I did, thank you. I've read your note and I'm happy to help you with math. As a matter of fact, I've always been good with numbers so I do hope I'm good at explaining it to you." She winks at her daughter.

Emma softly smiles and looks up at her mom, who winks at her. She takes a bite of her pancake, but she doesn't feel like eating more.

Regina sits down next to Emma and gives a little squeeze in her hand. "You can stop if you're not hungry, dear. Those pancakes aren't going anywhere, so if you get hungry you just take what you want, alright?"

Emma nods, "yes," she says and although she still looks at her lap, a smile appears on her face. Snow would never say such a thing...

Regina smiles at Robin. "What are you plans today?" she asks him softly.

"I've to go to work," Robin says, "there is a lot to do, unfortunately... But I'll be home before dinner."

"On a Sunday?" Regina almost doesn't believe him.

"Yes on Sunday..." Robin sighs, "I wish it was different, but business isn't very good right now...".

Regina nodds softly, a suspicous look in her eyes she can't control. Is he cheating on her? She turns her attention back to Emma. "Let's get going." she smiles at him.

"See you at dinner," Robin says and after he picked up his stuff, he leaves the house.

Regina doesn't acknowledge him leaving the house. He didn't even give her a kiss goodbye. It hurts her but she doesn't let that show. "Emma? Shall we begin?" Regina suggests with a soft smile.

"Okay," Emma says and she picks up her stuff from upstairs, "mom..." she starts, "no no, nevermind," she whispers then and she shows her mother what she doesn't get (everything...).

"Yes, sweetheart? Did you want to say or ask something?" Regina asks her daughter while taking over her books and papers.

"No," she she quickly says and she focusses on her work. "Maybe I'll tell you later," she doesn't dare yet...

Regina nodds. "Alright then." She also focusses on the homework of Emma in front of her and explains everything in a clear way. Afterwards she asks if Emma understands it. "If you don't, Emma, I won't be angry and I'll explain it again, don't worry." Regina smiles at her daughter.

"I do..." Emma says, "but why is this the answer? I thought it was 12..." She sighs.

"It's 15 because you forgot to add the 3 that comes from here. You see?" Regina points where Emma was wrong without getting angry or sounding disappointed.

"Ow, yes I see," Emma says, "this is the work we had to do in the first week of school... And only the mathwork...How can I ever catch up." She takes a deep breath.

"You can and you will catch up, Emma, because you're a smart girl. When you understand these things, the basics, it's only a matter of time to understand everything else. I'm not worried, you're going to get it, all of it." Regina smiles, proud.

"What if I don't," Emma says and she adds in a very soft voice, barely hearable, "what if I don't want too." When she sees her mother being so proud she almost starts to cry, her mother believes in her and that hurts in a way.

"If you don't want too, Emma, then you won't. I won't push you. It's up to you. But... Can you explain to me why you wouldn't want to?" Regina asks with a soft voice. "Why struggle through these excercises and theory with me if you don't want to catch up in school?"

"Well..." Emma starts, "Anna will pass, and I don't want to be in class with her again, I want a chance to make real friends without Anna bossing around and deciding what I have to do and decide what's cool."

Regina nodds. "I understand." And she really does. "If that is what you want, Emma, then I won't stop you. Because I can't." Regina lifts Emma's chin up with a finger so she can look into her daughter's eyes. "But do you want to know what I've learned throughout my life? When you face the people who think they have control over you... You get a lot more satisfaction when you let them realize they don't have that control over you. When it comes to Anna..." Regina looks deeper into her daughter's eyes. "She's a bully. And when you stand up to a bully, right in her face, not hiding... You'll see you'll have more friends who will stand beside you than Anna has. Because nobody likes a bully."

"You really think I can do that?" Emma says with a smile, but then she changes her mind, "but... But no, I can't do that. I'm not you, mom, you're strong and brave, I'm just weak, I won't stand a chance." She stands up and runs to the door, grabbing her phone from the counter, "forget everything I said," she says, she means everything before her last words, because she really thinks she is weak. "I can't do this, everyone hates me already, because I'm part of Anna's gang, that won't change," she runs to her room and burst into tears, while she texts Anna.

Regina quickly follows Emma because now is not the time to leave her alone. Regina sits down next to Emma on her bed. "Emma, you listen to me." she starts while taking the phone out of her daughter's hand. "I don't want to hear you say you're weak ever again. Because, sweetheart, you're not. You're as strong as me, maybe even stronger. So I won't allow you bringing yourself down like that, do you hear me?" Regina takes Emma in her arms, not letting her go.

"I don't dare to stand up to Anna," Emma whispers, "I'm really not as strong as you think." De frees herself from het mother's grip and doesn't look at her, too afraid to see the disappointment in her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

"You don't have to be sorry, Emma." Regina softly answers. "What can I do to make you believe in yourself again?" she wants to know. "Because if there is one person who can stand up to that bully, it's you, sweetheart."

"I don't think so," Emma whispers and she grabs a very short skirt out of her wardrobe and puts it on, together with a crop top, so her navel piercing is clearly visible. She doesn't say a thing and walks to her door. She has to go to the party...

"Where do you think you're going, Emma?" Regina asks with a soft but also stern voice. "If you think you're going to see Anna and go to a party, you're badly mistaken, dear." Regina waves with her hand and magically closes the front door of the mansion as well as the back door and all of the windows. She knows she has done this before but just to be sure.

Emma sinks to the ground, "please mom," she whispers, "please let me go."

"I'm sorry, Emma." Regina softly says. "I can't let you go. You're grounded because you snuck away in the middle of the night."

"You don't know what they will do to me if I don't come," Emma says. She hates her mother's magic.

"Can you tell me, Emma? Because if they're going to bully you or hurt you, I won't allow that. You know that, right?"

Emma turns her head away. If her mother will do something about it, she will only make it worse. "They aren't nice to people who leave the gang," Emma only says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina wants to know.

"Nothing," Emma says.

"Emma? You know you can tell me." Regina pushes a little bit further. "I... I want to help you. Please?"

"They just bully the people who leave th gang," Emma says, "I've seen it before, she joined the group again immediately... Anna doesn't want to look weak, so people aren't supposed to leave the group."

"As I said before, Emma... If you stand up against bullies like Anna, you will have more people beside you than you probably think right now." Regina explains again.

"But how, mom?" Emma says, "I can't stand up agains Anna, really...".

"Yes. Yes, you can, Emma. You're stronger than this, you're stronger than being the puppet of a bully." Regina encourages her youngest daughter.

"But I don't know how!" Emma says very loud.

Regina softly pulls Emma back beside her on the bed. "You can start with not going to that party tonight and not skipping school tomorrow and paying attention in class. You can start with showing your teachers how hard you've been studying this weekend and you can start with saying 'NO' to Anna when she wants you to do something you don't like."

"But that won't change a thing, that won't touch her at all and she will just bully me in front of everyone and she will force me to come back. It's not that simple."

"I never said it's going to be easy." Regina whispers. "But I can promise you it's going to be worth it." She looks her daughter deep into her eyes. "If you keep saying 'NO' to Anna, it will touch her. She will notice she doesn't control you any longer."

This is why she wants to stay with Regina and not with Snow... Just this. "And after that," Emma whispers, "I will have no one and I'll be no one."

Regina shakes her head in denial. "No. You will have a whole lot of people to chose from who will want to be your friend. Because nobody likes a bully and everyone likes a hero." Regina winks.

"I'm not a hero mom," Emma sighs, "I'll only disappoint you," she lays her head on her mother's shoulder. "And how can you be so sure?"

Regina softly strokes Emma's hair. "You can never disappoint me, sweetheart." she whispers. "If there is one person in this whole town who is a hero, dear, then it's you. Who broke The Dark Curse?" Regina winks again.

"Don't try to cheer me up, it won't work," Emma says, but it feels good when her mother talks about her like this, like she really is a hero, although she is not. Emma lays her hands around her uncovered legs and sighs.

"What do you say you change into something more comfortable and we watch a movie together? Your choice. We can make popcorn together. What do you think?" Regina suggests.

Emma nods, but feels afraid, "what do I tell Anna?" she whispers.

"What about the truth?" Regina winks at her. "It's no shame in watching a movie on a Sunday evening, right?"

"It is," Emma says very seriously.

Regina just looks at Emma with a funny face. "It's really not. Unless it's the popcorn you're talking about. No popcorn with a movie Sunday night? Fine by me." Regina starts to walk to the door of Emma's bedroom. "Or... Do you want to show me you can make popcorn on your own?" She winks again.

"You're not funny mom," Emma says. She is too angry and afraid to laugh.

Regina shows a pouting face. "Really? I'm not? That's it. I'm making popcorn because you just hurt my feelings." Regina winks again. "Do you want to join me and choose the movie for tonight? Otherwise it will be the musical 'Mamma Mia' ..." Regina suggests and, while walking downstairs she finishes her sentence "... and I'm going to sing!".

Emma smiles a little, but then it disappears again, "I don't care," she says and she stays in her room. She won't give her mother that satisfaction.

Regina makes popcorn and puts two blankets in the couch. She calls Emma one more time before she presses Play and 'Mamma Mia' starts.

Emma doesn't come. She just lies on her bed and cries. It's very cold, but she refuses to change her clothes, she stares out of the window to the moon, not knowing what to do...

Regina falls asleep in the middle of the movie with tears streaming down her face. She doesn't know what she did wrong for Emma not to come downstairs.

Emma stays awake the whole time. She can't sleep... She just won't...

Robin comes home and finds Regina sleeping, while Mamma Mia plays on the background. He kisses her on her cheek.

Regina startles and her first impulse is to hide in a corner so that's what she does. When she sees Robin she relaxes. "I'm... I'm sorry." she softly apologizes. "You... I... You scared me. I'm sorry."

"No problem," he says with a smile. He helps Regina get up. He sees her red eyes and knows she cried, "is everything all right," he says, holding her close.

Regina shrugs. She starts to clean up the mess she made; when she fell asleep she accidently threw popcorn all over the ground.

"Regina, stop," Robin whispers. He makes her stop cleaning up the popcorn and makes her sit on the couch. "What happened?" he says.

"I can't get through to her. Sometimes I think it's happening but then she closes up just as fast." Regina whispers. "I'm tired all the time. I feel the hate of our little bean through my entire body. I have to go to Boston to check up on things. But Emma comes first, but she doesn't let me in."

"But yesterday it was nothing, and now you get through her sometimes, so there is progress. It's a matter of time before you can really get through her, don't give up yet," Robin says and he looks at Regina, "this is going to cost some more time, and in the meantime... maybe you can send someone you trust to Boston for you, I can go if you want." He doesn't mention the hate yet, but he will come to that.

Regina softly smiles. "You always see good in each day, don't you?" She then nodds. "Yes, there is progress. And I'm going to be happy about that." She smiles again. "No, I want you here with me. Please? I'll... I can go to Boston the day after tomorrow. Emma is at school during the day and I can go and come back the same day. Is that alright?" Regina suggests.

Robin smiles when Regina talks to him in a far happier way than in the beginning, "yes, of course," Robin answers her question, "you want to go alone?"

"Unless you can take time off at work for a day? Did you... Did you really had to work today? On a Sunday? If... If you're seeing someone else, you can tell me..." Regina looks away, nervous now.

Robin is stunned, "do you really think I would lie about that?" he says looking at Regina, he almost gets angry, "of course there is no one else and I really had to work today. What makes you think I would cheat on you?"

"Why wouldn't I think that?" Regina mumbles. "It's me we're talking about. I'm just... me. I'm a mess most of the times. I'm The Evil Queen. Why wouldn't you cheat on me?" Regina whispers those last words.

"Because I know better," Robin says and he makes Regina look at him too, "you are not evil and I love you," he takes Regina in his arms, "I will always love you..." he whispers.

Regina softly cries now. "I love you too." she whispers. She unconsciously strokes her belly.

Robin smiles and holds her close, "you know Cora can still fix that, don't you?" he whispers.

"No, she can't. I don't want her to. She's my mother. I can't ask her to die for our child." Regina shakes her head. "That is not going to happen." She looks up at Robin. "Do you want to come to Boston with me, the day after tomorrow? Tomorrow, we can go see Dr. Whale for an ultrasound. Please?"

Robin doesn't say anything about Cora anymore, because he doesn't want to upset her.   
"Yes, I will go with you to Boston and to the ultrasound," Robin says. He knows he will lose his job if he does that, but he doesn't care... It's worth it.

"Are you sure? You don't have to do that. I can go to Boston by myself. I just... would like to have you with me for the ultrasound." Regina whispers.

"I'll come," Robin says and he kisses her on her cheek, "I didn't know you already made a new appointment for your ultrasound," he smiles.

"I didn't. I'm hoping he can see us tomorrow without appointment. Or should I call tomorrow morning, just to be sure?" Regina asks softly.

"I should do that, yes," Robin says, "then you're sure.”

Regina nodds. "I will." She starts to clean the couch and ground again and throws everything away. "I'll go check on Emma before we go to sleep, alright?" Regina softly walks upstairs and knocks on Emma's door. "Emma? Can I come in, please?" Regina asks clearly.

"Yes," Emma says, still lying on her bed in her skirt and crop top. She is very cold, but she doesn't care. She just stares out of the window.

Regina softly enters Emma's room. She sits down next to her and pulls a warm blanket over her body. "Aren't you really cold, dear?" she asks softly.

"No," she whispers. It's a lie...

"Emma..." Regina whispers. She softly strokes her daughter's back. "You're freezing. Why don't you put on something more warm to sleep?"

Emma shrugs, "I don't feel like it, I think," she whispers.

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" Regina asks, carefully.

Emma nods, tears stream down her cheeks. She still looks out of the window, with her back towards her mom.

"Come on then. Let's go to my room. I'll ask Robin to sleep on the couch. He can make it into a bed." Regina softly suggests. She helps Emma out of bed and gives her a warm and long hug before they walk over to Regina's bedroom.

"He can sleep in my bed," Emma says softly, "I don't want him to sleep on the couch because of me."

"Let's asks Robin what he wants to do, alright?" Regina winks at Emma. "Robin?" Regina explains the situation.

Robin smiles, "the couch sounds fine," he grins, "and I still have my cabin."

"No. Please, stay. Don't go away. Please stay on the couch?" Regina softly asks him.

"Yeah fine," Robin says. "Don't worry to much, okay?" he whispers when he hugs her.

Regina nodds. "Thank you. Goodnight. I love you." Regina gives him a soft kiss on his lips. She then turns her attention back towards Emma. "Which side do you want to sleep on?" she smiles at her.

"Right," Emma says and she tries to smile too.

Regina gives her daughter warm pajamas of her own. "Maybe you would like to sleep in something of mine?" she suggests softly.

Emma now really smiles, "I would love that," she whispers, she hates her own clothes...

Regina throws them at Emma. "Catch!" she smiles. She then almost looks stunned at how fast Emma reacts. "You're really fast, sweetheart." Regina smiles proudly. "Have you ever considered joining the athletics team at school?"

"No," Emma says with a grin, "I'm not good at sports.”

"Excuse me? Did you even notice how fast your reaction was when catching my pajamas? How can you not be good at sports?" Regina winks.

"I'm far to fat for sports, mom," Emma says with a laugh, "everyone is super skinny and beautiful...".

Regina looks at her daughter. "Excuse me?" she asks with a stern voice suddenly.

Emma startles, "what? It's true..." she says.

"Don't say that. Ever again." Regina whispers. "You're not too fat. On the contrary. You're not too fat. Please, don't ever say that again. Don't believe that. You're beautiful."

Emma shrugs, "maybe," Emma says, "but all moms think their children are beautiful," she smiles, "that doesn't count.”  
She puts on her... well her mother's pajamas.

Regina lays down next to her youngest daughter. She turns to her side to look at her. "I want you to understand how important it is to be happy with your own body. I want to tell you a story." Regina smiles softly. "Once upon a time there was a young girl who was to be Queen. The first thing everyone in The Royal Castle said to her was that she was too fat."

Emma smiles and closes her eyes to listen to the story her mother tells her. She thinks it's just a story her mother made up for her, but she loves it.

"So this young girl, barely 18 years old, started to watch her food. She didn't eat much and that caused her to get really, really sick. She barely could keep herself upright. She felt weak all the time and nothing was fun any longer. She couldn't ride her horse Rocinante because she didn't have the strength to do that." Regina whispers, knowing the fact that Emma knows her old horse's name.

Emma opens her eyes, "it was you," she whispers, grabbing her mother's hand.

Regina softly nodds. "I mean it when I say I speak from experience, sweetheart. You shouldn't believe what anyone tells you about your body. You're beautiful just the way you are and I'm not telling you that because I'm your mother. I'm telling you because it's the truth. And for what it's worth... You're really skinny so you don't have to believe you're fat. Because you're really, really, really not." Regina looks Emma deep into her eyes. "Do you believe me, sweetheart?" she asks softly.

Emma hesitates, but nods, "yes I do," she says, "I believe you," she smiles, "but... can you tell me how the story ends? Because when and how did you start eating again? and how did your strength come back?" Emma asks, because she still doesn't feel like eating...

Regina continues her story. "That young girl, Regina, met Robin. He told her the same as I'm telling you, that Regina is beautiful the way she is. And he keeps telling her that until she finally believes it herself. And now, when she has a bad day, Robin still says things like that and reminds Regina to eat." She softly smiles. "And Regina never forgets the moment she could ride Rocinante again, when she had her strength back again."

"That's the best story I've ever heard," Emma whispers, and she looks out of the window, "and now you're my Robin," she smiles.

Regina nodds. "Yes, I am. And I'll be your Robin until you can believe in yourself again." She softly strokes Emma's cheek. "Will you please try not to skip school tomorrow?" she then softly asks.

"Okay," Emma says, but she doesn't know if she dares.

"That would be nice." Regina smiles. She softly strokes Emma's back now. "Maybe we should get some sleep?" she suggests.

"Yeah," Emma whispers and she lays close to her mother. She finally feels warm.

Regina holds her daughter very close and falls asleep after she knows Emma is sound asleep. The next morning, she wakes up early to make pancakes again. Meanwhile she calls do Dr. Whale to see if there is an appointment available today.

"I'll make space for you," dr. Whale says, "5 o'clock?"   
When Regina finishes her phone call, Robin wakes up. "What time is it?" he says with a yawn, knowing it's very early.

"It's almost 7. Emma will wake up soon and I wanted to make pancakes. Dr. Whale has a free spot at 5 PM so we can go after work and maybe Emma can come with us if she'd like that?"

"Yes good idea," Robin says, "is it really already 7AM?" He looks at the clock and sees Regina is right, he has to hurry...

Regina nodds. She calls Emma to get up and eat some breakfast.

Emma comes downstairs and sits down at the table in her mothers far too big pajamas. "Goodmorning," she whispers.

"Goodmorning, sweetheart." Regina smiles softly. "Would you like a pancake or rather some fruit?" she suggests carefully.

"Fruit, thanks," she whispers.

Regina nodds and makes a healthy breakfast for her daughter. "Here you go." she smiles. "I have a suggestion." Regina then continues. "I have to go to Dr. Whale at 5 PM for my first ultrasound. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yes," Emma says, "that's okay," she smiles. Snow never took her anywhere with her.

"Alright. I love that." Regina smiles. "I'll go to The Town Hall today to get some work done and Robin will also go to work. I suggest we eat after we come back from Dr. Whale. I'll make you something healthy to eat after school so you're not hungry, alright?" Regina strokes Emma softly over her cheek. "If you want I can help you this evening with your homework?"

"Okay," Emma says. She smiles and runs upstairs to pack her bag.   
"That looks better," Robin says, nodding at Emma when she runs up the stairs.

Regina nodds softly. She looks at Robin. "I just hope she will be able to stay at school the whole day. But if not, I'm not going to punish her by not letting her come with us. Those two things have to be seperated."

"I think that's a good thing to do," Robin says, "but you can't let her do it, without 'punishing' at all."

Regina nodds. "I know." she whispers. "I'll drop her off at school. Do we meet at dr. Whale's at 5 PM?" she suggests.

"I'm there at 5PM," he repeats. He kisses her cheek, "I have to go, see you," he winks.

"I love you." Regina whispers. She takes his chin in her hands and gives him a kiss goodbye. She then calls Emma. "Emma? I'll drop you off at school with the car!"

"Yes almost done!" Emma shouts from upstairs.

Regina waits patiently and after a few minutes she and Emma get into her car. "Do I drop you off at school or a few streets earlier?" Regina asks softly, guessing Emma won't like it if her mother drops her off at school.

"The last option," Emma says with a little smile, "you don't mind?"

Regina shakes her head. "I don't." she smiles. "I understand." She drops her youngest daughter off two streets before school. "I'll see you at the mansion at 4.30 sharp, alright? Do you remember what you promised me to try to do today?" she asks softly.

Emma looks down at her lap, "what if I fail to do that?" she says.

"I'm not saying I'm going to be happy." Regina answers honestly. "I know you're strong enough to stand up against that bully, to say 'NO' to things you actually don't want to do." Regina looks at Emma in her eyes. "But you'll be still welcome to come with us to the ultrasound." she then smiles softly.

Emma smiles too, "okay, I'll try my best," she hugs her mom and opens the door. "See you at the hospital then.”

"I'll pick you up at home, remember. At 4.30 sharp!" Regina calls after Emma. She then smiles brightly while driving away. She has a dull day at work, doing mostly paperwork. At 3.30 she goes home and makes a healty snack for Emma; fresh fruit with crumbled cookies.

"Yes yes," Emma says and she runs to school.

At 4.15 Robin comes home. "How do you feel?" he smiles when he walks in.

"I'm a bit nervous but I think that's normal, right?" Regina smiles softly. "Dr. Whale is just going to make an ultrasound, right? Nothing more?" she whispers, uncertain.

"You made an appointment for an ultrasound, so what else can he do?" Robin says.

Regina shrugs. "He's a doctor. I don't like doctors very much after... After Boston." she whispers. "I'm sorry."

"I understand," Robin says, "but it's going to be all right.”

Regina nodds. "I know. You'll be there and Emma as well." she smiles. It's 4.30 PM now.

"Yes we will," Eobin says, "when will Emma come?"

"I told her to be here at 4.30 sharp." Regina whispers. "Let's wait 10 minutes before we leave, alright? I want to give her a chance."

At 4.35 Emma comes running towards them. "I'm sorry," she says out of breath.

Regina smiles. "It's alright, sweetheart. Did you get held up?"

"Yeah," Emma says, "I forgot the time," she lies.

Regina nodds. "That's alright." She looks at Emma. "Did you skip school today?" she wants to know before they leave. "I won't be angry, I promise."

"I didn't," Emma says, "I didn't skip lessons." She doesn't feel proud or happy about it.

Regina's smile couldn't be more bright. "I'm so, so very proud of you, sweetheart." she smiles softly. "But I'm sure it wasn't easy, right? Maybe you want to tell me about it, later tonight, after dinner? Just the two of us?" Regina looks at Robin to see if that's alright with him.

Robin smiles and nods.  
"Yes maybe," Emma says, "but I didn't come to talk about me...".

Regina looks at her with questions in her eyes.

"Let's go," Robin says.

"Are you excited for the ultrasound, Emma?" Regina asks on the way to the hospital.

"A little bit," Emma says, "but what will happen exactly?"

Regina explains that dr. Whale will put some sort of gel on her belly and with an instrument they will be able to see the little bean growing inside of her. "It will be still very small but the longer I'm pregnant, the more he or she will grow and the more we can see." she smiles.

"That sounds awesome," she says, "can we know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Not today." Regina smiles. "That's in 2 months. Will you come with us every time?" she then suggests. "I would love that."

"Yes," Emma says, "I like that too, unless I have an appointment of my own.”.

Regina tries not to laugh. Her daughter sounds very mature when she talks like that. She smiles and winks at Emma. They arrive at the hospital and the three of them immediately can walk into dr. Whale's office.

Dr. Whale prepares everything and then starts. The baby is visible on a screen on his desk.

Regina looks for a couple of minutes but then redirects her attention to the wall in front of her. "Are we done?" she whispers softly.

"Is something wrong?" Robin asks when he sees Regina react like this.

"No. I'm fine. Everything's fine." Regina whispers. She smiles at Emma. "That's going to be your little brother or sister. What do you think about that?" she asks softly.

"I love it," Emma says, "I always wanted a little brother or sister," she smiles. Maybe then she won't feel so alone.

Regina smiles back. "I'm glad to hear that, sweetie." She looks back at dr. Whale. "Are we done now?" she asks softly.

"yes we are," dr. Whale says and he nods. "do you have any more questions?"

"Just one. When do we have to come back for the next ultrasound?" Regina asks, every time she speaks a bit softer.

"You can come again next month," dr. Whale says.

When they leave the room and Emma leaves for the toilet, Robin turns to Regina. "I can tell you're not all right, what's it?" he says softy, "is it only the curse? Or something else?"

Regina shrugs. She doesn't answer immediately because she doesn't really know what's going on within herself.

Robin kisses Regina on her forehead, but before he can say something Emma is back. "Is something wrong, mom?" she asks looking from Robin to her.

"Everything is fine, dear." Regina smiles softly, not wanting to worry her daughter. "Let's go home. I'll make dinner while you make your homework, alright?" she suggests.

Emma sighs, "really...?"

Regina smiles softly. Her daughter is too observant when it comes to her. "Let's talk tonight, I promise. How does that sound?"

"Well... Okay," Emma says and they walk home.

While Regina prepares dinner Emma makes her homework at the kitchen table. "How was school today, sweetheart?" Regina inquires.

"Not very nice," Emma only says, while she tries to catch up with the physics homework... She is so far behind...

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"It's just hard to keep my focus on the lessons, when Anna constantly talks to me and tries to get me out of focus... And besides that I don't understand what my teacher is talking about, because I'm so far behind...".

Regina nodds. "I understand. Do you want me to talk to someone at school? Maybe you can transfer classes if Anna is bugging you so badly?" she then suggests.

"No no," Emma says and she looks up, "that can't happen, she will think I hate her...".

"I can understand that too." Regina smiles. "What about a trip? Just the two of us, a week to Boston, to catch up with your homework together so you can at least follow the teacher in class?" Regina suggests then.

"Yes," Emma says with some kind of enthusiasm. She feels relieved in a way, when her mother suggests this, no Anna, no choices, just she and her mom.

"Yes? I would love that! We leave tomorrow. I do have some things to do in that facility but I'll be spending most of the time with you and our homework, alright?" Regina suggests softly.

"You're talking so softly mom, are you afraid or something? I won't attack you..." Emma sighs. Suddenly she feels a bit angry, it's just going too fast.

"No, I'm sorry, dear. I'm just a bit tired I guess. The ultrasound made me feel a lot of things I don't really like to feel." Regina explains.

"What kind of things?" Emma asks.

Regina looks at her and Robin. "I hate the fact the baby is never going to love me." she then whispers, a tear running down her face.

Emma is stunned, "that's nonsense... Of course the baby will love you."

Regina shakes her head. "It won't. The Black Fairy created the potion Leopold made me drink that way." she explains.

"You never told me the baby was cursed..." Emma says, she doesn't get this at all.

"I didn't want you to worry, Emma. And after all..." Regina looks away for a moment. "After all I am The Evil Queen. I deserve it."

"That's not true!" Emma says, "one: I can handle it, I'm not a baby, and two: you're not evil!"

Regina softly smiles. "I know you can handle it, sweetheart. I'm sorry for not telling you immediately. I really am sorry. But what the evil part concerns... there are people who would beg the differ. They really think I'm Evil and I don't deserve the love of a child."

"They are Evil themselves," Emma says very angrily.

Regina softly strokes Emma's cheek. "I love the fact that you're trying to defend me, sweetheart, but they are right. I did some terrible things in the past. Unspeakable things." Regina whispers now.

"I know, but that's the past," Emma says very loud, "you're not evil anymore! you have to believe that."

Regina nodds. "I do believe I'm not Evil any longer. But I have been. And some things... Some things can't be forgiven, Emma." Regina tries to explain.

"Everything can be forgiven," Emma clearly states and she stands up, trows her pencil on her books and walks away.

Regina looks slowly up at Robin. "Did I say something wrong?"

"You made her think you don't believe in yourself," Robin says and he smiles. He leans against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I do believe I'm trying to do the best I can." Regina whispers.

Robin shrugs, "I don't think you convinced her. See it as a compliment: she certainly believes in you." He sits down at the table.

"She does, doesn't she?" Regina softly smiles. "Do you mind finishing dinner? I need to talk to her, I guess." Regina walks upstairs and knocks on Emma's door. "Emma? Can I come in, please?"

"Yes of course," Robin says with a laugh.

"Yes yes, come in," Emma says, "I knew you would follow...".

"Are you alright?" Regina asks Emma while sitting down next to her on the bed.

"Yes I'm perfectly fine," Emma says.

"I don't believe that, sweetie. You can tell me what you're thinking of right now."

"That you are an idiot, because you don't believe in yourself! You make yourself evil, because you keep thinking you are!" Emma shouts.

Regina startles. "I do believe I'm trying to do the right things now, make the right decisions. And that makes me no longer Evil." she smiles softly. "But I do regret my past, very much."

"I know," Emma says and she gets herself back, "I'm sorry I shouted at you, but I just don't understand that you don't believe people can forgive you for the things you've done...".

"The most important people whose forgiveness I need are right here in this house and at Snow's." Regina smiles softly.

"But you said some things can't be forgiven...".

"The people who I've wronged may not be so forgiving of me as you are. All I'm saying is that I understand them. But I guess I'm not Evil any longer, right?" Regina smiles.

"I think I made that clear yes," Emma says and now she smiles too. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, sweetie. What do you say you pack your bags for a couple of days Boston with me?"

"Tomorrow," Emma says immediately softer than before, "that's so... Fast."

"Don't you want to go with me? A couple of days just you and I? Working together at your homework?"

"I would love to go with you," Emma says, "but..." she sighs, "never mind... I'll pack my bags."  
She really feels exited to go, but not tomorrow. She doesn't feel like packing her bags so quickly and all this evening. But that doesn't make sense, so she still goes on packing her bags.

"Emma?" Regina asks, holding her daughter close now. "What's the problem with going tomorrow?" She sees right through her daughter.

"Nothing," Emma says, "it's good to be away," she picks up her clothes and folds them up.

"Are you sure?" Regina asks now.

Emma nods and she means it. Her mom doesn't have to know why she thinks it's too fast, because it doesn't matter. She really wants to go.

"Alright then." Regina smiles. "Do you need help or do you want to pack alone?"

"I don't need help, mom," Emma says with a laugh, "you can go help Robin."

Regina nodds. "I think it's just you and me, sweetheart." she smiles. "Robin has to work. And I like it, just you and me for a couple of days. We'll be back on Thursday evening." Regina smiles at Emma and then goes downstairs to Robin to tell him the plans. "Is that alright with you?" she asks softly.

"That sounds perfect," Robin says, "although I don't think Emma can catch up with everything in just three days." He grins, "do you still want me to go with you to Boston? Or isn't that necessary anymore?"

"Maybe it's better if you can go to work? Am I right in saying you can't just take vacation?" Regina winks. "Although I am The Mayor of this town, I do believe I can't help you if you get fired." She giggles. "Three days are plenty of time for Emma to catch up the most important things. She's a smart girl."

"You're right," Robin smiles, "and yes, Emma is very smart indeed," Robin says. He walks to Regina and kisses her, "but now... let's have dinner."

"Emma? It's time to eat!" Regina shouts at the bottom of the stairs.

Emma immediately runs down the stairs, "what are we eating?" she asks, while she sits down at the table.

"A steak with salade a la Robin. What do you think?" Regina smiles.

Emma grins, "sounds very good," she says in a posh voice.

"Emma? Are you alright?" Regina asks softly. "Your voice sounds... forced."

"Don't worry mom," Emma says, "that was just a joke," She and Robin grin, because Regina didn't get it.

Regina looks confused at first but then giggles. "Let's eat." she smiles. After dinner she and Emma make arrangements for the next morning. Regina looks at the time and decides it's still early enough to call the head mistress of Emma's school to inform her of Emma's absence. She picks up the phone and calls.

"Storybrooke secondary school, this is Lydia Madison. Can I help you?" the woman on the phone says.

"Hello, miss. Madison. This is Regina Mills, Emma's mother."

"Hello, miss Mills, what can I do for you?"

"I'm calling you to inform you that Emma won't be attending school for the rest of the week. She will be back next Monday." Regina answers polite.

"Do you have a proper reason for it?" Lydia asks, she has to ask because of the rules.

"Emma is going through a rather difficult time and I'm taking her with me to Boston until Thursday evening. I'll help her get back on track for school, explaining the basic things so she can follow the classes again."

"Yes I heard something like that from her teacher," the headmistress says, "Emma is allowed to go, I would love to have a signed form with the reason, so I can prove the reason why Emma is away. Emma can take that with her on Friday."

"Emma will be coming back on Monday, miss. Madison." Regina corrects. "I will make sure she has that form with her."

"Yes I'm sorry, Monday," she says and she writes it down, "very well, thank you, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Regina looks around to see if Emma is listening or not. "Do you know about any bullies at school?" she then asks softly.

"No," Emma says, she isn't going to tell the headmistress about that!

Regina softly nodds. She understands. "Miss. Madison, thank you for your understanding and we will see each other on Monday. Goodnight." Regina puts the phone down.

"What was that for a question?" Emma says, still stunned.

"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't want to tell anything about you, I just wanted to see if the headmistress knew about bullies in her school in general. I wasn't going to say anything about you, I promise." Regina answers honestly.

"Thanks, because then you would have gotten me into trouble.”

Regina nodds and looks at her daughter with a serious face. "I know. And I don't want that." she softly smiles.

Emma nods, believing her mother. "So it was okay?" Emma asks.

Regina smiles brightly now. "It was. You just have to take a signed form from me with you on Monday. Did you manage to pack your bags?"

"Yes they're packed," Emma says.  
In the meantime Robin has cleaned the table and he has done the dishes too.

Regina is tired but she still suggests to watch a movie together.

"I think I'm going to bed early," Emma says. Actually she just wants to chat with Anna, but she doesn't tell.

Regina nodds. "That's alright, dear. We'll have to get up very early so we can be at Boston before lunchtime. Does that sound good to you?" she smiles.

"Yes," Emma says, "if I didn't like it, I don't think it would have made a difference, did it?

"Emma." Regina warns her with a stern voice. She loves her daughter and she knows she's going through a hard time, but that doesn't give her the right to talk to her mother like that.

"See you tomorrow," Emma sighs. She really didn't mean it like that. She smashes the door behind her and brushes her teeth.

Regina sinks down on the couch in the living room. She makes herself small by pulling her knees towards her body. She sighs from being tired.

"Shall we go to sleep?" Robin says, while reaching out his hand to get her up. He cleaned everything.

Regina doesn't react. She's lost inside her head, not being able to get things straight.

"I see that as a yes," he grins and he lifts her up with both his arms. He kisses her and carries her upstairs.

"No. No, don't do that." Regina's voice sounds scared all of a sudden. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She flees out of his arms downstairs. She hides in a dark corner of the kitchen.

Robin is stunned, he thought she got over this... He follows her downstairs and finds her (well... that was no surprise) in the darkest corner of the kitchen. He sits down next to her with a quite big distance between them.

"I'll be a good girl, I promise." Regina whispers, still lost inside of her head, thinking Leopold is with her.

"I don't care if your bad or good Regina," Robin says, "can you look at me?"

Regina's eyes flash over to Robin but she doesn't see him. She sees Leopold. "You don't have to hurt me, my King. I'll be a good girl. I'll do everything you ask of me, I promise." Regina quickly gets up out of the corner and starts to undress herself.

"Regina stop," Robin whispers and he stands up with her. He lays his hands under Regina's chin and tries to get her eyes focused on him, "Regina," he whispers again, "I want you to stop."

Regina stops immediately. "Do you want to undress me yourself, my King?" she whispers softly.

"I'm not your king," Robin whispers, "I'm Robin, please look at me."

Regina looks at him, fear in her eyes and clearly not seeing Robin in front of her, but still Leopold. She remains silent, afraid to get punished.

Robin doesn't move and doesn't say anything. He only looks Regina deeply into her eyes.

Regina quickly bows her head and takes a step back. She prepares herself for the first blow, the first hit on her body.

Robin sits down on the ground, so he is smaller than she is, "Regina?" Robin says, "can you say my name, please?"

"Leopold." Regina whispers very softly.

Robin closes his eyes for a moment, he knows this is going to be tough.  
"I'm not Leopold," he then says, "look at me and try again."

"I... I don't understand." Regina whispers softly now. "What do you want, my King? I'm right here, I'm being a good girl. An obedient girl. What... What do you want me to do?"

"Close your eyes," Robin whispers, still sitting on the ground.

Regina closes her eyes immediately.

"Think of Robin," he says, "do you remember someone called Robin?"

Regina sinks to the ground and crawls away from Leopold. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my King. I won't betray you again, I promise. Good girl, Regina, you have to be a good girl, Regina." she mumbles.

"So you know him and you know what he looks like?" Robin says calmly.

Regina's body freezes completely now. "I'm so sorry, my King." she whispers.

"Don't be sorry," Robin says, "keep your eyes closed and just think of him, think of what he looks like."

Regina looks up at Robin, confussion on her face. "I... I don't understand." she whispers.

"Just try to do what I say," he says very calmly, "Can you imagine looking into Robin's eyes?" he asks.

A bit of blood runs down Regina's mouth. Her body almost collapses from staying in memories for too long. "R.Robin." she mumbles now.

"Yes Robin, hold on to him and open your eyes," Robin says. He tries to stay calm and he tries not to take her into his arms, because he doesn't know what will happen if he touches her. "look at me. Do you see any difference between the Robin in you mind and me?"

Regina looks up at the man in front of her. "Robin." she whispers softly.

Robin smiles, "yes it's me," he whispers.

Regina remains silent and just looks at him.

Robin looks back with the same real smile.

"I'm sorry." she whispers to him.

"Don't be," Robin whispers back, "it's all right."

Regina nodds softly; she's back in reality. But she stays in the corner she's currently in. "Tired." she whispers softly.

Robin stands up and walks to her. He sits down beside her and only looks into her eyes, "shall I carry you upstairs?" he asks.

Regina nodds, very slowly, keeping her gaze locked on Robin's eyes.

"Good, just look at me," he whispers while he carefully lifts her up. He walks upstairs.

Regina puts her head against his shoulder. Before they reach the bedroom upstairs, she has fallen asleep in Robin's strong arms.

Robin lays Regina down on the bed and kisses her cheek. He leaves the bedroom for a short moment to see if Emma is alright. When he sees and knows she is asleep he goes back and lays down beside Regina.

Regina turns around in her sleep and lays close to Robin now. She softly smiles and sighs contently. The next morning, she wakes up very early. She looks in Robin's caring face.

"Hey," Robin whispers with a smile. He wipes the hair from her face. "How do you feel?"

"Leopold was here, last night." Regina whispers softly. "He really was."

"I don't think he was, Regina," Robin says, "I was with you the whole time and I didn't see anything."

"You were?" Regina asks softly. "You promise? Really? I just... I imagined him?"

"Yes," Robin says.

Regina smiles softly. "Thank you. For not leaving me." she whispers. "For not leaving me alone."

"I'll never leave you," Robin says with a smile, "he is gone now?"

"Yes. He's gone. For now." Regina softly smiles but worry shines through her eyes. "I should get up to make some breakfast so Emma and I can drive to Boston soon."

"Wait," Robin says, "are you sure it's safe to travel to Boston with Emma? You can't break down when you're alone with her." Maybe it's cruel to say, but she has to know it.

"I know." Regina whispers. "But I can handle it, I promise. Besides, in the afternoon I will be seeing the new head psychiatrist of the facility in Boston, so that will take my mind off of him." Regina reassures Robin.

"Okay, if you say so" Robin says, "but if something happens, you have to call me immediately and if you can't call by yourself, Emma has to call me okay?"

Regina nodds. "I promise." she smiles. She gets out of bed and jumps into some comfortable clothes for on the road. "Do you want to wake up Emma while I start on breakfast and some things for on the road?" Regina suggests.

"I will," Robin says and when Regina goes downstairs, he wakes Emma. They talk for a while, while Emma puts on some clothes. Robin suggests to go, but she doesn't care Robin is with her, she has been with him so often that he almost became like a father for her when Regina was away for five years. They walk downstairs with a laugh in their faces.

Regina can't help but smile when she sees Robin and Emma coming downstairs like that. "Hello sweetheart. Did you sleep well this night?" She gives Emma a kiss on her forehead.

"Yes," Emma says. She didn't sleep very early, because she chatted with Anna for a long time, but besides that she had a quite good night of sleep."

"I'm glad. If you're still tired, you can sleep in the car on the way to Boston." Regina smiles. They eat breakfast while chatting. It almost feels normal. Regina enjoys every minute of it. When it's time to go she kisses Robin goodbye. "We'll be back by Thursday evening. If something is wrong, I call, I promise. Do you promise the same?" Regina whispers softly.

"I promise," Robin says and he kisses Regina back, "see you at Thursday and don't forget, besides al the learning and checking to have some fun together," he grins. Emma hugs him and runs to the car.

"We won't forget." Regina smiles. She gets in the car and turns towards Emma. "Did you bring all of your homework with you?" she smiles at her.

"Yes," Emma says and she closes the door. When Regina arrives they leave and Robin waves them goodbye.

Regina drives to Boston, stopping a couple of times to stretch her legs. When they arrive at Boston they walk into the hotel Regina has booked for the both of them. "Hello. I've booked a room. The name is Mills."

"Welcome, miss Mills," the man behind the counter says, "room 233. Can you fill in this form for me?" He says while he gives Regina a form.

Regina fills in the form and hands it back to the man behind the counter. "Here you go. Room 233, you said?"

"Yes," the man says, while handing over the keys, "second floor, third row and then the third room in your left. The elevator is here left."

"Thank you." Regina smiles, takes over the keys and then goes to their room, together with Emma. "Here we are." Regina smiles. She booked one of the biggest rooms for the both of them.

"Wow this is huge," Emma laughs when she lets herself fall on the giant bed against the left wall.

"Are you happy with this room?" Regina smiles at her.

"I love it," Emma says and she walks to the room. Their view is beautiful and they even have a balcony. "How much did this cost?" she says, still not believing it, "how is it possible that you can afford such a huge room?'

"Being the Mayor of a town does come with his perks, sweetie." Regina smiles brightly. "Let's get settled in, have lunch at the restaurant downstairs and then I'll get you started at some homework and I'll check out the new head psychiatrist at the facility and I'll be back before dinner. How does that sound to you?"

"Great," Emma says, she feels so happy here already, "and what do we do after dinner?"

"You tell me. What do you want to do? Do you want to go to the cinema to watch a movie? Or do you want to go out and have a drink with your old mother?" Regina winks.

Emma laughs, "no, absolutely not," she says, "are there any nice movies playing right now?"

"I think they're playing a new horror movie. And 'Beauty and the Beast." Regina answers with a smile.

"Beauty and the Beast, definitely," Emma says. She doesn't have to look cool in her mother's eyes. Her friends would have laughed at her if she said she went there. But they aren't here!

Regina nodds. "Alright. 'Beauty and the Beast' it is." She laughs. They have lunch together and afterwards Regina installs Emma in their room. "Which course do you want to do first?"

" I'll start with English I think, because that's quite easy and maybe after that I'll try to do some biology exercises." She takes her stuff out of her bag, "do you want to take my phone with you?" she asks.

"Do you want me to?" Regina asks Emma.

"Yes," Emma says, she really doesn't want to be distracted by Anna today and she knows she will if she keeps her phone.

Regina nodds and takes Emma's phone with her. "I think that's an excellent idea, sweetheart, and I'm very proud you came up with it yourself."

Emma rolls with her eyes, "you don't have to be proud because of that," she smiles.

"Yes, I do and I am." Regina gives Emma another kiss on her forehead. "You focus on English and Biology and I'll be back far before dinner so I can help you where necessary. Alright?" Regina smiles.

"Yes, take your time," Emma says.

Regina smiles again, gives her daughter another kiss on her forehead and then heads over to the facility. She steps inside and asks the first nurse she sees to the new head psychiatrist. "I have an appointment at 2 PM."

"O hello," the nurse says and she shakes Regina's hand, "you must be miss Mills, Dr. Anderson is expecting you." She smiles.

"Please, it's Regina." Regina smiles. She follows the nurse to dr. Andersons's office. She knocks, waits for permission to get inside and then walks in. "Dr. Anderson." Regina smiles while shaking her hand.

"Miss Mills," dr. Anderson says, while shaking her hand, "it's nice to see you, had a good journey?"

"I did, actually, thank you. I imagine dr. Stevenson has told you all about what happened and why I'm here?"

"Thank you, An!" she says when the nurse who brought Regina here leaves the room.   
She sits down at her desk, "actually he didn't, he refused to talk to me, but there were enough people who could tell me about it."

"What did you hear?" Regina inquires.

"The clients told me everything about the treatments here and I have to say their stories shocked me. Nancy told me something about you, nothing personal, just who you are and that you kind of fired dr. Stevenson," she begins.

"Dr. Stevenson resigned." Regina corrects. "I only pointed out that maybe this job isn't really for him."

Dr. Anderson laughs, "well... Everyone here told me you fired him, you're some kind of hero here.”

A small smile appears around Regina's lips. "I'm also here to make sure the new head psychiatrist... you... are fit for the job. I don't want someone worse then dr. Stevenson sitting in that chair, although that's pretty hard to imagine."

"Yes Nancy told me and I think that's a good thing to do," she says, "it's hard to know if your doing the right thing if you don't have someone who looks at you and tells you and I think that's where it went wrong with dr. Stevenson. No one dared to tell him what he did wasn't right, so he though he did the right thing."

Regina nodds. "I'm glad you look at it the same way as I do." she smiles. "I can't think about a better way to evaluate you, if you don't mind, then by having a conversation, doctor to patient." Regina suggests.

"Yes that's okay," she says, "how did you have that in mind? Then I'll make sure it will happen."

"What about you and I talk for a bit?" Regina suggests softly, feeling the need to talk about Leopold and what happened, but not really daring to ask that.

"Yes that sounds fine," she says with a smile. She can see in Regina's eyes that there something she wants to talk about, but she can also see a bit of fear, "is something bothering you, something you want to talk about? It can be just anything, don't be afraid to ask."

"The reason why I was a patient here in the first place." Regina answers. "Something happened. With my ex-husband." She looks up at dr. Anderson. "I can't stop thinking about it."

"I see. Can you tell me something more about it?" Dr. Anderson asks and she looks Regina into her eyes.

Regina looks away. "I see him. Sometimes. When my boyfriend, when Robin.... Sometimes it doesn't take much for me to see Leopold. My ex-husband. Not only see him. I also feel him. His hands..." Regina talks very softly now, not looking at dr. Anderson.

"It's okay to let it out," dr. Anderson says. Although Regina looks away, she keeps looking at her. When she hears Regina's words she already starts to understand a bit of is going on, but of course she wants to hear Regina say it. "What did your ex-husband, Leopold, do to you? You said something about that you can feel him, can you tell me more about that?"

Regina's gaze flashes up to dr. Anderson. "Don't you have to inject me with that serum to get me into some sort of simulation? Or do you use other methods for treatment?"

"I don't," dr. Anderson says, "I tried that serum you're talking about on myself and it was horrible. That serum doesn't solve the problem, it only makes it worse, so I thought... I won't use that serum on the patients again."   
She doesn't know if Regina agrees with this, but she wants to stay honest.

Regina nodds. "Very good. Thank you for that." she agrees. "Which methods do you use?"

"I prefer just talking with the patients, trying to let them talk about what they fear and well... Give them the opportunity to let it out and after that I try to help them, and sometimes I look if they need medication."

Regina's eyes lock onto those of Dr. Anderson. "Good." she says softly. She then continues about Leopold. "I couldn't get away." She unconsciously strokes her wrists. "He... He tied me up. So I couldn't get away."

"He tied you up," dr. Anderson says kindly, "so you couldn't get away from what?"

"From his hands. His body. His smell." Regina almost chokes on those words.

"So he was close to you and touched you, while you were tied up" dr. Anderson says, "do you know why he did it?"

Regina starts to panic. It's like she can feel his hands again, right this moment. She closes her eyes but that only seems to make things worse. "I needed to be a good girl. Good girl, Regina." Regina whispers, answering Dr. Anderson's question.

"Remember that you are safe here," dr. Anderson says, "can you explain to me why it's so hard for you to talk about this. Is it fear? Or do you feel embarrassed, or is it something else?"

Regina doesn't hear Dr. Anderson any longer. "I promise I'll be a good girl, Leopold. You don't need to hurt me to get what you want." she whispers. "Do you want to undress me yourself?"

"Regina," dr. Anderson only says, trying to het her back and focus on her. She repeats her name several times, to see if she reacts.

"I'll be a good girl, I promise." Regina whispers before looking up at Dr. Anderson. She startles. She really expected to see Leopold. "I'm sorry." she whispers, looking away in shame.

"You don't have to feel ashamed," dr. Anderson says, "does this happen often?" she asks.

"If I say 'yes', will you lock me up in here as well?" Regina whispers, still not looking up.

"Just be honest with me," dr. Anderson says calmly.

"It happens. Not all the time but sometimes." Regina whispers. She looks up now, afraid to be locked up again.

"And when it happens," dr. Anderson says, "do you think other people get hurt by it? Don't be afraid, I won't lock you up for this, but we need to talk about it."

Regina's eyes darken. "I never hurt anyone. I don't do this on purpose." she snaps. But getting angry only seems to trigger her memories even more. She feels a hand on her shoulder. She immediately sinks down on the ground and makes herself small. "Good girl, Regina. No talking back. No snapping. Be a good girl or he'll hurt you." she whispers softly. "Good girl. Obedient girl. Yes, mother."

Dr. Anderson keeps sitting on her chair, not pushing Regina to get up again. She only listens. She hears 'mother', that's a new thing...

After what seems like ages Regina is finally able to pick herself up again. She slowly sits down on the chair in front of Dr. Anderson again and coughs. "I'm sorry." she apologizes.

"You don't have to apologize," she says and she waits a moment before she continues her talking.   
"For how long do you think, you sat on the ground, not being here?"

"I don't know. Half an hour?" Regina guesses. She really has no idea.

Dr. Anderson now knows Regina really lived in another reality when she slipped away.  
"Three minutes," dr. Anderson says.

"Just three minutes?" Regina whispers. "It seemed longer, it... felt longer."

"Just three minutes," dr. Anderson nods, "what made you come back into reality? After what seemed like half an hour for you. What triggered you to come back again?"

"I don't know. I just... came back, I guess. He did what he wanted to do and left me alone." Regina whispers.

"And the moment he was out of sight, you got back here," dr. Anderson says, "what did you feel when you were... Away from here? Fear?"

Regina nodds. "Mostly fear. But also shame. Scared. Pain."

"Can you describe when you feel those things." Dr. Anderson says, "which moment do you feel fear? And what happens when you feel pain, which thing makes you feel ashamed? Take your time."

"I'm afraid when I hear his footsteps. When he comes near me. When I hear his voice, feel his touch." Regina looks up at Dr. Anderson now. "I feel ashamed all the time, even when I'm not with him in my memories. Ashamed because I let it happen again and again, even if it's just in my memories."

"I hope we can get rid of one part immediately, because you don't have to feel ashamed about this all," dr. Anderson says, "it's natural that you feel afraid when you experienced something like this, when you can't talk about it and when you can't let it out, in your case because you slip away from reality, it's hard to deal with what happened, because all the thoughts stay inside you." She is silent for a while. "It's not your fault that this happens and natural that this happens. Do you think you can stop feeling ashamed about it?"

"It's... It's not my fault?" Regina whispers softly. She doesn't think anyone has said that to her up until now.

"It's absolutely not your fault," dr. Anderson reacts.

Regina remains silent, as if she's taking that informaton in very slowly. She shakes her head. "But I wasn't a good girl." she whispers.

Dr. Anderson shakes her head, "that's not true," she says, "HE told you you weren't a good girl. That's not the same thing as really being one. You're a good girl when you are yourself, and with him... I don't think you were yourself when you were with him, were you?"

"It was not only Leopold who told me I'm a bad girl. Not an obedient girl." Regina whispers softly.

"Who else told you?"

"Mother."

"So your mother and your ex-husband told you you were a bad girl," dr. Anderson says, "and do you think the opinion of those two people really make you a bad person?"

"I guess not." Regina shrugs. "But they did what they did because I was a bad girl in their eyes."

"I know that," dr. Anderson says, "but when you say, 'I guess not' you're also saying that this is not your fault, because they made you feel like a bad person, while you actually weren't."

Regina softly nodds. "Alright." she whispers. 'I understand."

"You understand it," dr. Anderson says, "but do you also believe it?"

Regina shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Why 'maybe'?" dr. Anderson says, "why not 'yes'?"

"Because it's not that easy!" Regina snaps now. "I've been told the opposite, that I wasn't a good girl, my whole life. You can't change that right away!"

"I don't think this is easy, but it's possible." Dr. Anderson says calmly, not surprised or even touched by Regina's sudden anger. She keeps silent for a while to let Regina think.

Regina closes her eyes but she keeps forgetting that only makes things worse. She feels his breath in her neck now. His lips touching her ears. She softly moans out of fear.

"Be a good girl and keep your eyes closed," Leopold whispers into Regina's ear. He lets his hands go under her shirt.

"You can open your eyes," dr. Anderson says, when she sees Regina slips away again.

"P.Please." Regina begs. She keeps her eyes closed. She doesn't want to get hurt again.

Leopold pushes his nails in Regina's skin. He softly kisses her cheeks and moves his lips to her mouth. "Kiss me," he whispers with a grin on his face.

"Leopold. Please." Regina begs again. She moans of pain and fear now. "H.Help me." she almost begs to dr. Anderson, still keeping her eyes closed.

"Regina, open your eyes," dr. Anderson says and she repeats it a lot of times, "you're safe, you can look at me."

"Kiss me, or do you want me to punish you. I love punishing you you know that," Leopold whispers in her ear.

"No. No punishing me. Please. Please." Regina keeps begging and doesn't dare to open her eyes. "I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"Then kiss me," Leopold snaps, letting his fingers go down.

"Regina!" Dr. Anderson says louder now.

Regina startles pretty bad and crawls away in a corner of the office. "No punishing me. Good girl, I'll be such a good girl, I promise!"

Dr. Anderson can't give Regina a medicine or injection, because she doesn't know for sure if Regina is pregnant or not...  
"Regina, you need to come back," she says, kneeling in front of her, "open your eyes Regina."

"Good girls do what their master says," Leopold says, moving his lips to hers, "so I guess you know what to do."

With her eyes closed, Regina takes dr. Anderson's hand and places it on her heart. It beats very fast because she's so afraid. "Please." she begs for help.

Dr. Anderson is glad Regina knows she is here with her and she lets her hand stay where Regina placed it. "It's okay," she says, "you can come back."

"You're begging for help?" Leopold snaps, "so you want to get punished!" He pushes her hands agains her throat, but doesn't push yet, "I'll give you one more chance."

"He's going to kill me." Regina whispers very softly to dr. Anderson. "I won't be able to breath soon." Fear sounds through her voice.

"He won't," dr. Anderson says, "he isn't there, you can trust me, open your eyes." 

"One last chance I said!" Leopold shouts, tightening his fingers around her throat.

"Please." Regina begs. She grabs her own throat to keep Leopold from suffocating her, but it doesn't seem to help. "Good girl. I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"Kiss me!" Leopold shouts, very very angry now, he wants Regina to obey him.

"Regina, come back!" Dr. Anderson says, she feels a bit of panic coming up. There are already two guards standing around Regina.

Regina startles and opens her eyes. She sighs in relief when she sees dr. Anderson in front of her. Her eyes flash over to the two guards and panic shines through, but she focuses herself back on the doctor in front of her. "I'm sorry. It... It happened again. I'm sorry." she whispers.

"It's okay," dr. Anderson says and she sends the guards away, when she sees they frighten Regina. Dr. Anderson takes Regina's hands her hers.

Regina's eyes follow dr. Anderson. "I'm sorry. Talking about him... Talking about him triggers so much."

"I know," dr. Anderson says, "and that's all right. It's over now." She knows this has to change but that's not a subject for right now.

Regina nodds. "No more talking about him now, alright? I... I can't break down now." She almost begs. "I'm in Boston with my daughter and I can't break down now."

"All right, we won't talk about him anymore today," dr. Anderson says, "but you can't just ignore this, because it has to end."

Regina nodds. "I know. I know." she sighs. "Just not today. I'm tired now. Can I go to my daughter?"

"I think it's a good idea that you take some rest first," she says.

"I can rest when I'm dead. I need to be with my daughter now." Regina gets up out of the corner. "I like your method better than the one of dr. Stevenson." she admits.

"Regina, you really need to take some rest," dr. Anderson says, facing your daughter like this is not a good thing to do...".

Regina looks up. "What do you suggest?" she asks softly.

"Just take some tea and sit down for a bit, we can talk about other stuff, or take a nap," dr Anderson says.

Regina sits down in the chair across of dr. Anderson again. She takes over the tea the woman is handing over. "Thank you." Regina softly smiles now.

"You're welcome," she says, while she makes some tea for herself too.

Regina slowly drinks a bit of tea. She looks at dr. Anderson when she sits down across of Regina again.

"So you're here with your daughter?" Dr. Anderson says, "on vacation?"

"It's more like a break. Emma... Emma is not doing well at school so a couple of days in another city, away from her so called friends, time to catch up with her schoolwork."

"That sounds good yes," she says, "for how long will you stay here?"

"We leave on Thursday so we're back home by evening." Regina softly answers. She keeps focused on dr. Anderson in order to not slip away again.

"Okay," dr Anderson smiles, "only the two of you?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. We both needed it."

Dr. Anderson smiles, "I see yes, and Robin is home alone?" she asks, "or do you have more children?"

Regina is surprised this woman remembers his name. She only mentioned Robin once. "Yes, he's home alone. It's just him, me and Emma. My eldest daughter has moved out with her boyfriend." Regina strokes over her belly. "But Snow and Emma aren't my own. I've adopted them. But I don't mind and neither do they." She then smiles. "Robin and I are expecting our baby later this year."

"Congratulations," dr. Anderson says with a smile, "that's great.”

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She feels a lot more relaxed now than half an hour ago.

"I wish I had children too," she smiles, "I think it's great to have someone you love and raise together, doesn't it?"

Regina nodds. "It will be great." she agrees.

Dr. Anderson smiles, "yeah," she says.

"I must go to Emma now. I promised to be back before dinner." Regina smiles softly.

"All right," dr. Anderson says. She doesn't ask if she is fit for the job, because she doesn't want to know the answer. "If you want you can come back to have a tour through the building, I changed a few things, and I think it's good to see me, or someone else, again to figure at what we can do about the breaking down-thing."

Regina nodds. "Can we make an appointment tomorrow?"

"Yes of course," dr. Anderson says and she look in her diary in her computer, "11 o'clock?"

"Can we make it an afternoon appointment? I want to help Emma with her homework before lunch so she can make exercises in the afternoon." Regina suggests.

"Yes, that's all right," she says, "what time suits you?"

"How about like today, 2 PM? I can get Emma settled and while she does her homework, I can come here. But I want to be back with her before dinner again. Is that possible?"

"Yes it is," dr. Anderson says and she types it up in her computer, "I have a patient until 2PM so it may be a bit later."

"That's alright." Regina smiles. She shakes Dr. Anderson's hand and heads back to the hotel. She goes straight to their room and smiles when she sees Emma. "Hi sweetheart. How are things going?"

"Great," Emma says and she looks up from her book, "I wrote down some questions, maybe you can explain them."   
She looks her mother in her eyes and sees how tired her mother looks, "are you all right, mom?"

"I'm fine, dear." Regina smiles. "I would love to help you with your questions. We have some time before dinner so, let's tackle the together." She sits down next to Emma after giving her a big hug.

Emma smiles and lets her mother hug her. "Okay the first thing," Emma says when She has opened her book, "I have to make a family tree, but you don't fit... Because you're both my mother and my grandma, but not my biological mom or grandma," Emma giggles by the thought of it, "how do I do this?"

Regina giggles back. "That's a bit complicated, right?" She shows her daughter how to put an adoptive mother in a family tree. "Does that make any sense?" she asks with a smile.

"And Robin?" Emma asks.

Regina smiles, happy Emma wants to include him in her family tree. "You do that like this." Regina shows.

"Okay, thanks," Emma says "and how do I do this?"   
She shows a page of her workbook.

Regina explains all Emma's questions to her and isn't angry when she needs to repeat some things. "Do you understand?" Regina smiles.

"Yes," Emma says, "only one thing, why do you have to add three here and here only two?"

Regina explains the difference. "You see?"

"Yes I see, but I would never have thought of it myself..." Emma says, almost feeling desperate.

"Sure you would have, sweetie. You're a smart kid. It's time you start believing that." Regina winks at her daughter. "I'm getting a bit hungry. What about you?"

"Yes me too," Emma says. She closes her books and puts them in her bag. While she prepares herself to go she asks Regina about her day.

"The new doctor in that facility is certainly fit for the job." Regina smiles. "I've talked a bit about what happened back in The Enchanted Forest, that's probably why I look so tired."

"Oh yes, I understand," Emma says, "but I'm happy she is fit for the job."

"She really is." Regina smiles. The both of them walk downstairs to eat some dinner. "So... Beauty and the Beast this evening at the movies?" Regina smiles.

"Yes if you still feel like it," Emma grins.

"Sure I do. I'm looking forward to it." Regina smiles. After dinner the two girls get ready for the movies. "Are you ready, dear? The movie is starting soon."

"Yes yes," Emma says and she puts on her coat. She runs outside.

Regina follows her daughter with a bright smile on her face. She texts Robin to let him know where she and Emma are off to. She sends this message to Snow also. Regina and Emma enjoy the movie together. When they walk back to the hotel, Regina asks if Emma liked the movie.

"It was wonderful," Emma says, "Belle is so beautiful."

"Just like you, sweetheart." Regina smiles.

"That's not true," Emma grins.

"Sure it is." Regina smiles. She strokes her eyes because she's really tired now. "Do you want your cellphone back for tonight?"

"Yeah fine," Emma says, and she takes over her phone. When she puts it on she already sees the messages from Anna... It doesn't look good...

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Regina asks when she sees Emma's face darken.

"Yeah," Emma says with tears in her eyes. She read one of the messages and doesn't dare to read on.

Regina takes over her phone. "No, you're not alright. What's going on?"

"Nothing, just a stupid message," Emma says, "can I have my phone back?" She doesn't want her mother to read the messages, so she reaches out for her phone.

"But you're clearly hurt. Why don't we leave the phone aside until Thursday?" Regina suggests, not reading the messages.

"Yes," Emma says while looking at the ground, "but don't you think the messages will get worse?"

"Maybe not responding is a message to Anna that you're not replying on every message she sends?" Regina suggests.

"I don't think it works that way, but I'll try," Emma says, "I really don't feel like arguing with her now. Will you keep my phone then?"

Regina nodds and, without reading the messages, closes the phone. "I will. Listen, tomorrow I'm all yours before lunch and after lunch it will be just like today. I'll be back before dinner again. How does that sound?" Regina smiles.

"Fine," Emma says, "and what will we do now?" She looks at her mom. She is still a little bit down because of the messages...

"What do you want to do? There is a bar downstairs, maybe we can drink something warm before going to bed? And maybe... you want to talk about those messages?"

When her mother mentions something warm, Emma realizes how cold she is.   
"Something warm sounds good," Emma says, she doesn't know if she wants to talk about the messages... But she will see.

"Good." Regina and Emma walk to the bar and both order a hot chocolate. Regina smiles at her daughter and remains silent.

Emma takes a little bit of her hot chocolate, but then pushes it away again. She also remains silent.

"Don't you like the chocolate?" Regina inquires softly.

Emma shakes her head.

"Do you want to drink something else?" Regina suggests.

"Tea is better," Emma says. At least she won't get fat from tea...

Regina nodds and lets Emma order a tea for herself. She smiles softly. "Do you want to talk about something, sweetheart?"

"No," Emma says, she just doesn't know where to start. "Do you want to talk about something?"

"There are a lot of things I would like to talk about, but I'm not sure you want the same thing." Regina winks.

"Just talk," Emma smiles, "I like things better when you decide the subject."

Regina nodds. "Emma, I don't like it when you use drugs and alcohol. But I know there is something behind that, a reason for you to go that. Because you're a smart kid and you wouldn't do such things without a reason."

"You want me to tell you the reason?" Emma asks, looking at her mother in disbelieve.

Regina nodds. "I would very much like that."

"Well first..." Emma starts with a sigh, "they forced me to take and drink it, because that was how it worked, everyone did it. So I did it too. I hated it first, but I wanted to be part of them, so I went on. Then I realized it wasn't that bad because it blocks your bad feelings and actually... That felt good, because I was finally able to have some fun, I mean... Alcohol and drugs make you let everything go." She shrugs, "so that's why..." She stares at her cup.

Regina remains silent for a short time. "Do you still want to use those things?" she asks softly.

"To be honest..." Emma whispers, "yes."

"Why? Aside from Anna and the rest of those bullies, I mean." Regina wants to know.

"It makes me feel nothing, okay maybe not nothing, but less and that's a great feeling." Emma still looks at her cup.

"I know it is. But Emma... Life doesn't work that way. Not feeling things is amazing but only for a little while. It doesn't help you in the long run."

" I know," Emma says, "but you wanted an honest answer, so that's what you got."

"I'm glad. Because I want to help you but I can't do that if you don't tell me the truth, so... Thank you, Emma, for being honest with me." Regina smiles a bit.

"You're welcome," Emma says with a little smile.

"Do you want to be helped with this, Emma? Because I can want all I want, but you have to want my help."

"What will I get out of it?" Emma says, "because I'll lose my friends and my feeling. So it doesn't really look like it's worth it."

"But it is. Because once you're no longer friends with those toxic people, you won't be having the need any longer to not feel."

"Then I won't have friends at all... also not a very pleasant feeling I think.”

"Like I said before, dear, the one who stands up against bullies will have lots of friends to choose from. No one likes a bully, but everyone loves a hero."

"I won't be a hero," Emma says, "and like I said before, I'm not strong enough to stand up against them. And maybe Anna isn't even a bully...".

"What do you mean?"

"Bullies don't have friends," Emma says, "and she clearly does. Which means that if I stand up against Anna, she and all the people around her will stand up against ME."

"Bullies don't have friends. They have people who are afraid of them. That's something entirely else." Regina tries to explain.

"Maybe that's true, but that doesn't chance the fact that they will turn against me, those "not-really-friends".

Regina nodds. "Maybe it's too early for you to believe in yourself. But that will come, dear, we have to believe that." Regina smiles softly.

"I don't believe it," Emma clearly states. That will come... What if it doesn't...?

"Believing in yourself will come, sweetheart. I believe in you. Robin believes in you. Now you have to believe in yourself too."

Emma shakes her head, "mom... I'm only afraid, I'm not the hero you think I am." Tears stream down her cheeks.

Regina moves so she sits next to her daughter. She takes her in her arms. "Sweetheart, you're the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. You're raised by The Evil Queen. If you're not a hero, no one is."

"Then no one is," Emma whispers and she lays her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Sweetheart." Regina sighs. "What do you and Anna talk about?"

"What do you mean?" Emma whispers

"Just curious. What do you talk about? Friends talk, right?"

"Well..." Emma says, "we... Actually only she, well I nod and... It's not that I'm saying nothing, she... Just talks most of the time... About other people. Laughing at other people and giggling about how... stupid they look and stuff, is that what you wanted to hear?" she pulls back and looks away. She doesn't know how to say it right. She doesn't want to make it look like this was all Anna's fault.

Regina nodds in understanding. "So if I get this right, Emma... You're not really getting the chance to give your opinion or to talk about what bothers you?"

Emma keeps silent and shrugs.

"What do you expect from a friend, Emma?"

"Nothing, 'friend' is just a name you give someone after some time," she lies.

"Then tell me. Why is Anna your friend and someone else from school is not? Why do you see Anna as your friend and other people not?"

"Because she calls me 'one of her friends,' and that means she is my friend, right?" Emma says, "and no one wants to be my friend because they don't like me, I already told you that."

"Maybe the other students at school don't really hate you, but they hate the fact you're a "friend" of Anna's? Friends of a bully?" Regina suggests carefully.

"Maybe they do," Emma says, "but that won't change. I... Well Anna already bullied them with me by her side. People won't stop hating me when I'm not with her anymore!"

"Yes, they will. Because everyone knows you, Emma. Everyone knows you're not really a bully. Anna is the bully, not you. I wish you could see it like everyone else." Regina whispers softly.

"No one else sees that mom!" Emma says and she starts to cry now, "they don't know me, and besides that I deserve it, I just stand by Anna's side doing nothing to stop her."

Regina remains silent for now and keeps Emma close to her body to comfort her. "It's alright, dear. It's alright. There is nothing you can't come back from." she whispers softly.

"You told me yourself that some things can be forgiven," Emma says, "when you were the evil queen and you wanted to do good, no one believed you, did they? Why would this be any different...".

"No one believed me at the start. Which seems like a normal reaction when I think about it. But I got a second chance. If I can learn from my mistakes, you certainly can too, sweetie." Regina tries to explain.

"Fine fine," Emma says, but just because her mother wants her to say that. She now only cries on her mother's shoulder. "But you were stong..." she whispers through her tears.

Regina strokes Emma's back until her daughter calms down a little bit. "You're strong too. You just have to believe it." Regina whispers then softly.

"How?" she whispers.

"By believing in me. And in Robin. Because we believe in you." Regina smiles.

Emma nods, still leaning against her mother's shoulder. Maybe her mother was right. She does believe in her mother and she does believe in Robin, so maybe one day she can believe in herself too.

Regina notices the way Emma leans against her. "Shall we go to sleep, Emma?" she asks softly.

"Okay," Emma whispers and she stands up. She walks with Regina to their room.

Regina and Emma go to sleep. Regina holds Emma close to her body to protect her from whatever is going on inside her head right now.

Emma feels safe in Regina's arms and smiles, "I love you, mom," she whispers before she falls asleep.

"I love you too, little one." Regina smiles. Not long after she falls asleep herself.

Emma wakes up earlier than her mother and silently walks to her mothers’ bag. She picks up her phone and looks at the messages. She can't ignore them any longer...

Regina wakes up a little for breakfast. "Emma?" she asks when she feels she's laying alone in bed.

"Yes," Emma says, while she quickly slips her phone in her pocket.

"Are you alright? You're up early."

"Yeah, I just had to go to the toilet," she lies.

Regina smiles. "Ready for breakfast and then tackle some homework together?" Regina smiles.

"Yes!" Emma says.

Regina smiles again. The two of them have breakfast together and until lunch they work through a bunch of homework.

Emma now understands most of the physics exercises and decides to figure out the rest of the exercises this afternoon, when her mom is away.

"Is it alright with you if I'm away this afternoon, sweetheart? If it's not, I would love to stay here with you." Regina inquires.

"O no," Emma says, "you have your own things to do, I'll be all right."

"My things here in Boston involve you, Emma. Just you. So if you want me to stay with you to help you with your homework or to just be around if you need me, I'll stay here."

"Mom... I'll be fine," Emma smiles.

"Alright then." Regina smiles, not really sure but believing in her daughter. "Do you want me to take your phone with me again?"

Emma bites her tongue, "you already have it," she says, "I gave it to you yesterday, remember?"

"Oh, right! I'm sorry, dear, I forgot." Regina and Emma have lunch together. Afterwards Regina says goodbye to Emma at the hotel room. "You're staying right here, right?"

Emma quickly nods, "yes," she says, "yes I will."

"Alright. If you need me, you have my cell phone number, right?"

"It's hard to call you when I don't have a phone," Emma says, thinking her mother is trying to trick her.

Regina winks and points at the phone of the hotel room. "That one will do, won't it?" she smiles brightly.

Emma grins, relieved, "yes you're right.”

Regina gives her daughter a hug and a kiss on her forehead and then walks over to the facility again. Right before 2 PM she arrives there and asks for dr. Anderson, stating she has an appointment.

"She will get you soon," the nurse says, "you can wait here." She smiles.

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She waits on the appointed chair until dr. Anderson comes for her.

Dr. Anderson lets out a patient, they smile to each other and the patient leaves, greeting Regina before she walks around the corner. "Come in," dr. Anderson says.

Regina walks in the same office as the day before. "Good afternoon." she smiles at the doctor, shaking her hand.

"Hello," dr. Anderson says, while she sits down at her desk, "how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Regina smiles. She's not, not completely, but she's feeling better than yesterday. "You wanted to give me a tour of the new place?" she smiles then.

"Yes, I thought that maybe you would like that," she smiles.

Regina nodds. "I would love that, thank you."

"Right," dr. Anderson says, and they start walking through some of the wards, "I've not been able to change the rooms yet, so they still look like cels in my opinion, but I'm working on that." she says, showing some of the rooms. I changed the rooms, which were for the treatments with the fear-serum, into rooms where people can work in silence, because a lot of people here, although they all have problems of course, are still able to do some kind of an education. I think you can agree to that."

Regina nodds. "I do, I absolutely do."

Dr. Anderson smiles, "great," she says, "here is the hospital wing, it's bigger than you remember I think," they walk inside. They walk past Aurora. She is laying in a bed, eyes closed and with a lot if machines around her.

Regina stops walking and looks at the girl. "Aurora." she whispers. "Why is she here?"

"I'm sorry," dr. Anderson says, "do you know her?"

"Yes, I do. That's Aurora. She was... She was my roommate for a short period of time when I was here."

"She was?" Dr. Anderson says, "I tried to contact her family for a long time, but she doesn't seem to have any family and it seems that there are no people who know her... She is in a coma."

Regina looks up at dr. Anderson. "How is that possible? What happened to her?"

"She refused to eat, she starved herself. One day she just collapsed and after that... She never woke up again."

A tear runs down Regina's face. "May I?" she asks while pointing at Aurora.

"Yeah, go ahead," dr. Anderson says with a nod.

Regina walks inside the room and takes Aurora's hand while sitting next to her. "Hi sweetheart. It's me, Regina. I've told you I would come back for you. Here I am." she whispers softly.

Aurora just lays still, while the machines that keep her alive are bleeping around her.

Regina sighs softly. "I'll be back. I promise." she whispers. She gives the girl a kiss on the forehead before she heads back to dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson looks at Regina when she comes back. "I'm sorry," she says, "I couldn't help her."

"Maybe you can when she wakes up." Regina softly answers. "You've changed the rooms very well, I see. They're much more welcoming and cozier."

"Yes, I hope she will wake up some day," dr. Anderson says with a soft smile.

"She will. I know she will." Regina smiles softly and then follows dr. Anderson again.

Dr Anderson smiles, "I hope you're right," she says and she walks on. Is there anything else you want to see?" She asks, "the kitchen maybe? Although it didn't change a lot, only the food produced in it is better I guess."

"I'm glad to hear things are improving for the better." Regina smiles. "It's alright. I can see you're the right person for this job."

"Thanks, this place really needed some improvement," dr. Anderson says, "but let's go back to my office." She smiles and they walk to her office together.

Regina nodds and follows dr. Anderson back to her office. She takes a seat across of her and looks at her.

"How was your evening yesterday? With Emma?"

"It was nice." Regina smiles. "We went to see Beauty and the Beast at the movies and we had a talk about her behaviour the last couple of months. It's not that easy but I'm managing."

"That sounds good," dr. Anderson says. It sounds like she didn't broke down, so that's good.

Regina softly smiles back. "So... What now? About yesterday?" she wants to know.

"Do you agree with me that something has to change?" she asks, "that something has to be done to get rid of your breakdowns?"

Regina nodds. "I most certainly do." she softly answers.

"I don't think this institution is a good place for you, I mean... Here people stay who need constant care, but you don't need that. But I think it's a good thing to come here sometimes, or maybe to find someone who can help you a bit closer to your home."

"There is no one close to home I trust." Regina whispers.

"And do you trust me," dr. Anderson says, "because then I think it's a good idea to come back here."

Regina looks up at dr. Anderson. "Maybe. I guess so. I mean.... I can't imagine anyone else who would be fit for this job, so...".

Dr. Anderson smiles, "I think that's good enough," she says, "do you want to come here a few times a week?"

"A few times a week? I... I don't know if I can manage that." Regina whispers softly now. "I would love to, but... I don't live in Boston and I have to travel quite a bit."

Dr. Anderson nods, "what is something you can manage?"

"Maybe... Two times a week." Regina admits. "Is that enough?"

"That's good," dr. Anderson says, "what about I come to you one time a week too, then we can have three sessions a week."

Regina shakes her head, thinking about the protection wall around the town of Storybrooke. "That's alright. I like it more if I come here."

Dr. Anderson looks at Regina for a while, "yes, okay," she says, surprised, "which days suit you?"

"Maybe Monday and Thursday?" Regina suggests.

"Yes that's all right.”

Regina smiles. "Thank you. Are we... Are we going to talk today as well?"

"Only if you want to," dr. Anderson says, "and otherwise we'll start this Monday."

"Today is fine." Regina mumbles softly.

"Okay, then we will do it," dr. Anderson says, "you're already afraid, before we even start to talk, aren't you?" She says, hearing Regina talks so softly.

"I'm not afraid of anything." Regina looks up.

Dr. Anderson looks Regina into her eyes, "tell me about it," she says.

"I just don't want to slip away. It's scaring." Regina admits.

"I know you don't want that," dr. Anderson says, "and we will try to keep you from that. So tell me something you like, something you can talk about easily. Not too long, just something."

"My ex-husband and I... Leopold and I... It was... It was an arranged marriage." Regina whispers.

Dr. Anderson keeps looking at Regina. It was not really what she meant, because Regina certainly doesn't like to talk about this, but dr. Anderson talks on. "It was an arranged marriage, okay," she says, "and was this Leopold cruel to you from the start?"

"He was. If he didn't get what he wanted right away..." Regina sighs.

"Did he want the same thing every time again?" Dr. Anderson says.

Regina looks up. "He wanted many things."

"Can you tell me about those things?"

Regina decides to start with something more easy. "He wanted me to be very thin."

"I see," dr. Anderson says, "and did you became very thin, did you do what he asked? Or were it only words."

"I had no choice." Regina whispers softly. "If I got too fat, he... He didn't like that. He really didn't like that."

"So you didn't eat anymore?" Dr. Anderson says, "but now you do eat, don't you?"

"Yes, I do eat now." Regina smiles. "But back then... No, I didn't eat. Or at least not much. I could barely stay alive."

"How did you start to eat again?" Dr. Anderson says, happy to hear that she got over this.

"Robin. He tells me that I have to eat or I will get very sick. Sometimes I forget to eat but he always reminds me."

Dr. Anderson smiles, "Robin helped you," she says, "and does he help you too when you break down?" she asks carefully.

Regina looks up again. "He tries."

"Good," dr. Anderson says, "does he succeed sometimes?"

"Sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes, yes."

"And what does he do or say when he does succeed?"

"I don't know. He keeps trying, I guess. He keeps remembering me that he's the one who's with me, not Leopold or not my mother." Regina shrugs. "Sometimes he touches me on my arm or my leg and sometimes that helps but other times it doesn't." Regina tries to explain.

"So there is not one thing that always helps? It always something else?"

Regina nodds. "Right." she answers; relieved dr. Anderson seems to understand her.

"Okay," dr. Anderson, "now we go back to the question I asked you earlier: what more did he want from you?"

"He wanted an obedient wife." Regina whispers.

"An obedient wife," dr. Anderson repeats, "and what did he want you to do to be obedient? What did 'an obedient wife' mean according to him."

Regina closes her eyes, just for a second, but it's enough to feel him already standing behind her. She moans softly out of fear.

"Open your eyes Regina.”

Regina's head leans back in Leopold's touch. "I'll be a good girl." she whispers softly.

"I'm glad you will," Leopold whispers.

Dr. Anderson waits for a while, hoping Regina will come back by herself.

"You don't have to hurt me to get what you want." Regina whispers.

"Okay, then I ask you the same as I asked you yesterday," Leopold says, "kiss me." He grins.

"Regina. Open. Your. Eyes." Dr Anderson says louder now.

Regina startles and open her eyes. She looks at dr. Anderson. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't be, you're back again, that's what matters," dr. Anderson says, "can you tell me what goes on in your head when you slip away? Take your time and keep your eyes open."

"I can feel him. Hear him." Regina tries to explain. "Just now he was standing behind me, whispering I needed to kiss him."

"So actually, your mind is creating its own fear landscape." Dr. Anderson says, "I think you can remember the simulations and maybe you also remembered how you got passed a few. do you remember what you had to do to make the simulation stop?"

"I never passed a simulation with Leopold." Regina mumbles softly, ashamed almost.

"That's not a problem," dr Anderson says, "but you did pass other simulations, didn't you?"

"Yes, but those had nothing to do with Leopold and I can't calm myself down when he's with me."

"I understand, but I think that's something we can practice," dr Anderson says, "not today, but Monday."

"Practice? How?" Regina wants to know.

"By closing your eyes for a very short time," dr. Anderson explains, "we do that quite often and after some time you can close your eyes longer and longer, until you no longer slip away when you do it."

Regina nodds. "Can we try? Now?"

"Now?" Dr. Anderson says, "Yes if you want. This is how we will do it: close your eyes for three seconds, only three, and then open them again and look at me, okay?"

Regina does what she has been told. "That went alright." she smiles.

"Good," dr. Anderson says with a smile, "now try five seconds."

Regina just starts to hear Leopold when she opens her eyes again. She nodds. "Alright."

"Do you think you can handle 10 seconds," dr. Anderson asks.

"Maybe. I don't know." Regina mumbles. She closes her eyes.

Dr. Anderson counts to ten.  
"1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6..."  
She focuses on Regina's closed eyes.

"Leopold." Regina whispers very softly.

"Regina," Leopold whispers back.

"7... 8... 9..."

Regina moans of fear.

"10." dr Anderson says, "you can open your eyes."

Regina keeps her eyes closed. "No. Please." she whispers softly.

"What 'no please'?" Leopold snaps.

"Open your eyes," dr Anderson says again.

"Good girl. I'll be a good girl." Regina whispers now.

"Regina." Dr Anderson says.

"I promise, I promise!" Regina now almost screams.

“Then prove it!" Leopold shouts.

"Regina you need to come back," dr Anderson tries again.

Regina slowly unbuttons her shirt. "Don't hit me. I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"Good girl," Leopold grins and he doesn't hit her.

Regina pushes out her shirt. "No hitting please." she whispers.

"I won't hit you when you're such a good girl," Leopold says and he lays his hands on her hips.

Regina's head turns slightly around to 'look' at Leopold. She's completely gone now.

"Regina are you there?" Dr. Anderson asks.

Regina doesn't react on Dr. Anderson any longer. "Please, Leopold." she whispers.

"Please what?" Leopold snaps, "I thought you were a good girl." He lets his hands go over her body and kisses her in her neck.

Regina moans again. "I don't like this." she whispers. "I don't like it, please."

"Undress yourself and we can have some fun together," Leopold whispers in her ear, "or do you prefer that I hurt you?"

"No, please. I don't like it. Please, Leopold." Regina begs.

"I don't care if you like it or not," Leopold says and he lets his hands go down, "you need help?" he says and he kisses her.

"Please." Regina crawls away in a corner. "Please." she keeps begging.

"Do it, or your beautiful face will be covered in blood," Leopold snaps, "I don't think your sweet Emma will like that."

"You're not real." Regina whispers very, very softly. "You're in my head." She tries to open her eyes but doesn't succeed.

"I'm very very real," Leopold grins and he touches her again on her hips, "you just don't want me to be real."

"That's it Regina," dr. Anderson whispers, "this is not real."

"Not real." Regina repeats very, very softly.

"Not real indeed," dr. Anderson whispers, "not... Real."

Regina makes herself small in the corner. "Please."

"You know begging won't help," Leopold snaps.

"You're almost there Regina," dr Anderson says on the other side.

"Don't hurt me!" Regina shouts.

"Too late!" Leopold says and he moves his hand to her cheek.

Dr. Anderson doesn't know what to do, "please come back, Regina, you can do this, open your eyes."

Regina opens her eyes but she doesn't see Dr. Anderson in front of her. She crawls away from who she thinks she sees: Leopold.

"Good," dr Anderson says. She doesn't move, she just looks into Regina's eyes.

"Help me." Regina whispers softly.

"It's all right, you can come back to me," she whispers.

"No punishing me?" Regina asks, begging.

"No punishing," dr. Anderson whispers, "it's safe here."


	16. Boston 3.0

"No punishing," dr. Anderson whispers, "it's safe here."  
She keeps looking at Regina.

"Safe?" Regina whispers.

"Yes safe," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina seems to doubt. Is it really safe? "Leopold is not real now?" she whispers.

"Leopold isn't real," dr. Anderson says, "and yes, you're absolutely safe."

Regina takes a deep breath and looks at Dr. Anderson now. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"That's okay," dr Anderson says. She feels so relieved... again. She hands over Regina's shirt, "I think it's best you will take some rest here."

Regina slowly puts her shirt back on. "I'm sorry about that." she whispers, ashamed and not getting up yet out of the corner.

"That's absolutely no problem, Regina, and it's not something to feel ashamed of," dr. Anderson says with a little smile. She has seen worse things than this. She reaches out her hand to help Regina stand up.

Regina crawls even further away in the corner. She shakes her head as if to say 'not yet'.

"Take your time," dr. Anderson says, "shall I sit beside you, or do you want me to leave you alone?"

Regina remains silent and almost falls asleep.

"You can sleep," Dr. Anderson whispers and she helps Regina lay down. She picks up her coat to make some sort of pillow. She will bring her to a bed when she has fallen asleep...

"No, don't touch me!" Regina's gone just like that again. "I'll be a good girl! I promise, I promise!"

"I'm sorry, Regina, I'm sorry," dr. Anderson says, "it's okay.”

"Leopold, NO, please!"

"Regina, come back, please," dr Anderson says, "it safe here, it really is."

"No, I promise, mommy. I'll never disobey you again. I promise." Regina whispers now.

Dr. Anderson keeps quiet for a while, because she really doesn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry, mommy." Regina whispers. "I won't do it again. I promise. I'll be an obedient wife to Leopold."

Dr. Anderson calls someone to bring her a medicine. She hates to use it, but she has to... "Regina," she whispers, trying one more time, "you can come back.”

Regina looks at Dr. Anderson and startles when someone walks in with a needle in his hand. "Noooo... Noooo..." she begs. "Emma. No sleeping medicine. Don't do it. I'll be good. I'll come back. Please. Please, no, Emma is alone." Regina rambles.

"Calm down," dr. Anderson says, "I won't inject you with it if you come back here." She lays the needle on the table to show Regina that she won't use it if it's not necessary.

"I'm trying!" Regina snaps, frustrated as hell. She now sees Leopold, hanging over her. She crawls away again but can't go deeper into the corner.

Leopold grins when he strokes Regina's cheek. 

Dr. Anderson on the other side remains silent, she waits to see if Regina will come back.

Regina grabs Dr. Anderson's hand. She searches for her eyes. "I'm tired. It's so easy for him to get to me." she mumbles softly.

"I understand," dr. Anderson whispers, "but you need to stay strong. Look at me and focus."

"Focus." Regina nodds. "Focus."

"Indeed," dr. Anderson whispers, "you can do this."

Regina slumps down on the ground. "Tired." she whispers. "Just going to close my eyes for a little bit if that's alright." She starts falling asleep.

"That's okay," dr. Anderson says.

Regina falls asleep. After about an hour she wakes up and looks disoriented. "Hmm?"

Nancy is sitting by the side of her bed. She helped dr. Anderson to place Regina on something soft instead of the floor. "Regina," Nancy says with a smile.

Regina startles and crawls as far away as possible on the bed. "Where am I?" she whispers.

"Don't worry," Nancy says, "you're just in the hospital wing, we brought you here while you were sleeping."

"I don't want to stay. You can't make me." Fear shines out of Regina's eyes.

"Who said you had to stay?" Nancy says, looking at Regina,"we just brought you here so you could rest a bit. It's a lot warmer here than on the floor... And you're right, we can't make you."

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you." She relaxes now.

Nancy smiles, "how do you feel?" she asks while she hands over a glass of water.

"Better, thank you." Regina smiles, taking over the water and smelling cautiously to make sure it is not poisoned.

Nancy grins, "dr. Anderson said I may be better that you stay here tonight, she suggested to let Emma come over and let her sleep here as well. I told her you probably wouldn't want that, but she wanted me to tell you anyway...".

"I don't want to, thank you." Regina answers. "Emma shouldn't see me like this and being here triggers things. That's good, but not with my kid."

"Okay," Nancy says, "I'll tell her." She smiles. "Maybe it's an idea to take a shower before you go, it will make you feel fresh again. It always works with me."

"No, thank you. I want to go to Emma now, please." Regina asks softly.

"Are you sure?" Nancy says a bit worried, "I mean... You just woke up."

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure." Regina slowly gets up. She hasn't take a sip from the water.

"Regina..." Nancy sighs. She shakes her head, something's she really doesn't get this woman...  
"At least take some food and water before you go."

"No!" Regina snaps. "No, I can't!"

"I'm sorry," Nancy says, "I just thought it could help you, that I could help you gain some strength again. But I get it...".

"You.. You didn't poison it, did you?" Regina smells again and then decides she should give it a try because she's feeling really thirsty. She takes a small sip and then drinks the water completely. "Thank you." she whispers.

"No problem," Nancy says and she smiles a little, "well then... I hope you have a great time with Emma."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. Will Dr. Anderson see me before I go?" she asks with almost pleading eyes.

"I can ask her," Nancy says and she calls dr. Anderson outside of the room, "you can come and see her if you want, she just finished her talk."

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Nancy." She hurries back to Dr. Anderson. "I'm really sorry about what happened. Again." Regina whispers.

"Don't worry about that," dr Anderson says with a smile, "you don't have to say sorry, you don't do it on purpose."

"No, I really don't." Regina nodds. "Thank you for your understanding. I... I have to go back to Emma now."

" I understand," dr. Stevenson says, "but promise me you will look after yourself and if something happens call me okay?"

Regina nodds softly with doubt in her eyes.

"I can see you're not sure," dr. Anderson says, "what's it?"

"I'm not sure of I would call. I don't ask for help that easy." Regina opens up a bit.

"I noticed," dr. Anderson says, "you want to fix things on your own, and a big chance that's because you don't want to look weak in the eyes of others. But I can tell you something, asking for help doesn't make you weak."

"It actually does." Regina whispers. "That's what I have been told whole my life."

"Those people had a bad influence on you," dr. Anderson says, "because asking things don't make you weak. If someone asks you something, do you find that person weak?"

"No, not at all. But that doesn't count for me. My mother told me that."

"So you think there are different rules for you because your mother told you," dr. Anderson says. She knows the influence of a mother lasts forever, but she will try to get it out of her. "It's not true what she said, you can call or ask for help whenever you want, everyone can, and you're no exception."

Regina nodds softly, trying to understand those words. "I... I have to go now. Emma is expecting me."

"All right," dr. Anderson says, "then I'll see you this Monday again, and please don't forget to call me if something is wrong, okay?"

Regina nodds, shakes Dr. Anderson's hand and walks back to the hotel. "Hi sweetheart." she smiles at Emma.

"Hey, mom" Emma says with a little fake smile.

"What's going on?" Regina immediately forgets about her own tiredness and jumps into mom-mode.

"Nothing... I don't feel like talking about it," Emma say with a sigh.

"Emma. Please? I'm worried about you."

"Don't be I'm fine," Emma says. She is definitely not, but she doesn't want to bother her mother.

Regina nodds softly. "Alright, sweetheart. How did your schoolwork go?"

"Fine," Emma says, "I did some science and well... It's hard, but not undoable..." She just makes up a story.

Regina nodds. "Let me see it after dinner, alright? I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat."

"Yes great!" Emma says, "I think I can manage to eat something too," she smiles.

Regina and Emma walk downstairs. They have dinner, neither of them really in the mood for talking. Afterwards Regina asks Emma to show her homework.

"Well I... Ehh... Yes," Emma says. She opens her notebook, "I read a lot, so I can't really show you a lot."

Regina nodds. "That's alright, I trust you." she smiles. "So I've managed to check out after lunch so we can drive back home not too late. We can do your last homework together tomorrow before lunch?" Regina suggests.

"Yeah, that's all right," Emma says, feeling even more miserable, because her mother trusts her when she shouldn't.

"I'm very tired now. Maybe we should go to sleep?" When Emma is asleep after about half an hour, Regina still can't sleep. She feels Leopold's hands on her body and she can't shake it off. After another hour she decides to call Dr. Anderson.

"Regina, Hi," dr. Anderson says, Regina woke her up, "what's it?"

While Regina is on the other room Emma looks on her phone (She pretended to be asleep the whole time) She sees the most horrible message she has ever gotten. She almost starts to panic, she silently dresses herself, gets out of the room without her mother noticing and runs out of the hotel, before she looks on her phone again.

"I... I can't shake him off." Regina whispers softly.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "do you hear him? Do you feel him?"

"Both." Regina whispers now.

"And is it only when you close your eyes?"

"No. All the time." Regina admits.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and have you tried to focus on something else? Like your daughter, the paintings on the wall just anything?"

"Yes, but it doesn't work." Regina slowly opens the door to the room to look at Emma but then notices she's gone. She gasps for air and starts having a panic attack.

"Regina?" Dr. Anderson says, "what's happening?"

"Emma. Gone."

"Emma is gone?" Dr. Anderson says, "are you really sure about that, take a better look."

"She's gone!" Regina breathes fast and can't calm herself down any longer.

"Regina, sit down somewhere okay?" Dr. Anderson says, "try to get your breathing under control."

"My daughter is gone! She's 12 years old and she's gone! I can't calm down!" Regina almost screams while walking outside of the hotel to go look for Emma.

"Regina," dr. Anderson says strictly, "I know it's hard, but if you want to find her, you need to calm down."

"No!"

"Regina, do you think you'll find Emma by running and panicking? I don't think so, so listen to me!"

Regina looks around, completely lost and panicked.

"Ask someone in the hotel if they have seen anything," dr. Anderson says, "take a deep breath and ask."

Regina doesn't answer anymore and sinks down.

"Regina?" Dr. Anderson says, "Regina are you there? Where are you?"

"I don't know. In front of our hotel." Regina mumbles.

"I'll come to you," dr. Anderson says, "stay at the hotel and if you find the strength ask someone if they have seen anything, okay?"

Regina mumbles something not comprehensible and stays sitting down on the ground in front of the hotel, staring in front of her.

Dr. Anderson gets dressed and drives to the hotel. She sees Regina sitting in front of it and immediately kneels down beside her. "Are you here?" she whispers.

"Emma." Regina just whispers.

"Did you ask someone about her?" Dr. Anderson whispers, "we'll find her I promise."

Regina keeps staring in front of her, not able to deal with this after such a hard emotional day.

Dr. Anderson smiles and sits down beside Regina now. "It will be all right," she whispers.

Regina doesn't react.

Dr. Anderson remains silent. She takes Regina's hand in hers and gives Regina the time to calm down a bit.

Regina doesn't pull away but remains silent and stares in front of her.

"Shall we asks someone together then?" she whispers, "or do you just want to start looking for her. Or nothing at all."

No respons from Regina.

Dr. Anderson stays with her and remains silent, but she knows they can’t wait for too long because who knows where Emma is right now...

Regina looks up at dr. Anderson. "Emma."

"Yes, we need to find her," dr. Anderson says. She nods and looks back at Regina. "I suggest that I call the police and that you call Robin."

"No police. She won't like that and shut me out completely." Regina whispers.

"But what about Emma? She can be everywhere; we need help..." Dr. Anderson says.

Regina tries to call Emma on her cellphone.

Emma doesn't answer, she threw her phone against the wall only one street from where Regina and dr. Anderson are sitting. Her screen is broken into a thousand pieces.

Regina shakes her head at Dr. Anderson as a sign Emma is not picking up.

Dr. Anderson sighs, "are you sure you don't want to call the police?"

Regina gets up and starts to walk. She turns around the corner into the next street.

Dr. Anderson just follows Regina, "anything?" she asks.

Regina stands still and looks at a young girl with blond hair. She knows it's Emma because she recognizes her clothes. "Emma."

Emma doesn't turn around; she holds a bottle of liquor tightly in her hand.

Regina doesn't move as well. She doesn't want to scare her daughter into running away. She looks helpless at dr. Anderson. She's exhausted.

"That's her, isn't it? That's your Emma," she whispers. She walks a bit in Emma's direction.

Regina nodds and stays standing at her place.

Dr. Anderson looks at Regina and then turns to Emma, who is still standing with her back to them. She walks closer and Emma doesn't move.

Regina just watches.

Dr. Anderson walks to Emma and softly grabs her arm. Emma doesn't move while dr. Anderson talks to her in a gentle way, still holding the bottle in her hand.

Regina doesn't move.

Then Emma drops the bottle and the liquor inside now runs over the street. Dr. Anderson now holds both her hands and she slowly looks over her shoulder to her mom, her face covered in tears.

Regina quickly walks over to her daughter, worry and fear in her eyes. She kneels down and open her arms for Emma.

Emma still looks at her mom and she starts to cry. She just moves her hand from dr. Anderson's hand to her mother's.

Regina pulls Emma softly in a big and warm hug. She herself is crying as well.

Emma lets her mother hug her, but doesn't hug her back. She just stands and says nothing, she only softly cries.

Regina holds her daughter close to her body and tries to give her warmth and love.

"I don't want to be on this world anymore, mom," Emma whispers very softly.

"Sweetheart." Regina cries, holding Emma even more close now.

"I really don't," Emma whispers and she leans with her head against her mother's shoulder.

Regina just keeps holding Emma close to her body.

Emma steps back and without looking at her mother she walks to the club on the other side of the street.

Regina keeps holding Emma by her wrist so she isn't able to walk away from her. Regina shakes her head. "You're not going in there. We're going to sleep, Emma. We're both exhausted."

"I don't want to sleep," Emma says, "let me go," she tries to free herself from her mother’s grip.

"No, Emma. If you don't want to sleep then we'll stay up together, but I can't let you go into a club."

"Why not?" Emma says, "I don't want to go home and I don't want to think, why can't you just let me?"

"Because I am your mother and it's my job to take care of you. Letting you go into a club isn't taking care of you, sweetheart."

"Then pretend that you're not my mother," Emma whispers and she tries to free herself again, she pulls very hard.

Regina keeps Emma's wrist in her hand. "No, Emma."

"Mom let me go!" she shouts, "you don't understand!"

"No, Emma." Regina repeats calmly. "I can't let you go in there. You're my daughter and I'm taking care of you. You're my responsibility and we're going back to the hotel."

Emma sits down on the ground pics up the bottle she dropped and drinks the remaining liquor inside it. She doesn't say a thing, while her mother still holds her wrist.

Regina's eyes look for dr. Anderson. She seems to beg for help.

Dr. Anderson is already on her way. She sits down beside Emma and gently pulls the bottle out of Emma's hand. "Give it back," Emma snaps, but dr. Anderson doesn't give in. She tells Emma that she needs to go home with Regina, because the other option is going with her to the institution or call the police.

Regina startles and looks at Emma, to see what her reaction is.

Emma looks very angry at dr. Anderson and really feels like hurting that woman, but she does stands up. "Fine I'll go," she snaps. She will try escape, when she and her mother are alone again...

Regina gets up, still holding Emma's wrist. She looks at dr. Anderson. "Thank you." she whispers.

Dr. Anderson nods with a small smile, "I'll walk to the hotel with you," she says.

Regina nodds. The three of them walk back to the hotel, in silence. Regina thanks dr. Anderson again and promises to call her the next morning. When Emma and Regina are back in their room, Regina casts a protection spell at the door and the windows so Emma can't get away.

"So what now," Emma snaps. She feels sick...

"Now you're staying here, with me, and you can choose. Or we talk or you go to sleep. But you're not going out."

Emma shakes her head and sits down at the desk. "You can't lock me up forever." She starts to cry again and turns her back towards her mother. She will never tell her what happened, she doesn't deserve to know!

"I know. And I won't do that. But this is for your own safety, sweetheart. I can't let you go to a club in Boston where you know literally no one."

"I'll make sure I make some friends, you know I'm good at making friends," Emma snaps and looks at the wall. "I don't want to be safe."

"I know you don't want to. So it's my job to make sure you are safe. And that's what I'm doing right now." Regina tries to explain.

"You think you're keeping me save, but you don't," Emma says.

"Can you explain that to me, Emma?" Regina really wants to understand.

"I'm not safe anywhere.”

"What do you mean?"

"Because people can hurt me when I'm in this room too, and that just happened!"

"Did someone send you a text message? Is that why you destroyed your phone?" Regina wants to know.

"It's a lot more than just a text!" Emma snaps. She wonders how her mother knows about her phone.

"Then what is it, Emma? If you don't talk to me, I can't help you."

"I'm tired, let's go to sleep," Emma says. She doesn't want to but everything is better than to tell her mother what happened...

Regina sighs but nodds. "Goodnight, darling." She gives Emma a kiss on the forehead and tucks her in. Regina then sits down on a chair in the corner of Emma's room to watch over her little girl.

Emma tries to sleep; she doesn't have a choice... But she still feels very sick. After half an hour she runs to the bathroom and throws up.

Within seconds Regina is right by her side and holds her blond hair aside. "Are you alright, darling?" she whispers afterwards.

"No," Emma says honestly and she throws up again.

Regina strokes her back downwards, to stop the throwing up.

When it finally stops, Emma takes a deep breath. "You should try to sleep too," she says like nothing happened.

"I will. First I want to make sure you are alright, sweetie." Regina softly smiles.

"I'm fine," Emma snaps. And she starts to brush her teeth.

Regina nodds. She tucks Emma in again and sits down in her chair again. "I'll wait until you sleep, dear. You're safe here. You're safe with me."

"Mom I can't leave this room because of your stupid magic, so why don't you just go to sleep?"

"Because I want to make sure you fall asleep, feeling safe, dear." Regina explains.

"I will never feel safe so you can stop trying."

"How come you never feel safe, Emma? Is there something I can do to help you with that?"

"You can help me by moving to Europe with me, where no one knows me," Emma says. She won't tell her mother why, she is too ashamed and scared.

"Why?" Regina wants to know.

"Not telling you," Emma whispers, she doesn't dare.

Regina nodds. "Alright. I'll just have to wait until you trust me to tell it to me." she softly smiles. "Now go asleep, dear. You're exhausted."

"Now go asleep mom," Emma repeats her mother, "you're exhausted." She sits up straight until Regina will come and sleep too.

Regina lays down next to Emma in the big bed. "Shall I hold you, dear?" she asks her daughter.

"Yes," Emma whispers. This is why she wanted her mother to go asleep too, so she would hold her close to her, but she didn't dare to ask.

Regina takes Emma close to her body and makes sure she's covered completely under the blanket so she doesn't get cold. "Is that alright, dear?"

Emma nods and she tries to hold in her tears. She tries to sleep, but it doesn't work...

Regina softly strokes Emma's hair to calm her down. "It's alright to cry, sweetheart." she whispers.

Emma lets her tears out, but doesn't say a thing. Her pillow is now very wet.

Regina knows Emma is crying but she doesn't say a thing about it. She just keeps stroking her hair and keeps whispering it's alright to cry.

Emma closes her eyes and let her mother stroke her hair. It feels good, but she still can't sleep.

After a while Regina falls asleep, exhausted as hell.

Emma can't help but smile when she feels her mother fell asleep. She herself stares into the darkness, her mind is spinning and hurting to much to sleep. She wished she could disappear from earth just now.

When Regina wakes up she looks into the tired eyes of her daughter. "You didn't sleep, did you?" she asks softly.

"No," Emma whispers, "I wanted too, I really did, but it wouldn't work."

"That's alright. Why don't we go home after breakfast? You can sleep in the car. What do you think?" Regina suggests.

"I don't want to go home," Emma says clearly, her eyes are filled with fear, "please I can't go to Storybrooke right now."

"Emma, we are not staying in Boston any longer if you want to run away every time I turn my back."

"I won't run away I promise," Emma quickly says, "but I don't want to go home! Please!"

"Emma." Regina sighs. "Tomorrow is Friday and then I have to go to The Black Fairy. I can't leave you here unattended."

"You can ask Robin to look after me, maybe he wants to come here."

"Would you like that?" Regina asks softly.

"Yes," Emma says immediately.

"I will call him and asks if he's alright with that." Regina nodds. She picks up her phone and calls Robin.

Robin answers the phone and when he hears Regina's voice he immediately asks how she is doing.

"I'm alright. Emma wants to stay here for a couple of days longer. She asks if you want to join us, because I can't leave her unattended when I have to go to The Black Fairy tomorrow." Regina explains softly.

"Wow, okay," Robin says, "she doesn't want to come back here?"

"Not yet. She's not ready yet. But I want to return to Storybrooke no later than Tuesday."

"All right," Robin says, "I'll come to Boston, no problem, I'll pack my things now and then I'll come. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Regina whispers softly. She tells him she's looking forward to see him later that day.

"I don't believe that, but maybe that's not something for now," Robin says, "I'll see you this evening.”

"See you then." Regina whispers before putting the phone down. She turns around to Emma.

Emma looks at her mom.

"It's alright. But we leave no later than Tuesday. Is that a deal we can make?"

"No," Emma says.

"Emma." Regina sighs. "You know we have to go back someday."

"I can never go back."

"Why not?" Regina wants to know.

"I just can't," Emma whispers. She looks to the wall, "do you remember when... Yes of course you do," Emma mumbles in herself.

"When?" Regina asks softly.

"That the doctor told you I wasn't virgin anymore..." Emma whispers.

Regina nodds. "I remember." she whispers.

Now Emma blocks and she starts to cry again. "Nothing," she says and she locks herself up in the bathroom.

Regina sighs. She's going to be so glad to see Robin tonight.

Emma takes a shower and for the next few hours she doesn't come out of the bathroom.

Regina startles when someone knocks on the door to the hotel room. She opens and is glad to see Robin. "You're here." she softly cries from relief.

Robin smiles and immediately takes her in his arms. "I'm so happy to see you," he says while he hugs her.

"I'm losing her." Regina cries. "I'm losing her."

Robin just holds her close, he doesn't know what to say. He kisses her on her forehead, "you won't lose her," he whispers, "she loves you."

Regina's legs can't hold her up any longer and she can only lean against Robin to stay upright. Her body shakes.

"Let's sit down," Robin whispers and he leads her to the bed and makes her sit down on it. "What happened? Do you feel like talking about it?"

Regina explains what happened today. She softly cries.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Robin whispers while stroking Regina's hair. "And Emma didn't tell you why she run away and why she wanted alcohol so badly?"

"No." Regina whispers. She almost falls asleep. "The Black Fairy is coming for me at midnight." she whispers softly.

"I know," Robin says and he lets Regina lay down. "Try to take some rest now, you certainly need it."

"Emma. Look after Emma while I'm gone." Regina whispers. She barely has slept 2 hours when the clock strikes midnight.

"Make yourself ready," the black fairy whispers in Regina's mind.

Regina has trouble waking up and is a bit too late with The Black Fairy.

"You're late," the Black Fairy snaps while she poofs them to her place, "why?" She looks Regina into her eyes.

"I had an exhausting day." Regina just answers.

"Well you have been forgiven," the Black Fairy grins, "I have a very special job for you today."

"What is it?" Regina wants to know.

"I think you know a certain Leopold?" The Black Fairy says, "he had some potions in his castle I needed, probably from you mother but that doesn't matter right now." She smiles, "he was willing to give them to me and of course I was willing to give home something in return. And then it turned out that the only thing he wanted was you." Her eyes show how satisfied she feels.

"No." Regina whispers softly.

"What no?" The Black Fairy laughs.

"You can't just hand me over to Leopold."

"I told him he could have you for just one day," the Black Fairy says, "so yes, I'm going to hand you over to him, for this perfect day."

"No, please. You can't do this!" Regina begs.

"Of course I can do this," the Black Fairy says, "we made a deal, so today..., you're mine" she laughs.

Regina remains silent. She waits for the inevitable.

"Good luck," the black fairy grins and she poofs Regina to Leopold's castle. He turns around and looks Regina into her eyes.

Regina just looks back at him.

"Regina," he grins and he walks to her, "how are you doing?"

Regina takes a step back. "Don't touch me."

Leopold already enjoys this and he steps forward too. He lays his hands on Regina's hips and pulls her towards him. "What did you say?" he whispers.

"I said don't touch me!" Regina snaps.

"I can't hear you, can you say it again?" Leopold grins and he pushes her against the wall. He lets his hand go up to her cheek.

Regina gasps for air after being pushed to the wall. She looks Leopold deep into his eyes.

"That's it," he says when Regina remains silent and he brings his lips to hers.

Regina softly kisses him back.

Leopold now kisses her more heavily and pushes her harder against the wall.

Regina softly moans out of fear. "Please." she whispers.

Leopold only smiles and pulls out Regina's shirt, "you look horrible," he snaps, and he goes on undressing her.

Regina keeps standing still, very still. She breaths fast.

He enjoys this so very much... His ultimate revenge!

"I'll be a good girl." Regina whispers softly.

"Good, then go to the bed and undress yourself completely," he grins.

Regina nodds and does what she has been told. She watches him approaching the bed.

Leopold smiles and lays down beside her on the bed, "now undress me," he whispers.

With shaking hands Regina undresses Leopold.

"Good girl," Leopold smiles, but he doesn't move. He only softly lets his hand go over Regina's belly and looks at her with and evil grin.

Regina flinches. "Don't touch me there!" she snaps.

"Why not," Leopold whispers, still grinning and he goes on stroking her belly.

"It's not yours." Regina snaps, pushing his hand away.

"So what," Leopold says and he moves his hand back.

Regina remains silent now.

"What's it gonna be, a boy?" Leopold asks, moving his hands down.

"I don't know yet." Regina whispers.

Leopold nods, "it must feel wonderful," he winks and he pulls her closer to his body.

Regina lets him. She remains silent.

"Don't you remember how this works?" Leopold snaps.

"Clearly I don't." Regina snaps back.

Leopold hits Regina very hard on her cheek, "don't try to be funny," he snaps.

Regina startles but doesn't move. "I really don't remember."

Leopold hits her again, and another time, "shut up and do what I say," he shouts and again he hits her cheek.

"Yes." Regina whispers softly.

"Good," he says and he lets Regina lead, holding her pinned on the bed.

Regina doesn't move yet. She looks up at him.

"What do you think you're doing," Leopold whispers in her ear, he is very angry.

"Nothing."

"Fine," Leopold snaps and he makes a fist. He throws Regina off the bed and hits her very hard on her cheek.

"Please. I'm sorry!" Regina yells. "I'll be a good girl!"

"Then prove it!"

Regina climbs back in bed and kisses Leopold. "Go on." she whispers.

Leopold kisses her back and goes on, "that's my girl," he whispers, satisfied.

Regina feels him sliding inside of her. "Don't hurt me." she softly begs.

"I won't if you'll be good," he whispers and he makes her follow his movements. He kisses her very heavily.

Regina makes sure he reaches his climax. She feels him sinking beside her.

Leopold keeps his hands around Regina's body and opens his eyes. He smiles at her.

"And now?" Regina whispers.

"You just stay with me so I can torture you," Leopold grins, "or did you think this was all I had in mind for you?"

"Please." she begs. "Please, Leopold."

"What?" he whispers in her ear, "Leopold please don't hurt me?" he imitates her, "not going to happen."

Regina moans out of fear.

"Do you want the traditional torturing," Leopold asks, "or do you want something new?"

"I don't care!"

"Great, then I do both!" Leopold laughs. First he pushes her on the bed again and ties up her arms to the back of the bed.

Regina keeps looking at him.

Leopold walks away and picks up a knife from the table. He slowly makes a cut from Regina's arm to her belly.

"No! Please, not there! Please!" Regina yells, panic almost taking over.

"Oh no?" Leopold says and he looks into Regina's eyes now. He slowly makes a circle around her belly with his knife. Blood drips on his hands.

"Please!" Regina screams now. "I'll do anything! Leopold, please! I.... I beg you!"

Leopold doesn't stop, he enjoys the panic in her eyes too much...

"Please." Regina whispers now.

Leopold smiles and stabs his knife in her shoulder.

Regina screams of pain.

Leopold laughs and kisses Regina on her lips, keeping his knife in her shoulder. He loves to see her like this.

Regina coughs up blood. Her body shakes.

Leopold smiles and stands up. He dresses himself, but leaves Regina tied up on the bed. "I've some business to do, but I'll be back in a few hours," he grins, "enjoy your stay."

"The knife." Regina begs.

Leopold laughs now, "okay, because you’re such a good girl," he says with a wink and a grin and he pulls the knife out of Regina's shoulder.

Regina screams of pain. "Please. Let me go!"

"No way," Leopold snaps.

Regina just nodds and looks at him walking away.

Leopold stays away for almost four hours...

Regina falls asleep. She's exhausted.

Leopold walks into the room again after four hours and wakes Regina up by leaning on her wound with all his strength.

Regina moans of pain and is immediately up. She pulls at the ropes on her hands.

Leopold smiles, "how was your short nap?"

"Short." Regina whispers.

"I'm sorry," he grins and he removes the dried up blood from her wound. "What do you like to do now?"

"I want to go home. Leopold, please." Regina begs. "Haven't you got enough?"

"Maybe I have," Leopold says, "but this may be the only chance I will ever get..." He grins and let's his knife go over Regina's belly again, "and there is so much I can do with this little thing inside you, that will make you cry like a baby," he whispers,

"Please!" Regina yells now.

Leopold slowly pushes the knife into Regina's skin, so she starts to bleed.

"Not there!" Regina cries now. "Please, don't take it away from me!"

"How sweet," Leopold says while pushing the knife deeper and deeper.

"Leopold, PLEASE!" Regina screams and cries out loud.

Leopold laughs and he pulls back his knife, "just joking," he says and he laughs ever harder, "but it will hurt you very much, won't it," he says now very serious and he pushes the knife into her belly again.

"Yes! Yes, it would! PLEASE!" Regina cries hard now.

Leopold grins and pulls his knife away, "this time I'll spare that little creature," he snaps and he walks to the door, "I'm gone for a while and I have to say... I hope I change my mind about this."   
He walks out of the room, leaving Regina alone again.

Regina cries and cries now. She almost falls asleep again but She startles when the door opens.

Leopold is filled with rage when he enters the room. "I chanced my mind!" he snaps and he grabs his knife from the table.

"NO!" Regina screams. "Please!"

Leopold doesn't change his mind and stabs his knife into Regina's belly... But before it goes through Regina's skin, some kind of magical force makes the knife fling out of his hand. "What's this?!" Leopold snaps.

Regina startles and looks up, surprised. "I... I don't know." she answers honestly.

"Liar!" Leopold shouts, "make this protection-spell disappear immediately!!"

"I didn't cast a protection spell!" Regina snaps, crying with relief.

"Then who did?!"

"I don't know!" Regina snaps.

"The black fairy..." Leopold mumbles, realizing she must be the one. His anger only grows and he hits Regina again with his fist.

Regina screams of pain. "Please! I'll be a good girl!" she cries.

"No please this time!" Leopold shouts and he frees her hands. He throws her on the ground and starts to kick her very hard.

Regina makes herself small to protect her body.

Leopold is now comletely out if his mind and keeps kicking Regina.

Regina loses conscience after a while.

Leopold gives her one last kick and leaves the room, "you can come and take her Fiona!" he snaps and he shuts the door behind him.

Regina stays unconscious for a while.

The black fairy wakes Regina up with her magic, and looks at her.

Regina looks back. "Robin. I want to go home. Please." she asks with a soft voice.

The black fairy laughs, "see you next week!" she says and she poofs Regina to her hotel room.

Regina ends up next to the bed. She makes herself small and doesn't bother climbing into bed.

"Regina!" Robin says when he sees her appear, he immediately runs to her. He takes her in his arms, so he can lay her down on the bed.

Regina moans of pain.

Robin turns on the light and sees Regina's wounds. "Regina," he says softly, "I'll go downstairs to check if they have something I can help you with okay?"

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers while crying.

"Don't be," Robin whispers, "this is not your fault, it's okay," he gives her a small kiss on her cheek and runs downstairs to get some medical supplies.

Regina tries to heal herself but she's just too exhausted. She strokes over her belly.

Robin comes back with everything he thinks he needs and sits down on the bed next to Regina. "What happened?" he asks when he sees her stroke over her belly.

"Leopold." Regina just whispers. "He wanted... He wanted to stab me. The little bean." Regina cries. "But something happened. I don't think it was the Black Fairy. I think it was the baby itself. Who protected herself. Is... Is that possible?" Regina softly asks.

"I don't know," Robin whispers, while he starts to clean the wound on Regina's shoulder, "I really don't know, but maybe yes." He smiles.

Regina moans of pain again. "It hurts so much." she softly cries.

"I know," Robin whispers and he takes some painkillers in his hand. "It's not like magic, but it can help you," he says, while he fills a cup with water.

Regina takes the medicine and, after a while, sighs with relief as they kick in. "How is Emma?" she wants to know.

"She is okay," Robin says, "something really hurt her, I can see, because she reminds me a bit of you." He sighs but also smiles a little, "she is sleeping in my room now. I just checked if she was still there."

"Thank you." Regina whispers. Her eyes start to close. She's exhausted. "I'm going to sleep for just a little while." she mumbles while closing her eyes.

"Of course," Robin says and he makes sure that she lays comfortable in her bed. "I'll be here when you wake up," he whispers and he kisses her on her cheek.

After sleeping for a couple of hours Regina wakes up in Robin's arms. She asks for her cellphone.

"Your cellphone?" Robin asks, "of course, but why?" He steps out of the bed to pick it up.

"I need to call Dr. Anderson." Regina whispers. "I promised."

"Okay," Robin smiles and he hands over her phone.

Regina dials Dr. Anderson's number.

"Hello, dr. Anderson here, what can I do for you?" dr. Anderson says when she picks up the phone.

"It's... It's Regina."

"O Regina, hi," dr. Anderson says, "how are you doing?"

"Leopold." she whispers softly.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "he is still there."

"No, he was with me. For real. It wasn't in my head." Regina tries to explain.

Dr. Anderson is stunned for a moment, they never really talked about him like he was real. "He was with you as a real person?" Dr. Anderson asks, she wants to be sure, "how is that possible?"

"Yes. Real." Regina mumbles. "He got to me."

"At the hotel or somewhere else?" she asks.

"I... I don't really remember." Regina whispers. "But he was real. He was real."

"Okay, thanks for calling," dr. Anderson says, "do you want to talk about it now, or shall we wait until this Monday? Can you handle that now and is Emma around?"

"Robin came over. Robin... Emma wanted to stay. I told her we will but no longer than Tuesday." Regina tries to explain.

"That sounds good," dr. Anderson says, "so Robin is with you now?"

"Yes. Yes, Robin is here." Regina whispers softly.

"And can you handle this with him alone? Or do you want me to come over?"

"I... I don't know." Regina whispers honestly.

"That's okay," dr. Anderson says, "do you think you'll be able to talk about it right now?"

"Not over the phone." Regina whispers.

"I can imagine, and face to face?" dr. Anderson says, "it's okay if you don't, maybe it's good to let it rest a bit."

"He'll come back. I know he will. He won't leave it like this." Regina whispers softly.

"But you're safe with Robin now, aren't you?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Yes. I am. Safe now." Regina mumbles. Her mind already starts to wander off to Leopold.

"I think it's good to get some sleep now, Regina," dr. Anderson says.

"I just slept. I'm not tired anymore." Regina gets up and starts to get dressed, while still on the phone with dr. Anderson.

"Regina what are you doing?" Robin says now, "it's 2AM...".

"It... It is?" Regina startles. "I'm... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for calling this late. Early." she mumbles.

"That's absolutely no problem, Regina," dr. Anderson says.

"It is. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina keeps apologizing. "Maybe I should call you later today. You.. You need to sleep. I'm sorry."

"Regina it doesn't matter at all," dr. Anderson says, "tell me what you want, I'm here and I won't sleep, until you feel a bit better again."

"He hurt me so bad." Regina starts to cry now. "My baby. My little baby."

"Did something happen to your baby?" Dr. Anderson says, a bit worried now.

"I... I'm not sure. I.. I don't think so. I don't know." Regina cries louder now, more upset than before.

Robin takes Regina in his arms. "Okay," dr. Anderson says, "I think it's best that you take some more rest and I'll come and visit you tomorrow."

"Promise? Do you promise?" Regina almost begs.

"Of course I do," dr. Anderson says, "don't worry and try to get some sleep."

"Yes. See you tomorrow." Regina hangs up and looks at Robin. "I'm not tired anymore." she repeats softly.

"Resting doesn't always mean sleeping," Robin says, "what do you want to do?"

"You go to sleep, Robin. I'll watch over you and Emma." Regina whispers.

"We're not the ones who need to be watched over right now," Robin winks and he wipes Regina's hair from her face. "How are your wounds?"

Regina flinches, just a bit. "Sorry." she whispers. She looks up at him again. "I don't know. Do you want to check?"

"Yeah," Robin says and he pushes down Regina's shirt a bit to look at the huge wound on her shoulder. "This one is certainly the worst, what did he do?"

"He... He pushed his... his knife... in.. in my shoulder." Regina softly cries now.

Robin nods, while softly taking her hand in his, and starts to drip some medicine into the wound again. He knows it will burn, but he wants the wound to heal as soon as possible.

Regina squeezes a bit in Robin's hand. She looks relieved when he stops dripping the medicine on her wound. "What do we tell Emma?" she whispers.

"We tell her the truth as much as possible," Robin says, "I think that's best. I mean... We don't have to tell her the details, but she deserves to know what's going on."

Regina nodds. "I was hoping you'd say that, because I'm thinking the same thing." She softly smiles. "Is Emma still sleeping in your room?" she wants to know.

"I think so," Robin says, "do you want me to look?"

"Yes. Please, go look." Regina insists.

Robin walks to Emma's room. Emma is still asleep and doesn't mention Robin walking to her. "She is still asleep," Robin whispers when he comes back.

Regina sighs with relief. "I'm glad. Now you should go back to sleep as well, Robin."

"Okay," Robin says, "will you stay with me then? Although you're not going to sleep?"

"I will." Regina whispers. After a while she does fall asleep again. At about 10 AM she wakes up again.

Robin was already awake and is just ready with his shower. He comes into the room and sees Regina is awake.   
"Good morning," Robin says with a smile.

Emma and dr. Anderson are together in Robin's room. Dr. Anderson is already here for two hours now, which she filled with a talk with Emma.

Regina softly smiles at Robin. "Is Emma alright?"

"She is," Robin says, "she is talking with dr. Anderson now. Dr. Anderson was here very early and you were still asleep, so she saw her chance to talk to Emma for a while."

"And Emma... Was alright with that?" Regina asked, stunned.

"Not at first," Robin says, "but after a lot of trying, dr. Anderson managed to start a conversation" he smiles, "that's the moment Dr. Anderson told me to leave, so I don't know what happened after that."

Regina nodds. "I'll wait until she's ready with Emma." She softly smiles. "Leopold. He... he..." Regina wants to explain, but she shokes on her words.

Robin smiles, "you can tell me," he says. He picks up the breakfast he took with him from the restaurant this morning.

"I'm not hungry." Regina turns away from the food. She looks up when Dr. Anderson knocks on the door to the room and walks in.

"I already thought I heard something," dr. Anderson says with a smile, "good morning." She walks to Regina's bed, Emma stands in the doorway and looks inside.

Regina looks at Emma. "Are you alright?" she whispers softly

Emma shakes her head and stays where she is.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"She promised me she would tell you, but not right now," dr. Anderson says, when Emma doesn't say anything. Emma nods and turns away.

Regina nodds as well. She looks up at Dr. Anderson.

Robin places Regina's breakfast on her nightstand in case she wants to eat something. "I didn't check your wounds yet, but I'll do that this afternoon," Robin says with a little smile, "see you soon," Robin leaves the room with Emma. "How do you feel?" Dr. Anderson says.

Regina shrugs. "I don't know."

"Did you sleep well?"

"I guess I did." Regina whispers. She keeps her distance.

"No nightmares?" Dr. Anderson says. She starts with easy questions, maybe they are able to make Regina relax a bit.

"No. No nightmares."

"That's good, isn't it?" Dr. Anderson says, "no slipping away either?"

"I guess not." Regina mumbles. "But he was real. He really was."

"How do you know?" Dr. Anderson says, "what made him real?"

"You don't believe me?" Regina whispers. "Do you need more proof than this?" she asks while showing the wound on her shoulder.

"I do believe you," dr. Anderson says and then she looks at the wound, "Regina!" she exclaims, "did he do that with... A knife?" She looks into Regina's eyes now.

Regina softly nodds. "Yes." she whispers.

"Do you know why he did that?"

"Because he despises me." Regina just answers, still keeping her distance.

Dr. Anderson nods, "and was this the only thing he did?"

Regina shakes her head in denial.

"Can you tell me ehat else he did to you?"

Regina strokes her wrists, unconsciencely. "He... He.. ra...." she mumbles.

Dr. Anderson says nothing, giving Regina the space to finish what she wants to say. She only looks Regina in her eyes.

"I couldn't get away." Regina whispers.

Dr. Anderson carefully lays her hand on Regina's wrist, so Regina will look up to her. "You couldn't get away," she repeats, "couldn't get away from what?"

Regina looks up, not pulling away. "He hurt me." she whispers. "Like before. He raped me."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," dr. Anderson says, "how did he get to you?"

"I... I don't remember." Regina whispers softly.

"I know you do remember, I can see it," dr. Anderson says, "you can be honest with me."

Regina pulls back. "I don't remember." she mumbles again.

"Did you know the place? From your past?" Dr. Anderson softly asks.

Regina softly nodds. "Maybe." she whispers.

"All right," dr. Anderson says, "did he hurt you there before?"

"He did. A... A lot." Regina whispers.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and can you tell me about one specific thing he did there? Just one."

Regina closes her eyes for a second.

"Look at me Regina," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina looks back up. "He... He cut me. Before."

"Tell me about that," dr. Anderson says, "just anything, let it go."

Regina softly strokes over the scar on her upper lip. "He... He let someone do that." she whispers.

Dr. Anderson nods, "why did he let someone do it for him?"

"Because I wasn't an obedient wife." Regina answers honestly.

"But he didn't do it himself?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Not that."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and how long ago did he do that? For how long have you been with Leopold?"

"I don't remember." Regina whispers softly. She pulls back even more now.

Dr. Anderson keeps looking at Regina. She doesn't say a thing.

"I... I don't know... 10 years." Regina whispers.

"You've been with him for 10 years?" Dr. Anderson says, "how did you get away from him?"

"I don't remember!" Regina snaps now. She almost disappears in a dark corner of the room.

"I don't know what you do and don't remember, or just don't want to tell, so I just keep asking," dr. Anderson says calmly, "you don't have to be afraid of me."

"I ran away." Regina whispers softly.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "thanks for telling, can you tell me something more about him? Why did he despise you so much?"

"I wasn't thin enough. I wasn't obedient enough." Regina whispers.

"So what he wanted was to have power over you?"

Regina looks up. "Yes." she whispers.

"And did he want that because he wanted to impress others? Or something else?"

"He... I... I think he just liked having power over me." Regina answers honestly.

"So he just enjoyed it.”

Regina nodds. "He did. He really did."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and what do you feel when he has power over you?"

"I hate it!" Regina snaps now.

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "tell me all about that hate, just rage on."

"No." Regina whispers. She doesn't want to do that. She knows she'll lose control and that's not a possibility now. "No, I can't."

"What's the reason?"

"I said I can't!" Regina snaps again. She crawls away in the corner now, making herself small. In the distance she starts to hear Leopold's voice.

"But you're clearly angry," dr. Anderson says, "you're not open today? Can you tell me why?" She looks at Regina, "take a deep breath and remember you're here?"

"I'm not angry!" Darkness appears in Regina's eyes. She startles when she suddenly feels Leopold hands on her neck.

"Take a deep breath Regina.”

"Good girl." Regina whispers softly.

"You're safe.é

Leopold hands go over her neck and stroke her wound.

Regina moans of pain. Although Leopold isn't really there, she does feel his hands on her shoulder. "Please." she whispers, begs.

Dr. Anderson lays her fingers under Regina's chin and makes her look at her. "Regina, I'm right here."

Leopold lets his hands go further under her shirt, kissing her in her neck.

"R... Ro.." Regina tries to mumble.

"Let it out," dr. Anderson whispers.

"Robin." Regina whispers, very very softly.

"You want him to come?"

Regina nodds, very slowly.

Dr. Anderson knocks on Robin's door, he and Emma are playing chess in silence. "Regina needs you, do you have a moment?" Dr. Anderson says. Robin winks at Emma and nods.

He walks into Regina's room and walks to her, "what's it?"

While dr. Anderson was calling Robin, Regina has made herself very small in the corner. "I'll be such a good girl, Leopold." She softly cries now.

"Regina, I'm here," Robin whispers when e sits down beside her in the corner. He lays his hand on hers.

Regina's eyes flash up to Robin's. "Robin." She immediately recognizes him. "He's here. He's back to hurt me." Panic sounds through her voice.

"He isn't, you're safe here," Robin whispers, "you're here with me, not with him."

"Safe?" Regina looks around but doesn't seem to notice the hotel room.

"Yes, safe," Robin says, "were in the hotel room, mine is next to yours, Emma is there."

Regina nodds, trying to focus her eyes on Robin. "I'm sorry for slipping away again." she mumbles to dr. Anderson.

"Don't be," she says. She smiles at Regina.

"He enjoyed so much to hurt me." Regina cries softly now.

Dr. Anderson smiles a little, it's finally coming out. Robin just lays his arm around her and holds her close.

Regina keeps crying for a little while. "How is Emma?" she softly asks Robin.

"Quiet," he whispers, "so we played chess, a quiet game." He smiles.

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Robin." she whispers softly. She looks up at dr. Anderson again. "And now? Now what?"

"What do you want?" Dr. Anderson asks Regina.

"I want to talk. I think. About him. About what happened." Regina whispers, doubt in her eyes.

"That's good," dr. Anderson smiles. Robin helps Regina up. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Can... Can you look after Emma? Please? I don't want her to be alone now." Regina softly asks.

"Of course," Robin winks. He kisses her and leaves the room.

Regina slowly looks up at dr. Anderson while she sits down in the cozy chair in the room.

Dr. Anderson smiles and doesn't say something yet. She wants Regina to start, so she knows where Regina really feels like talking about.

Regina remains silent. She needs dr. Anderson to start because she herself can't find the words. She focuses on dr. Anderson's eyes.

"So, he got to you and he took you somewhere, because he didn't hurt you here. But... You managed to come back here, how did you do that? When did he stop? Were you found, or was he just finished?"

"He was done." Regina whispers softly.

"And what was the last thing YOU did, before he was... Well... satisfied?"

"I don't remember. He was just... done." Regina whispers softly. She makes herself small on the cozy chair by pulling her legs to her body, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Can you remember what he says to you, while he hurts you?"

"That I'm too fat. That I need to be a good girl. That he can hurt me so much with the little thing inside of me to make me cry like a baby."

"And which if those things do you think are true?" Dr. Anderson asks.

"I don't know. Everything." Regina shrugs. She doesn't look at the breakfast on the table next to her.

"So you think you're too fat?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Maybe. I guess so." Regina answers honestly.

"Do you think I'm fat?" Dr. Anderson says, "just be honest, you won't hurt me."

"No, you're not. But you're not me. You don't have to be perfect."

"Why do you think you have to be perfect?"

"That's what they tell me."

"Okay, but think about it?" Dr. Anderson says, "when will you be perfect? Can you tell me, what does have to change to make you perfect?"

"I can't be perfect." Regina whispers softly. "It will never be good enough."

"But Regina," dr Anderson whispers, "can you give me the name of one person who you think is perfect?"

"Nobody. Nobody is perfect." Regina whispers. "But I get punished for it. For not being perfect. Not being obedient enough. Not being thin enough."

"You're right, nobody is perfect," dr. Anderson says, "but let's talk about you. Do you think you're obedient enough? Do you think you're thin enough? Do you think you have to be obedient or thin at all?"

Regina remains silent. After a while she looks back up. "No. No, I don't think I have to be obedient or thin."

"That's good," dr. Anderson says, "because you don't have to be obedient, or thin, you have to be yourself."

Regina nodds. "I know. I think I know." She feels a hand creeping down her back.

"The more confident you are that you're doing the right thing, the harder it is for them to get to you."

Regina moans softly out of fear. "He's here." she whispers.

"Do you think it's fair that he does this to you?" Dr. Anderson says.

Leopold lays his hands around her waist and lets his lips go over her cheek.

"I... I can't." Regina mumbles. "Not real. He's not real. You're not real."

"Good," dr. Anderson says, "say it louder, you have to believe he is not there and that he doesn't have the right to do this to you."

"Leopold, please." Regina whispers.

"Tell him, Regina," dr. Anderson says, "tell him to go."

Leopold smiles and lays one of his hands under Regina's chin and turns her face towards him. Then he kisses her on her lips.

Regina focuses on Dr. Anderson but it's not that easy. "No.. Not real."

"Go on, you're almost there," dr. Anderson says and she looks into Regina's eyes.

"He's not real now. But he was before. He was. He stabbed his knife in my shoulder. While I was tied up to the bed. It hurt so much." Regina whispers, looking at Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson has never heard something like this before, why would someone hurt her so much...?  
"I know" she whispers, "but now he's not real. We can talk about the real thing, but I need to be sure you're back."

"He's not here." Regina answers honestly. "It's not real. He's not real now." She looks up at dr. Anderson again.

"Good, that's really good," dr. Anderson smiles.

Regina softly nodds. "I can't defend myself when he's real. When he's with me." she then whispers.

"Have you ever tried to say no to Leopold?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Yes! Yes, I did! I always say no!" Regina snaps immediately.

"And what does he do then?"

"He never takes NO for an answer." Regina tries to explain. "He just takes what he thinks is his to take."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "does he only do this to you? Or does he do this to other people too?"

"Just me. It has always been just me." Regina whispers.

"Why?" Dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina looks up with tears in her eyes now. "Because I was his wife and he thought it was his right to treat me like that."

Dr. Anderson nods, "but he is still out there, somewhere here in Boston?"

"I.. I guess so." Regina whispers. How can she possibly explain the truth to dr. Anderson?

"I can see you know more," dr. Anderson says, "can't you tell me?"

"No." Regina whispers, very softly. "Not... Not yet. I... I'm sorry." She looks up. "I understand if you have to go." Regina gets up and keeps more distance between her and the doctor.

"Regina..." Dr. Anderson says and she shakes her head, "only tell me if you do know where he is? Not where or something, just... Do you know?"

Regina nodds softly. "I do." she whispers.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "we will talk about that later." She smiles, "and you do know how he got to you too?"

"He just did." Regina answers, not wanting to talk about this any longer. She softly strokes her belly, tension in her body.

Dr. Anderson nods, "okay, I think that's enough for today then," she says. She sees Regina strokes her belly, "is there anything more you want to tell me, or is it fine for today?"

"I'm not sure it's alright." Regina whispers, very, very, very softly.

"Your baby?" Dr. Anderson asks, "that's something we can find out."

"Now? Can we find out now?" Regina wants to know.

"We can go to the institute if you want. There is a hospital nearby," dr. Anderson says, "we can go there, I have contacts with them and I'm sure I can make an appointment...".

Regina softly nodds. "Can Robin and Emma come with me? Please?" She suddenly feels very anxious that something is wrong with the baby.

"If they want to, yes," dr. Anderson says.

"Now? Right now?" Regina asks again.

"Yeah I think so, I'll call immediately.”

Regina nodds and walks quickly over to the other room to inform Robin and Emma. "Do you both want to come with me? Please?" Regina asks, nervous and shy all of a sudden.

"Where do you want to go?" Robin asks surprised as he looks up from their play if chess.

"To the hospital nearby the facility. So they can check if everything is alright with the little bean." Regina strokes her belly nervously and looks at Emma.

"I think that's fine isn't it?" Robin says and he looks at Emma. Emma only nods and they stand up. "Do you think something is wrong with it?" Robin asks softly when he is near Regina.

Regina nodds. "It doesn't feel alright anymore." she whispers. Tears appear in her eyes. They wait for dr. Anderson to take them to the hospital. Regina is very nervous and doesn't stop mumbling to herself.

Robin sits next to Regina in the car and grabs her hand, "it will be okay," he whispers. Emma sits on the front seat and looks outside.

"Emma?" Regina asks softly. "Are you alright? Are you... Are you angry with me?"

Emma shakes her head and just goes on looking at the buildings and people around her.

Regina leans against Robin. "I'm so scared." she whispers.

"I know," Robin says, "but we'll soon know."

Regina nodds. When they arrive at the hospital, they follow dr. Anderson. Regina squeezes in Robin's hand.

"It's going to be okay," Robin whispers. They walk to the waiting room and sit down. A man comes to pick them up and leads them to a room. "Hello," the doctor smiles and he shakes Regina's hand, "I'm dr. Blake."

Regina pulls away. "You're a man." she softly states.

"Regina...?" Dr. Anderson says, shocked when she hears Regina's reaction.

Regina takes another step back. She shakes her head. "I can't do this." she whispers softly.

"Because he is a man?" Dr. Anderson asks, "I understand this is not what you wanted, but... This is about your baby."

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes. "Don't you think I know that?" she snaps, her voice full of hatred.

Robin squeezes Regina's hand a bit, "calm down," he whispers. He knows this Regina and he doesn't want her to come out. "I'm trying to help you Regina," dr. Anderson says.

Regina pulls completely away from the people who are trying to help her. She bumps into Emma and startles.

"Mom what's going on?" Emma ask when her mother bumps into her. She takes a step back.

Regina doesn't know how to handle this situation at all. She freezes in place and, unconsciencely, protects herself by mentally going somewhere else.

"Mom?" Emma says and she looks at her mother feeling confused. Robin now goes to Regina too and takes her both hands in his. "Regina?" he whispers while he looks at her.

Regina looks at Robin but she doesn't see him. She's not in this world any longer. This is her way to protect herself, protect herself to danger that isn't there, but Regina doesn't realise that yet.

"Regina, you need to come back," Robin says still looking into her eyes. He makes her sit down on a chair, but it's hard to make her move, because it seems like she isn't here.

Regina feels her body being forced onto a chair but she, slowly, allows that. Her hand strokes her belly, unconsciencely.

"What happened to her?" Emma asks Robin. She feels worried. "She will be all right," Robin whispers. Dr. Anderson takes Emma by her arm and tells her that she has to come with her, but Emma focuses her eyes on her mother.

Regina tries to say Emma's name, wants Emma to stay with her, but it's really hard to do that.

Dr. Anderson now takes Emma outside the room. Emma fights back but dr. Anderson is stronger. Now it's only Regina Robin and dr. Blake.

Regina's eyes fill with panic. She breathes too fast and her heart pounds in her chest.

"Regina, it's okay, Emma will be safe," Robin whispers. He again takes her hands in his. "Regina, come back, please."

Regina coughs up blood now. Her body is rejecting this kind of coping mechanism and desperately needs Regina to return to the here and now.

"Regina you can do this," Robin says looking into her eyes, "we can't let them give you an injection, so you need to come back to me." He wipes the blood from Regina's mouth with his sleeve and he knows this is very wrong...

Regina's eyes flash over to Robin's, just for a fraction of a second.

"I can see you're there," Robin says with a smile, but also with tears in his eyes, "I can see you Regina."

Regina's mind backs away again. She shakes her head. "Em..." she whispers.

"She is safe I promise," Robin says.

Regina coughs up blood again. Her body can't take this much longer.

Robin closes his eyes, he knows she is really gone now and he knows it won't take long until she collapses.

Regina's body shakes. Her hands tremble while stroking her belly.

Robin lays his hands on hers and smiles. And then before he can even notice, the doctor stings the needle into Regina's skin...

Regina lets out a scream when she feels the needle going into her skin. Darkness clouds her eyes again but she can't do anything because she loses conscienceness. When she wakes up, she looks into Robin's eyes.

Robin sits on a chair next to her hospital bed. "Regina," he says with a sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry this happened," he whispers.

"Is the baby alright?" Regina wants to know. She asks this with a harsh voice, a raw voice.

Robin nods, "yeah," he whispers, "the baby is fine." He looks up to her.

Regina looks back. "Am... Am I fine?" she whispers softly.

Robin smiles, "I guess so," he says, "how do you feel?"

"Better. Can we go to our hotel now? I want to go to our room, with Emma. Can we? Please?"

"The doctors want you to stay here for a little while longer," he says.

"Here? Where is here?" Regina whispers.

"The hospital," Robin says. They wanted to let her stay in the institute, but he doesn't tell her.

"Why? I'm fine and the baby is fine. I can go with you and Emma to our hotel." Regina sits up, gets out of bed and starts to dress herself.

"Regina, please," he says and he grabs her arms so she stops moving, "don't you remember what happened?" he says nor strictly now.

"I'm fine and the baby is fine." Regina repeats, softer now. "We can come with you, Robin."

"Stop," Robin says, "it's not that simple, you didn't see yourself yesterday Regina! It was quite terrifying...". It's the first time he says this out loud, but it's the truth...

"Y. Yesterday?" Regina whispers. "Where is Emma? Is Emma alright? I... I need to see her. I need to make sure she's alright."

"Calm down!" Robin says a bit louder now. "Emma is fine, now give yourself and me some time to breathe".

Regina startles. She takes a step back but keeps looking at Robin in order not to slip away.

Robin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "don't waste the only chance you have now," he says more calmly, "they wanted to send you back to the institute, but I managed to stop them. They agreed with this, you staying in the hospital for a while longer, so now you need to listen to me and calm down, okay?"

"But I don't want to stay here. I need to be with you and Emma." Regina whispers, not giving in without a fight.

"That's not an option, I'm sorry," Robin says. His voice is very strict now, because he wants to have this clear. "It's this or the institute, so you don't really have a choice!"

"For... For how long do I have to stay here?" Regina whispers now.

"Only a few more days," Robin says, "but I can't promise anything if you start fighting or say that you want to leave...".

Regina nodds softly. "And Emma?" she whispers now.

"Emma is in the waiting room," he says.

"How is she?"

Robin shrugs, "hurt," he says honestly, "she looks very sad...".

Regina turns around. "I'm sorry."

Robin shakes her head, "don't be," he whispers, "she will be fine, just like you."

"Will dr. Anderson come and see me here?" Regina wants to know.

"She said she would," Robin says with a little smile.

Regina just nodds now. She actually wants to be alone right now but she doesn't want Robin to leave either.

Robin remains silent now and takes a deep breath.

"I'm tired, Robin." Regina whispers.

"That's okay" Robin whispers, "just try to get some sleep."

Regina nodds. She doesn't walk over to Robin to give him a kiss goodbye. She doesn't want to be here and he knows that. Why does he abandon her like this? When she hears the door closes, she disappears into the darkest corner of the room. She doesn't look up when, after some time, the door to her room opens.

Robin can't help but feel a bit sad. He wants to help her, but he cant et what she wants... He lets Regina sleep and goes to Emma. They go down to the restaurant to have some lunch. 

"Regina Mills," dr. Blake says, "we are here to do a medical check."

Regina startles when she hears dr. Blake's voice. "You're not doing that. Right?" she asks softly.

"Of course I am, I'm the doctor here." Dr. Blake says. With him is a man with all the medical supplies.

Regina doesn't move out of the corner she's sitting in. "Where is dr. Anderson? Can I talk to her?" she asks with a small voice.

"She is at work right now," dr. Blake says, "she told me she had an apointment. Now... If you can come and sit down in the bed please."

"No. I need to talk to dr. Anderson first. Please." Regina tries to make clear.

"We need to see if everything is all right, because, miss, coughing up blood isn't something that just happens," the doctor says, "dr Anderson will be there this afternoon, but I need to check everything now."

Regina nodds. "Alright." She slowly gets up out of her corner and sits down on the bed. She looks at the male nurse with suspicion in her eyes.

"All right," dr. Blake says,"We'll measure your blood pressure, we'll also do a blood test and check your reflexes."

Regina nodds. She patiently lets the doctor draw her blood and measure her blood pressure.

"Good," dr. Blake says, "I'm going to test your reflections now," he grabs a little hammer and tests.

Regina reacts like everyone would with those tests.

"Thank you," dr. Blake says and he nods, "as soon as we get the results of the blood test, we will inform you." He and his assistant leave the room.

Regina quickly hides back in her corner. She almost falls asleep when Dr. Anderson walks into her room.

Dr. Anderson doesn't see Regina at first. She walks silently into the room and sees Regina sitting in the corner. "Regina are you awake?" she whispers.

"Yes." A barely human voice. Regina coughs to clear her voice. "Yes, I am awake." She looks up to Dr. Anderson with tears in her eyes. "I'm scared here." She softly starts to cry.

"I know you're scared," dr. Anderson whispers and she sits down against the wall next to Regina, "you don't have to stay her for a very long time, but I think you understand that we have to do some tests and that we have to look if you are strong enough to go home, because in your condition, going home can be tricky."

"I want to be with you. In the facility." Regina whispers. "I'm scared here. There are men here. Men I don't trust." Regina slowly sits closer to Dr. Anderson and lays her head on her shoulder. "Safe. With you." Regina whispers.

"You want to go to the facility?" Dr. Anderson says a bit surprised. She smiles when Regina lays her head on her shoulder, she is glad that Regina trusts her. "Then we'll go there," she whispers, "but I want you to know that these men are doctors and that they can be trusted. Not all men are bad."

"Yes, they are." Regina whispers. "If I couldn't even trust my husband, why should I trust men I don't even know?" Regina asks. "I want to go. I don't want to be here. I want to take a little rest in the facility. With you. But... But I can go home with Robin and Emma after the weekend, right? Promise?"

"I can't promise anything, Regina, but there is a good chance that you indeed can go home after the weekend or at the beginning of the week" dr Anderson says, "because if everything goes all right and if I think it's safe for you to go home, you can."

"And you won't keep me longer because you have the power to do that?" Regina whispers, insecure. "I can go home, even if I slip away or have nightmares?"

"I won't keep you there because I have the power, no," dr. Anderson says, "but like I said, if it's not safe, I can't send you home. Nightmares are not something to make you stay here, but slipping away... I really need to think about that."

Regina keeps her distance again. "It's not that easy." she whispers softly. "I need Robin to protect me. If he's with me, Leopold can't come to me." Regina looks up at Dr. Anderson. "No fear simulations? Just... Just talking?"

"Only talking," dr. Anderson says, "and I know it's not easy, I really know that. We need to find a way to make it easier, because there will be moments that Robin isn't with you and we need to make sure you will get through those moments." She looks at Regina too.

Regina softly nodds. "I understand." she whispers. "But Emma. Emma needed me. I'm failing her. I'm failing her." Regina starts to cry heavy now.

Dr. Anderson lets Regina cry for a moment. She knows that saying something is useless when Regina is crying so hard.

"Emma needs me. What did she tell you? I'm a bad mother, aren't I? Bad mother, Regina. Bad mother."

"She told me she loves you," dr. Anderson says, "you're not a bad mother Regina. Emma is going trough a hard time right now and so are you."

"I can't. She needs me. I can't have a hard time right now. Bad mother, Regina. Mother was right. I'm a bad mother. A bad person."

"Regina you're not," dr. Anderson says very clearly, "having a hard time when she has one too, doesn't make you a bad mother, Regina. Maybe you can't help her right now, but Robin is with her. The time that you can help her will come, I'm sure about that and don't forget how much you helped her already."

"I... I did?" Regina whispers, stunned by what this doctor in front of her says. "How? I... I did nothing but take her with me to Boston." Regina slowly gets up and starts to dress herself in her own clothes. "I don't want to stay here."

"You took her with you to Boston because she needed a break," dr. Anderson says, "she had a wonderful time with you, until one of her friends send her a message. And that message... That was not your fault." When Regina puts on her clothes, dr. Anderson grabs her arm. "Wait a minute," she says, "stay here and I'll fix this. I'll be back in ten minutes, okay?"

Regina nodds. While dr. Anderson is gone, Regina makes sure she's ready to leave immediately. She texts Robin that she misses him and Emma.

*We miss you too, shall we take some ice for you too? * Robin texts back and he sends her a photo of Emma sitting on a bench with an ice cream. Dr. Anderson walks back into the room with dr. Blake.

Regina smiles when she sees Emma's picture. *No ice for me, thank you. * Regina looks up to Dr. Blake. She immediately keeps her distance.

Dr. Anderson sighs but doesn't say anything about it. "We will send the results to dr. Anderson when we have them, she will inform you then. Good luck and good bye" dr. Blake says with a smile and he reaches his hand out to Regina for a handshake.

Regina looks at his hand. She cautiously walks over to him and gently shakes his hand. "Thank you, Dr. Blake." she politely answers. She takes a step back but doesn't seem afraid now.

"You're welcome," dr. Blake says and he nods. Dr. Anderson thanks him too and they walk out if the room.

Regina walks fast. She doesn't feel safe here. When she's outside, in the fresh air, she takes a deep breath. She looks over her shoulder to Dr. Anderson. "What would you do if I were to run away to Robin and Emma?" Regina softly asks.

"Try and find out," dr. Anderson only says and she smiles.

Regina takes a step away, but doesn't run yet. She looks at the doctor with doubt in her eyes. "You will use your power over me, won't you?" she whispers now.

"I only want to say that taking a car is much faster than running," dr. Anderson says and she holds up her keys.

Regina looks up, surprised. "You're letting me drive? To where?" she wants to know.

"Go to Emma and Robin," dr. Anderson says and she throws the keys at Regina, "promise me you'll be safe and promise me I you'll bring my car back to me this evening." She winks.

"You're tricking me." Regina whispers. "You want me to go, so you can tell everyone I've run away and then you can lock me up." She shakes her head. "You're tricking me. I'll just be a good girl and come with you." Regina then whispers, feeling defeated.

Dr. Anderson sighs and closes her eyes for a moment, "Regina," she says after taking a deep breath, "you need to start believing that there are good people in this world. People you CAN trust. because... why would I trick you? Why would I want that?"

"I don't know. To... To show me your power. What you can do if I'm not obedient and good." Regina answers honestly.

"If you keep seeing the worst in people and don't take the chances they give you. Then your life will be a hard one..." Dr. Anderson says.

Regina slowly nodds while taking these words in. "Where do I bring your car? At the facility?"

"Yeah," dr. Anderson says, "just park it somewhere, I'll find it." She smiles and turns around.

"What about me?" Regina then asks. "Where do I need to be this evening?"

"We will talk about that when you come back okay," dr. Anderson says, "it depends on how your day is going, but don't worry to much about it okay?"

Regina softly nodds. She takes a couple of steps towards Dr. Anderson. Slowly Regina gives her a little hug. "Thank you." she whispers before quickly taking a step back and looking anxious, waiting for the first hit on her body.

"You're welcome," dr. Anderson says with a little smile. She pretends that she doesn't see Regina look anxious. "Have fun."

Regina nodds and drives off to the ice cream shop where Robin and Emma currently are. She gets into the shop and surprises Emma from behind.

"Mom?" Emma says and she immediately turns around, "how did you get here?"

"Dr. Anderson suggested me spending the day with the two people I love most." Regina winks at her.

"Robin told me you didn't want ice," she grins, "and I know he secretly send you a picture of me." She looks at Robin with her eyebrows raised.

"Did he now?" Regina laughs. She sits down next to Emma. "Maybe one scoop of ice doesn't hurt?"

Emma smiles, "it doesn't."

Regina nodds to Robin. "One scoop of vanilla ice, please." She smiles back at Emma when Robin leaves to get the ice cream. "Are you alright?" Regina asks her daughter.

"I don't feel like talking, mom," Emma sighs.

"That's alright, dear." Regina smiles. "I just want you to know that I love you and I will do everything you need me to in order to help you."

Emma smiles and nods, "okay," she whispers. She is silent for a long time... "I love you too," she then says very softly, as if it's a sin to say it.

Regina just smiles and strokes Emma's hand for a second. She then looks up when Robin gives her a cup with a spoon of vanilla ice. "Thank you, love." she smiles. "Do you want to help me finish this?" she asks Emma, handing over a second spoon.

"I'm full," Emma says with a smile, "I just had three scoops of ice, ask Robin."

Regina laughs. "Alright then." she smiles. She slowly eats the whole scoop. "So... What are we going to do today?"

"We don't really have plans," Robin says, "we didn't know you would come."

Regina turns to Emma. "What do you want to do today, Emma?"

"Why are you asking ME?" Emma says, "I don't know...".

"Do you want to take a walk through the city or do you want to visit a museum? Something like that?" Regina suggests.

"Why do we have to do something specific?" Emma asks, "we can just walk and see if we see something nice, that's what Robin and I did and I liked it."

Regina nodds. "That sounds like an excellent plan." The three of them get up and start to walk around the city.

"Mom?" Emma asks.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Regina smiles.

"You have a lot of money, don't you?"

Regina looks over at Robin with confusion in her eyes. "Why do you ask that, dear?"

Robin grins. He knows exactly what Emma wants.

"Well, when Robin and I were walking, I saw a beautiful dress and I was wondering... Well maybe you could buy it... For me. If you have some money left... And if you want to spend it on me of course." She looks at the ground.

"Let's have a look at that dress of yours." Regina smiles. "You have to try it on before I buy it. Deal?" She winks.

Emma smiles and nods, "yes okay," she says. She looks at Robin and laughs.

Regina follows her daughter and Robin to the shop where Emma saw the dress. Regina looks at Robin while Emma puts on the dress in the fitting room. "750 dollars for a dress?" she whispers at him.

"Yeah, I know," Robin says with a grin, "remember you don't have to buy it."

Regina doesn't answer because Emma re-appears out of the fitting room and shows off the dress. "Yes. Yes, I do have to buy this dress." Regina whispers. "It's beautiful, sweetheart."

"It is?" Emma says. She doesn't dare to look in the mirror. She just looks down at her feet, so she sees the end of the purple dress that stops just above her knees and all the little crystals that reflect the light.

"Yes, Emma, it really, really is." Regina smiles.

Emma now turns her head up and look in the mirror. She doesn't know what to say...

Regina stands behind her daughter and looks with her in the mirror. "It's beautiful." she softly repeats.

Emma smiles and turns around to see the back. She holds her breath so she looks thinner and she nods.

Regina swallows hard because she recognizes what Emma did to look thinner. She doesn't mention anything though.

"You really want to buy this for me?" Emma says, "it's very expensive."

"I know it is. But you're my youngest daughter and you look stunning in that dress. So yes, I'll buy it for you." Regina lowers to the ground so she's at the same height as Emma. "But I need you to make me one promise."

Emma looks into her mother’s eyes; she suddenly feels nervous.

"I need you to promise me that you're going to take care of yourself from now on. No more parties, no more alcohol, no more drugs and no more being friends with Anna. You are the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White and of The Evil Queen and Robin Hood. You have the strength in you to stop Anna or anyone else from treating you badly. I need you to promise me you'll try." Regina has never looked so serious in her whole life.

Emma's eyes grow big and tears appear. She is really scared and her hands starts to shake when she thinks about Anna. "You don't know what she did," she whispers, almost crying.

"I don't have to know to understand it's serious and it's something you really, really don't want to experience again." Regina whispers back. "I can't let them do this to you. But I'm not helping you by punishing you if you hang out with those people again. I can only help you by stimulating you to do the right thing. The right thing in order for YOU to be happy again."

"They have already done it," Emma says biting her lip. "It will never be all right..." she whispers and tears now start to roll down her cheeks. "I really want to do the right thing, but they are making it so hard."

"Honey, I know you want to do the right thing. I've never for a second thought otherwise." Regina strokes Emma's hair for a second. "Can you tell me what they did? Maybe not now and not here, but... someday?"

"Yes," Emma whispers, "I promised dr. Anderson I would tell you."

Regina nodds. "That's all I want. All I need." She smiles. "Now, if you don't get out of that dress, I'm never going to be able to buy it for you." She giggles.

"Are you sure?" Emma says with a forced smile.

"Yes, I am." Regina smiles. She looks up at Robin when Emma changes back into her own clothes.

Robin looks at Regina too, "is she all right?" he says.

"I hope so." Regina whispers back. She leans against Robin while waiting on Emma.

"And you? Are you all right?" he says, while he lays his arm around her.

"I guess I am." Regina softly smiles. "I feel much better when I'm with you and Emma."

Robin smiles, "I'm happy to hear that," he says, "we missed you."

Regina smiles softly again. "There she is. My little princess." she winks at Emma. "Let's get this dress payed for."

Emma smiles. She feels sad, but also very exited because she now has this perfect dress. "Thank you, mom," she says with sparkles in her eyes.

Regina winks again. They continue their walk through the city while Robin holds the dress.

Emma whispers something in Robin ear and Robin grins. He takes Regina's hand in his and Emma nods. They both start to laugh.

"What's going on? Why are the two of you laughing like that?" Regina smiles.

"Nothing," Emma says but she keeps grinning.

"Come on! Tell me!" Regina laughs.

"Well..." Robin says and he pretends to be thinking, "hmm.... No." Now he and Emma laugh even harder.

"Fine." Regina laughs. "I'll figure it out anyway."

"I doubt you will," Emma grins.

Regina doesn't know what to think of this, but it doesn't scare her. She finds this exciting. "What are we going to do now?" she asks the two of them.

"I don't know," Emma says and Robin shakes his head too, "what do you want?" he asks.

"I don't care what we do. As long as we're together." Regina smiles. She looks across the street and seems to see Leopold's face in the crowd. She quickly convinces herself that he's not real, he can't be there.

Robin sees Regina startles a bit, but he doesn't say anything about it. He doesn't want to trigger something. Emma is walking a few meters before them.

Regina softly smiles at Robin while following Emma.

Robin winks.

Emma walks on. She sees a huge chocolate shop and stands still for a moment to look at it.

"Hmmm, chocolate!" Regina sighs with content. "I'm going in to buy some. A woman can never have too much chocolate, right? Do you want some as well, dear?" she asks, while walking into the shop.

Emma grins, "no thanks," she says. She has to fit the dress... "but you can have some, I'll help you choose."

Regina nodds and the three of them have a nice time in the shop, ending in buying way too much chocolate for one person.

"What time is it?" Robin asks when they walk out of the shop with a bag full of chocolate.

"It's right after lunch time, I guess." Regina responds. "But I'm not hungry. I've ate too much chocolate in there." She giggles. "I can't believe we got to taste all of that."

Robin grins too, "I have to say... That was delicious." They just walk on and visit some more shops.

Regina startles a couple of times when she thinks she's seeing Leopold. But that can't be. He's not in their realm. Right?

When Regina startles again Robin takes her arm and stands still, "what's it?" he whispers.

Regina looks across of the street while answering Robin's question. "Leopold is standing at the other side of the street." she whispers back.

"Where?" Robin says, but he already sees him. He really looks like Leopold indeed, "how can you be sure?"

"He's looking straight at me." Regina whispers.

Robin knows it's really him, because his eyes are focused on Regina. Robin grabs Regina's hand and pulls her away so she is out if his view.

"What do we do?" she whispers.

"We need to go back to the hotel or the facility," Robin says.

"Emma needs to stay with you, Robin. I... I'll go back to the facility, right now, but Emma needs to stay with you. He can't get to her. Promise me. Please?"

"Of course," Robin says, "but I can't let you go alone to the facility, it's too dangerous."

"It's really not. I'll be quick." Regina gives Robin and Emma a kiss and then heads over to the car of dr. Anderson, to drive to the facility.

Robin in the meantime calls dr. Anderson that Regina is on her way to her. 

Before Regina can drive away, a car blocks her way.

Regina looks up at the man who's getting out of his car; the car who blocked her.

"Thought you would be fast enough?" Leopold says. He leans against the door of his car.

Regina looks at him. "I need to be somewhere."

"Where?"

"None of your business."

"So you've finally become brave," Leopold says, "you bought a beautiful dress for your Emma by the way."

"You leave her alone!" Regina snaps at him.

"Maybe I will," Leopold says, "now get in my car, so we can have some fun together."

"I have to be somewhere!" Regina snaps again.

"Yes indeed," Leopold says, "you have to be with me."

"No, I don't. You don't have power over me any longer."

"That's new," Leopold says with a grin and he grabs Regina's arm and pulls her towards the car.

"You're hurting me!" Regina snaps again. Leopold took her by the arm where her shoulder is injured.

"I don't care," Leopold says and he opens the door. He pushes Regina inside his car.

Regina swallows away her tears. He's really hurting her shoulder. "I said I have to be somewhere!"

Leopold now realizes that Regina's shoulder is hurting very much and he squeezes her shoulder ever harder. Leopold brings his face very close to hers, "Do you think I care?" Leopold snaps and he shuts the door.

"N...No." Regina whispers when Leopold sits down behind the wheel and starts driving. "Where are we going?" she softly asks.

"We're going somewhere, where no one can find us," Leopold grins. He stops to fill up his tank and before they leave again he ties up Regina's hands, as always, and blindfolds her to make sure she doesn't see where they are going.

Regina's body stiffens. She feels really, really scared. Every time she's with Leopold, she freezes and she can't defend herself. After what seems like ages, Regina feels the car stop moving.

Leopold leads Regina inside a little house and takes off her blindfold. He locks the door and closes all curtains.

Regina keeps standing in the middle of the room and looks at Leopold.

"Scared, aren't you?" Leopold grins while he walks closer to her.

"I'm not scared of anything." Regina snaps.

"Of course you aren't," Leopold laughs and he lays his hand on her belly. With his other hand he starts to pull out Regina's shirt.

Regina takes a step back. "I don't want that." she states clearly.

Leopold takes a step closer to Regina. "In this world you have something called movies, they give me a lot of inspiration you know," he grins and he lays his hands on her hips, so she can't step away again.

Regina looks him in the eyes. Darkness appears in her own. "What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of ways to torture you, I didn't think of myself," he grins. He ties up her hands again in case she can use magic here.

Regina keeps looking him in the eyes. "You wouldn't dare." She spits in his face.

Anger appears in Leopold's eyes when Regina spits in his face and he cleans it up with his sleeve. "You don't even know what I'm going to do," he snaps and he grabs her by her wounded shoulder.

Regina sinks down to the ground. That hurts so much. "Don't touch me!" she now snaps.

"I'm sorry I have to," Leopold laughs, "you can't undress yourself when you're tied up."

"Don't touch me!" Regina screams again. She crawls away from him.

"Don't talk to me like that!" Leopold shouts and he pushes her against her shoulder so she hits the wall.

Regina screams of pain. "Please!"

This is how he wants to have her. He quickly pulls out her shirt, still holding her pinned to the wall.

Regina moans of pain but remains silent for the rest.

Leopold grins and sees his chance to undress her completely, "now lay down on that bed," Leopold says, "and show me your back when you do it."

Regina lays down on her stomach on the bed. Her heart beats fast.

"Good girl," Leopold says with a wink and he ties her hands and legs to the bed now.

Regina moans of pain in her shoulder. "Please, Leopold." she begs.

Leopold only laughs and picks up the robe that lays on the table. He walks to the bed and looks Regina into her eyes, "how many do you want?" he asks her, grinning, ready to whip Regina.

"Why? Why do you do this to me?" Regina whispers softly.

"Just because I hate you, with every inch if my heart," Leopold snaps and he lets his robe come down on Regina's back.

Regina screams of pain. Will anyone hear her? Will anyone come to help her?

Leopold just goes on letting the robe come down very very hard, so the read lines become big bloody wounds. He is so filled with rage...

Regina screams with every whip until her voice become harsh and raw. She's about to lose conscience.

Leopold goes on. He wants to see her bleed.

"P.Please." Regina whispers, begging. "L.Leopold. Please."

"I hate you!" he shouts and he goes on, even harder than before.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers, crying, before she loses her conscience.

After two hours dr. Anderson and Robin reach the cabin. They break. Dr. Anderson holds a gun in her hand and looks around. She sees Regina and slowly walks in. While Robin takes care of Leopold, dr. Anderson walks to Regina and whispers her name.

Regina coughs up blood. She moans of pain.

Dr. Anderson unties Regina with shaking hands, "Regina are you alive?" she whispers, she is so scared.

When Regina feels she's freed from the ropes Leopold used to tie her up, she makes herself as small as possible, even though that hurts very much.

"You need to lay still," dr. Anderson says, "you need to lay absolutely still."

"Leave me. I don't want you here. I don't want anyone here. Leave me. Please." Regina whispers, bearly hearable.

"Regina..." Dr. Anderson whispers with tears in her eyes, "I can't leave you here." She takes her medical kit out of her car but immediately comes back.

When dr. Anderson went for something out of her car, Regina crawls away in the darkest corner, making herself as invisible as possible.

"Regina no," dr. Anderson says, "you'll loose too much blood. I need to clean your wounds."

Regina doesn't react. She stays where she is.

"Please Regina," dr. Anderson says, "I don't want to drag you up here."

Regina still doesn't show a reaction.

"Regina!" Dr. Anderson says, panic starts to take over a bit.

Regina coughs up blood again but doesn't do much else. She doesn't even wipe the blood away from her mouth.

"You need to come with me, the police is coming their way and I know you don't want them to do this, so please come."

Regina doesn't move, doesn't even acknowledge dr. Anderson being near her.

Robin runs to Regina and dr. Anderson.   
"You need to help me Robin," dr. Anderson says, "she won't move...".

Regina's eyes flash over to Leopold. She doesn't move for the rest.

"He is unconscious, Regina," Robin whispers while he kneels down beside her, "can you please come with me?"

Regina keeps her eyes focused on Leopold. She needs to see every movement; needs to know exactly what he's going to do. She doesn't look at Robin or dr. Anderson. In the distance she hears a faint police alarm.

Robin now lifts Regina up. Very carefully not to touch her wounds but that's undoable.

Instinctively Regina fights her way out of Robin's arms and back into the safety of her corner. She doesn't say a word.

Robin looks at dr. Anderson and shakes his head. "He broke her even more this time," he whispers.   
In the meantime, the police and an ambulance arrived.

Regina crawls against the walls of her corner, trying so hard not to be noticed.

The people of the ambulance quickly go to Regina and carry her on a stretcher.

Again Regina fights her way out of their arms and back into her corner. "NO!" she screams, very loud.

"Madam, you'll die if we don't this," the doctors says and they hold Regina stronger so she can't go back to her corner.

"NO! NO! NO!" Regina keeps screaming, very, very loudly.

"It's okay," Robin says holding her hand all the time.

Regina's eyes lock on those of Robin. Her eyes beg him to stay with her. "Emma." she mouths, without speaking.

"She is safe, don't worry," Robin says.

The doctors give Regina an injection for the pain, although they know the cleaning will still sting. "This will hurt madam, but it will soon be over," the doctor says and she carefully drips the medicine into the wounds.

Regina doesn't make a sound. She holds Robin's hand but doesn't squeeze. She doesn't react.

Robin starts to breath heavier, he can feel Regina weakens very fast. "She doesn't react," he whispers to the doctors.

Regina's eyes search for Leopold again. Where is he? What is he going to do?

The police have Leopold now and they force him out of the house into their car. "Regina?" Robin says looking into her eyes.

Regina looks back at Robin. She sighs with relief when her wounds get bandaged and she can lay down on the stretcher. She never lets Robin's hand go.

Robin is very relieved too, "you're going to be all right," he whispers with tears in his eyes.

Regina's eyes search dr. Anderson. She's scared of all those people surrounding her and she wants dr. Anderson to come with her and Robin to the hospital, but she doesn't ask.

Dr. Anderson explains everything to the police. No private things, just the facts. She promises them to come to the police station, after she saw Regina. She walks to her and asks how she is doing.

Regina's eyes lock on dr. Anderson. She doesn't want her to leave.

"You want me to come?" Dr. Anderson whispers, she feels tears coming up again.

Regina nodds, just once.

"Okay," dr. Anderson whispers, while she quickly wipes the tears from her face. The doctors bring her inside the ambulance and they drive away, leaving the home for the police to investigate.

Regina doesn't talk. She just looks at Robin, who's sitting on one side, and from time to time at dr. Anderson, who's sitting on the other side of the stretcher.

They both smile at her and hold her hand. The doctors are checking everything and make sure she won't get an infection.

Regina coughs up a bit of blood. Her hands start to shake.

The doctor knows immediately what these symptoms show: an infection... The machines in the ambulance indeed start to make a bleeping sound.

Regina starts to close her eyes. She's so tired, so tired.

Dr. Anderson starts to cry now. "Don't leave us Regina," Robin whispers. The doctors immediately prepare a mask to make Regina sleep and to stabilize her.

Regina sighs with content when she can close her eyes. She starts to breath more evenly again, enjoying every bit of rest she gets. When she wakes up she lays in a bed. She looks around her.

A lot of machines are bleeping around her and a lot of needles in her skin make sure she stays attached to them. As soon as she wakes up a doctor (a woman, dr. Anderson made that sure) comes in.

Regina startles. She looks at the older woman approaching her.

"Good you're awake," she says, "how do you feel?" While asking Regina about this, she checks if all the drips are still all right.

Regina just keeps looking and doesn't answer the question.

"You don't have to answer," the doctor says and she means it. She detaches some needles so she can clean and change them.

Regina keeps her eyes focused on this new woman, this new face. She doesn't trust her that easy, even though her being a woman helps to some degree.

The infection is still in Regina's body, but the results show that there is progress. The doctor sees Regina doesn't feel like talking so she just does her job and makes sure Regina will heal and be healthy again.

Regina just keeps looking at this new doctor. She softly strokes her own throat, as if she doesn't know how to talk.

The doctor smiles a little. She knows this woman must be so confused and she doesn't even know that she almost died this night. This night had been really critical.

"Robin?" Regina mouths, without speaking.

"Can you say it again," the doctor whispers kindly. She didn't get what Regina wants to say.

"Robin?" Again Regina doesn't use her voice, just moving her lips.

"Robin?" the doctor says, "he is right behind that door," she continues, "he will come here when your condition is good enough."

Regina immediately looks at the door, the one the doctor is pointing at, as if she can look right through it to search for Robin.

"Yes he is right there waiting for you," the doctor says with a little smile. She now removes the bandages from Regina's back. Thanks to the painkillers Regina shouldn't feel a thing.

Regina's body stiffens. She didn't expect the doctor to do that. Regina's heart starts to beat a bit faster.

The doctor sees Regina is scared and she stops immediately. "I'll take a look at your wounds okay?"

Regina nodds, just once. Her body stays stiff, almost frozen, but she lets this doctor do her work.

The doctor makes some new stitches on the places were it started to bleed again, because Regina moved. "Your wounds need some air so they can dry a bit, so I'll leave it like this. It's important that you stay laying on your stomach."

Regina doesn't react. She stares in front of her and has removed herself mentally from this situation. She can't handle laying like this, like how Leopold made her lay down.

"Good," the doctor says, "if there is something wrong or if you need something, push this red button right here, okay."

Again Regina doesn't react. She isn't in this room any longer, not in this situation any longer. Her mind has drifted off to a safer place.

The doctor nods, "take some rest," she says and she leaves the room, sending someone in who can watch over her.

Regina keeps laying on her stomach, just like she has been instructed to do.

Then all of a sudden the machines start to bleep again and a team of doctors comes into the room to check what happened.

Regina hasn't change her position since the moment the doctor left her.

The doctors discuss a lot of things. Because the results are getting worse. It looks like the infection is spreading instead of going away.

Regina doesn't hear a thing. She's lost inside her head, lost inside her own little world, a safe world.

The doctors put a mask over Regina's nose and mouth to make her sleep again... They don't know how this is possible.

Regina quickly slips away into a forced sleep. When she wakes up she looks in Robin's eyes.

"O my gosh Regina," Robin whispers, tears roll down his cheeks, but the smile on his face has never been brighter.

"Emma?" Regina mouths, still not using any words or sounds.

"She is here too with dr. Anderson, but they only let one person in at the time," he says and he softly touches her cheek, "I love you," he whispers, he had been so extremely worried and so scared that she wouldn't make it.

Regina leans her face against Robin's hand. She softly smiles. She's safe now. Now Robin is here with her.

Robin smiles. She will probably never know how happy he is to see her awake and she will never know how scared he had been.

Regina coughs a bit. She wants to use her voice but it's almost like she has forgotten how to.

"You don't have to talk," Robin whispers. Regina's eyes say everything.

"L.Le.." Regina softly tries.

Robin know what she wants to say, but he lets her try.

"L.e.oo.pp.." Regina's eyes look into those of Robin's.

Robin smiles and helps her, "Leopold?" Robin says, "They locked him up, there will be a case."

Regina nodds softly. "Emma." she mouths again.

"You want to see her?" Robin asks.

Regina nodds again.

"Okay," Robin says. He asks a nurse to cover Regina's wounds before Emma comes in.

Regina startles when she feels hands on her back without knowing who it is.

Robin smiles at her and stays until it's over. "I'll send her in," he whispers and he gives Regina a kiss on her cheek, "did I already say that I love you?" he whispers.

Regina smiles, a bit tensed. She nodds. She watches Robin leave the room and Emma coming in. Tears appear in Regina's eyes now.

"Mom!" Emma says and she runs to the bed, wanting to hug her mother so badly, but she knows she can't. Her eyes are red from crying, "I thought you would die," she whispers through her tears. She cries very hard, holding her moms hand.

Regina cries as well, as hard as her youngest daughter.

"I thought I would lose you," Emma whispers, laying her head down on her mother's hand, which immediately becomes wet.

Regina softly strokes Emma's hair and face. "I'm sorry." she whispers, very, very softly.

Emma looks up at her mom. She can't stop crying and her hands shake even more. "Me too," she whispers.

"You don't have to apologize." Regina whispers softly. "It's not your fault."

Emma shrugs and a small smiles appears around her lips.

"Promise me you'll stay with Robin. No running away." Regina whispers softly. Her eyes start to close again already. She's to tired.

Emma nods, "yeah I will," she whispers, "but you need to promise me that you'll stay with me."

Regina nodds. "I promise." she whispers. "I... I need to sleep now for a bit. Just for a bit. Those medicines make me tired."

Emma nods and stands up, holding her mothers hand as long as possible. She softly closes the door behind her.

Regina watches Emma slowly walking away. She falls asleep with a small smile on her face.

Regina sleeps for a long time. At first she's at peace, but after a while she feels Leopold's hands on her body. Her heart starts to beat faster. She feels his nails on her back, scratching with his nails. She feels the lashes of the rope on her back again. She screams of pain.

When the doctors hear Regina scream they immediately come to her room. "Regina don't move," one of the doctors says, trying to wake Regina up and at the same time inspecting her wounds. Some of the wounds started to bleed again. Some other doctors prepare to change her drip to make her calm down.

Regina immediately wakes up and grabs for the hands which are the nearest. She holds them tight. "L..Leo..." she tries to explain. Her hair sticks to her face.

"Bring a towel," the doctor says to on of the assistants, "did you have nightmare?" the doctor, whose hand Regina is holding, asks. The assistant carefully wipes the sweat from Regina's face.

"Leo..p..o..." Regina tries to explain again. "It... It... H.hurt...".

The doctor knows Regina tries to say a name, but she doesn't know which one, probably the man who did this to her. "I know it hurts," the doctor says, "but that will soon be over."

"Leopo.." Regina whispers again. "Kill... m..eeee."

"What are you saying," the doctor says. She now instructs an assistant to get dr. Anderson, because she doesn't know I what Regina is talking about.


	17. Boston 4.0

"He... He... wants... me... d.ea.d..." Regina mumbles now. "He... hates me...". She coughs up a bit of blood again and she feels weak.

 "It will be all right," the doctor says. After a while dr. Anderson comes in with the nurse. "What's going on?" she asks and the doctor tells her.

Regina looks up at dr. Anderson, still not letting go of the other doctor's hands. She's scared she will slip away again if she loses that human contact.

Dr. Anderson sits down on a chair next to the bed, while the doctors go on fixing Regina's stitches and cleaning her wounds. She picks up Regina's hand so the doctor can continue her work. "You know Leopold is locked up, don't you?" she says to Regina, looking into her eyes.

Regina looks back into Dr. Anderson's eyes. Her own eyes are filled with questions.

"He can't hurt you anymore," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina nodds softly, uncertain.

Dr. Anderson smiles and just looks at Regina.

Regina keeps her eyes focused on those of Dr. Anderson. She doesn't want to sleep anymore, although she's really tired.

"You look tired," dr. Anderson says, "you can sleep if you want."

Regina slowly shakes her head. "Robin." she mouths, without using words now.

Dr. Anderson smiles and asks someone of they can get Robin because Regina is still holding her hand quite tightly.

"No slipping away." Regina whispers softly. "I don't want to slip away again."

"Don't think about that," dr. Anderson says, "if it doesn't happen it's great, but if you do slip away, it's also all right."

"Not alright. Not alright to slip away." Regina mumbles. Her body stiffens when the door to her hospital room opens and she isn't able to see who walks inside.

"It's Robin," dr. Anderson says, avoiding the slipping away-subject.

Regina relaxes immediately. "I want to go home." she whispers now.

Dr. Anderson smiles a little, "that's not possible, I'm sorry," she says. She wants to be honest.

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes in an instant. "I want to go home." she repeats herself.

Dr. Anderson squeezes Regina's hand a little, "I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do this time. You've had a very strong infection." Regina can't even walk and she’s kept alive by the machines around her, she really can't go home.

"When? When can I go home?" Regina wants to know.

"We don't know," dr. Anderson says. Robin sits down next to dr. Anderson. She does know it won't be soon...

"Which... Which day is it now?" Regina whispers softly. It feels like she has lost some time.

"It's Wednesday," dr. Anderson says.

"Emma. Emma needs to go back to school." Regina whispers. She looks at Robin. "And I need to go to... her. Friday."

"I know," Robin says, "Emma doesn't want to go, she really doesn't, but I'll talk to her, and about Friday...". "What's this Friday?" Dr. Anderson asks.

"If... If Emma wants to stay here, in Boston, until I can come home... I... I guess that's alright with me. I don't like it if she's away from me." Regina mumbles. She looks at dr. Anderson. "Friday?" she whispers.

Dr. Anderson knows that's not the reason Emma doesn't want to go home, but she doesn't say it. "Yes, you said something about Friday," dr. Anderson whispers.

"I made a deal. I need to be somewhere on Friday." Regina just whispers, looking at Robin.

Dr. Anderson looks at Robin too. She shakes her head, "you can't go somewhere this Friday, Regina," she whispers.

"I have to!" Regina suddenly snaps. Panic appears in her eyes. "She won't like it. She won't tolerate it. She'll punish me if I break our deal."

"Regina, calm down," Robin whispers, because he sees the doctors looking and he doesn't want them to make her sleep. "Maybe we can change the deal a bit." "What kind of deal are you two talking about?" Dr. Anderson carefully asks.

"She won't let us change the deal. You know that, Robin. Every Friday, that was the deal." Regina whispers softly.

Robin knows it. He sighs and looks at the ground. "Maybe it will be all right, maybe she doesn't want a lot from you this time."

"Maybe." She's having problems with keeping her eyes open but she doesn't want to slip away, she doesn't want to dream about Leopold again. She anxiously looks at Robin.

"You really should sleep a bit," Robin says. He knows she will get nightmares, but she needs all the rest she can get.

"I'm not tired." Regina whispers. "What... What happened? The last couple of days?" she wants to know.

"Not very much," Robin says, "Emma and I sought as much distraction as we could find, but it was hard I can tell you." He smiles.

"Snow." Regina whispers. "Did... Did you let her know something?"

"Yes I called her," Robin says.

"Was she angry? With... With me?" Regina whispers now.

"No she wasn't," Robin says, "she was worried and she wanted to come here, but she couldn't get some days off. She promised to come here this weekend."

"I'll be home this weekend." Regina looks up at dr. Anderson now. "Right?"

"I don't think so Regina," dr. Anderson says, "I'm sorry."

"You're not!" Regina snaps. "You like this! You like having the power to decide when I get to go home!"

"That's not true," dr. Anderson says, Regina frightens her, "I hate it, I really do, I just want to be honest with you."

"Why? Why would you be honest with me? I'm nothing!" Regina snaps now.

"Regina, calm down," Robin says strictly, "she saved you, you can't talk to her like this."

Regina startles when she hears Robin talking to her like that. She bows her head. "Yes." she whispers softly. "I'll be good."

Robin sighs and kisses her forehead. "I don't see why I would lie to you," dr. Anderson whispers.

"I'm nothing. I'm worth nothing." Regina whispers, very softly, as an answer to dr. Anderson.

"Nonsense," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina closes her eyes to keep her tears from falling down. "Then why? Why can't he stop?"

"I don't know," dr. Anderson whispers, "I really don't. You don't deserve this."

Regina startles when the door opens. She's still laying on her stomach and that makes her very anxious.

A doctor walks in with a very serious looking face and he tells a doctor to come with him. They talk very soft as if it's a secret.

Regina starts to breath faster. "What's going on?" she whispers softly.

"We also don't know," dr. Anderson says and she looks at the doctors.

"Then go find out!" Regina snaps.

"We just have to wait for a moment, I'm sure they will tell us," Robin says.

Darkness appears once more in Regina's eyes. It's getting harder and harder to containt The Evil Queen inside of her. She's tired of this shit and wants to heal herself.

Robin knows this look all too well. "Don't, it's not worth it," he whispers while he softly stokes her cheek.

Regina flinches. His touch reminds her of Leopold, of him stroking her cheeks while laying on her back, pushing his weight on the wounds he made by whipping her.

Robin softly pulls his hand back and nods. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

"He has ruined everything." Regina whispers. She looks up at Robin. "How... How is our... our little bean?" she wants to know.

"But we can fix it again," Robin whispers, "our little bean is fine. A miracle, but it's fine."

Regina smiles softly. "Can we? Fix this?" she whispers, with tears in her eyes.

"I believe we can," Robin whispers.

Regina smiles softly. She wants to turn on her back.

"Please, don't move," says one of the doctors.

Dr. Anderson is now talking with the other doctors.

"I need to know what's going on!" Regina screams now.

"I'll tell you as soon as I know everything, I promise," dr. Anderson says, she doesn't smile...

"I need to know! NOW!" Regina screams again. A little spark burns in her hand, only Robin sees it.

"Ssst, give me your hand," Robin whispers calmly, "they will tell you soon." The doctors are almost finished with considering what is the right thing to do.

Regina squeezes in Robin's hand. She wants to know NOW!

The doctors now turn to Regina. One doctor starts to talk: "the blood results show us that there is poison inside you. Maybe it's because the rope was covered with poison or maybe someone dripped it into your wounds......".

"What does that mean?" Regina wants to know.

"That means that the poison will soon reach you baby if we don't do something," the doctor continues.

Regina looks at Robin. "I need to heal myself." she whispers. "Get them out of here. Now!"

"How?" Robin whispers.

"I want to be alone with Robin for a while. Please?" Regina asks the doctors.

The doctors look at each other and dr. Anderson looks at Regina. "We can't wait long now," the doctor says, "we need to start your treatment as soon as possible."

"GO!" Regina screams.

"Maybe asking this nicely will help," Robin says angrily. "We just need a moment together," Robin says to the doctors, "just a few minutes, please." The doctors nod and leave the room. "You want me to go too?" dr. Anderson says.

"Yes. Please. Just for a little while." Regina whispers softly.

Dr. Anderson nods and leaves. "What will you say to them?" Robin says.

"I don't care. I can't lose this baby, our baby." Regina starts to heal herself. It requires a lot of her strength and she's exhausted afterwards. But the wounds are gone.

Robin sighs and smiles. After a while the doctors come back in.

Regina pretends she doesn't know the wounds on her back are gone. She looks back at the doctors. "So? What now?"

"Re- Regina what happened?" dr. Anderson says. She is just as shocked as the people around her.

"What? What do you mean?" Regina asks.

"Your wounds...".

"What? What's the matter now?"

Robin pretends that he has to go to the toilet and walks away.

"All this time...". dr. Anderson says with a sigh and she shakes her head. The doctors are shocked and ready to examine how this is possible.

"What is going on?" Regina whispers.

"You know exactly what's going on," dr. Anderson whispers, "don't pretend you don't know what's going on."

Regina looks at Dr. Anderson. "You need to be more specific, dear."

"Maybe you can convince them that you don't know what happened," dr. Anderson softly snaps and she walks out of the room. She really feels the urge to slam the door, but she doesn't.

Regina sighs. She doesn't want to lose Dr. Anderson. She needs her to cope with what happened with Leopold. While the doctors keep talking over what must have happened, Regina excuses herself and follows Dr. Anderson. "Can we talk?" Regina asks softly.

"Why?" Dr. Anderson says. She turns around and looks at Regina, a sparkle of anger is visible in her eyes.

"Why what?" Regina wants to know.

"Why everything? Why do you want to talk? Why didn't you tell me? I just freaked out because I thought you would die!"

"What was I supposed to do? Tell you out of the blue I am The Evil Queen from Snow White's story you grew up with? Heal myself in front of all those doctors?" Regina sighs. "How did you even know?"

"Yes you should have," dr. Anderson says, "how can I ever help you if you don't tell me the truth... You told me you didn't remember anything, that you didn't know he got to you, but that were lies! I've seen this before Regina."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina asks. "I... I didn't know if you would have believed me. I'm not from this world."

"I know," dr. Anderson says and she takes a deep breath, "I know you couldn't take that risk, I just... I'm just frustrated... Because you could have told me."

"I didn't know. Trusting you with what Leopold is something else than telling you I'm from a fairy tale."

"I know, I'm sorry," dr. Anderson says.

"How come you're not freaking out?" Regina asks softly.

"I told you, I've seen this before," dr. Anderson says.

"Where? With who?"

"Not now," dr. Anderson says, "I'll tell you another time okay."

Regina softly nodds. She then looks up again. "I can trust you to keep this secret?"

"Of course you can," dr. Anderson says, "what will you do with the doctors? Because I think they will freak out."

"I'll erase their memories of me. I think that's for the best." Regina answers honestly.

Dr. Anderson nods, "right, maybe that's best yes.”

Regina softly smiles. "You know I am The Evil Queen, right?" A dark smile crosses her face now.

Dr. Anderson can’t help but smile a little, "make sure you don't start to act like her again." She winks.

"You're not afraid of me?"

"I'm not," dr. Anderson says, now with a real smile.

"Why not?" Regina wants to know.

"I know the side of you where you're not the evil queen," dr. Anderson says, "you really need to tell me about her, the evil queen, next time."

Regina nodds. "Can we talk now?" she whispers.

"Now?" Dr. Anderson says surprised. "Yeah I guess so. But I think it's better to go back to the facility then."

Regina nodds. "Let's do that. I'll erase those memories, I'll get Robin and Emma and we'll meet you back there." she suggests. After agreeing, Regina does what she has said. She gathers the doctors and nurses and waves with her hand. She smiles when they walk away, in confusion, but not remembering her any longer. Regina sees Robin and Emma sitting in the waiting room. "Let's go." she smiles. Now she has been able to heal herself, Regina feels a lot better.

Emma and Robin follow her Regina dr. Anderson outside and they drive to the facility...

Regina looks over at Robin and Emma. "What do you want to do while I talk to dr. Anderson for a little while?" she whispers softly.

"We'll find something," Robin says, "the last few days we always found something, so don't worry about it." Emma looks a bit sad, but agrees.

Regina looks at Emma. "Emma?" she whispers. "Are you alright? Do you rather want to stay with me?"

"No no, I'm fine," Emma says, "don't worry. Robin and I'll find something."

"Are you sure?" Regina asks, uncertain. "Do you want to go out for dinner later tonight? You can choose where we go. You can maybe wear your new dress?"

"That's not necessary, really," Emma says with a little smile. She grabs Robin's arm, ready to go.

Regina looks at Robin. "Are you sure this is alright?" she whispers.

"Yes of course," he says and he gives her a kiss. "We'll see you soon, do you call us when you're ready?"

Regina nodds. "I promise. I won't be long. I promise." She gives Robin a kiss back and kisses Emma on her forehead. "I love you. The both of you." she whispers.

"We love you too," Robin whispers. They leave and dr. Anderson sits down behind her desk.

Regina sits down across of dr. Anderson. She just looks up at her.

"Can you tell me about your story and everything?" Dr. Anderson asks.

"It's a really, really long story." Regina whispers. "I don't even know where to start."

"Tell me about what you think is the most important part, because I think you met Leopold somewhere in this other world, didn't you?"

Regina nodds. "It was an arranged marriage. I had no say in the matter. I.. I was barely 18 years old and he... He was 15 years older than me."

"You were very young," dr. Anderson says, "why did you have to marry him?"

"My mother. She made me marry him. She wanted me to be Queen."

"So he was the King," dr. Anderson says, "can you tell me more about your mother? I've heard you talk about her a few times now, but you never told me about your relationship."

"There's nothing to talk about. She's trying to change for the better now and that's what I want to believe."

Dr. Anderson smiles, "so she is in this world now?"

Regina softly nodds. "Yes. Everyone is here, it seems. Even the one I didn't bring over with my Curse."

"A curse?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Yes. That's why everyone is in this town called Storybrooke. I needed to cast a curse to get Robin and Snow White back. My mother took them from me."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, she really needs to hear it all to understand, "can you tell me more about it?"

"My mother took them from me. The reasons why I was still alive. Robin and Snow. The only way to get them back was through this curse."

"I see," dr. Anderson says, "and you succeeded."

"Yes. I did." Regina whispers.

"And you left Leopold behind? How did he get to you again?"

"I thought I killed him. Back in The Enchanted Forest. Turns out I didn't. I don't know how he survived my poison. But he did. And he got back. I don't know how." Regina explains.

"And he got to Storybrooke then?"

Regina nodds. "He did." She looks up at dr. Anderson now. "Why do you want to know more about The Evil Queen? That's what you said earlier. But... Why?"

"Because I don't see an Evil Queen in front of me," dr. Anderson says with a soft smile.

"Now you don't. But I was her. I was The Evil Queen. And I can still be her. She's still inside of me."

"I can understand that, what was she like?" Dr. Anderson asks.

"Hurt. She was hurt." Regina whispers. "Disappointed. Scared. Alone. She was alone." A lonely tear runs down her face.

 Dr. Anderson nods, "Okay," she whispers with a small smile, "and because of those things you became... Evil?"

"No. They made me Evil." Regina looks down. "My mother. Leopold. Rumplestiltskin."

"Rumplestil... skin? That one is new for me, what did he or maybe she do? And who is he / she?"

"He made me a monster." Regina whispers.

"How?" Dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina makes a fireball appear in her hand, just a small one. "He learned me how to do magic. He made me kill all those people, destroy all those villages."

"You destroyed villages and killed... A lot of people with your magic? And why did you do that? Did he make you, did you like it or... did it feel good?" Dr. Anderson asks. She realizes that she almost knows nothing about Regina's past...

Regina makes the fireball go away. "I loved it." she admits honestly. "It made me feel in control. For once in my life I felt in control."

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "and do you still feel that urge to kill now?"

"It's been a while." Regina whispers. "Since... Since my last kill." Those words she speaks out even more softly.

"When was your last kill?"

"I don't remember. I really don't." Regina whispers.

"But years, weeks?"

"This Friday it will be 2 weeks." Regina whispers, very softly.

"2 weeks?" Dr. Anderson says, a bit stunned, "and why did you do that?"

"Because I had to. I don't want to talk about it any longer." Regina softly says now.

"You had too?" Dr. Anderson says, ignoring Regina's wish to stop talking about it, "were you forced to kill?"

"Yes, I had to. Now drop it." Regina snaps.

"Who forced you?" Dr. Anderson goes on.

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes. "I made a deal. Back in The Enchanted Forest, deals didn't get broken. She won't tolerate it."

"Who is she?" Dr. Anderson asks calmly.

"Why do you care? What does it matter?"

"Because you need to stop holding everything in," dr. Anderson says, "this deal certainly matters to you, so it matters to me too."

"The Black Fairy." Regina just answers.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and what was that deal about?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me how you know about magic." Regina snaps.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "you first?"

A dark smile appears on Regina's face. "You first." she states.

"Fine," dr. Anderson smiles, "me and my father lived in Denmark, Copenhagen to be exact. My father was a writer and read me his stories when I was a kid. I never believed his fairytales, but he said he would prove me that they were real. So one day he took me to the sea. We walked to a cave and there he made a sound on a magic flute and these wonderful creatures came to me. That's when he showed me a mermaid. He told me this wasn't the only magic, that there was more. Since then he told me a lot of stories about magic and I believed them all. I still do." she smiles, "maybe you know my father, his books are sold all over the world so maybe in Stroybrooke too."

"We don't really get in touch with the outside world." Regina mumbles. She understands now how dr. Anderson is a believer. "I made a deal with The Black Fairy. I needed a magic bean for Hook. He wanted to get back to Neverland and he was treathening Emma."

"Okay, and now you have to go to her every Friday?"

"Yes." Regina nodds in agreement.

Dr. Anderson nods too, "what does she need you for? Only killing?"

"Two weeks ago was the first Friday. She needed some people killed. Last week she made another deal with Leopold and he wanted me for that day." Regina whispers.

"So that was when you told me Leopold was real," dr. Anderson says.

"Yes." Regina whispers.

"Thanks for telling," dr. Anderson says and she smiles. She picks up Regina's hand. She softly strokes it and winks.

Regina startles but doesn't pull her hand away. "Why? Why are you not scared of me? I am The Evil Queen."

"Because there is nothing to be afraid of," dr. Anderson says, looking at Regina, "you're not evil."

"A lot of people would beg the differ." Regina whispers, slowly pulling her hand back now. "You shouldn't be nice to me. I'm an evil person." Regina closes her eyes and hears Leopold whispering words in her ear after he lashed her with the rope. "Bad girl, Regina. Bad girls need to be punished, Regina." She whispers those words in front of her.

"Regina, you're not bad, you are just broken," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina's eyes flash open towards dr. Anderson, completely overtaken by darkness now. "I'm NOT broken." she snaps.

Dr. Anderson smiles, she has her back. "You're not?" she softly asks.

"NO!" Regina almost screams now. A fireball appears in her hand. "People have died from my hands for a lot less." she whispers, danger in her voice.

"That can be," dr. Anderson says, "but that was in the past."

"Is it?" A spark in Regina's eyes flickers. "Is it really?"

"Yes," says dr. Anderson calmly, "yes it is."

Regina sighs and lets the fireball disapper again. "Maybe it is. Maybe not. We'll see."

"We'll see indeed," dr. Anderson says, "although I already know."

Regina looks down. "Can I go to Robin and Emma now? I'm tired."

"Yes," dr. Anderson says.

Regina softly smiles. "I see you tomorrow? On Thursday?"

"Yes that's right," dr. Anderson says with a smile.

Regina shakes dr. Anderson's hand and walks outside. She calls Robin and Emma with her cellphone to see where they are.

"We're in the hotel already," Robin says when Regina's asks him.

"I'm on my way. Is... Is Emma alright?" she wants to know.

"She wasn't, but she is sleeping now," Robin says.

"I'll be silent when I come inside." Regina smiles through the phone. She loves hearing Robin's voice. She hurries to the hotel and goes to Robin. "What was going on with Emma?"

"She broke down when we talked about home," Robin says. He is glad to see Regina again and he gives her a hug.

Regina holds Robin close to her body. "She really doesn't want to go back to Storybrook, does she?" she whispers.

"No, she really doesn't," he whispers and he keeps his hands tightly around her.

"It's not a good idea to keep running away, Robin. She needs to go back. We need to go back. I miss Snow. Can we go home on Saturday? Please?"

"That's all right with me. We leave when you two are ready," Robin says with a smile, "but we really need to have a good talk with Emma, you or I, it doesn't matter, but she won't come willingly."

"Maybe it's good if we both talk to her? Together? So she can see we have her back, but also that it isn't a good idea to run away from the things that scare you."

"Yeah that's a good idea," Robin says.

"I'm not going with you," Emma says. She listened to them from the other room.

Regina turns around. "Emma." She softly smiles. "Why don't we talk for a little while? Just the three of us?" she suggests.

"Don't even think about it," Emma snaps.

Regina walks over to Emma and lowers down to her level. "Can we talk for just a little while? Please?"

"Only if you promise we won't go back to Storybrooke."

"No, Emma. We're going to talk and we're not attaching strings to that. You're smart enough to know we have to go back to Storybrooke at one point."

"Then this talk is over, good night," Emma snaps and she walks into Robin's room again.

Regina looks at Robin, hopelessness in her eyes.

"We need to go on now," Robin says, "she will keep acting this way, if we don't push through."

Regina nodds. She opens the door to Robin's room and asks Emma to come to the sofa to talk.

"I already told you, NO."

"Emma, you can't talk like this to me. I am your mother and you need to have some respect for me and for Robin as well. I know we can talk to you as grown ups. So can you come? Please?"

"I don't care," Emma says, "I won't go home."

"Can we please talk for a little while as adults, Emma? That's all we're asking right now."

"I'm not an adult...".

"No, but you're smart and I know we can have a decent conversation with you. So can we have that now? Please?"

Emma sighs and stands up. "This is useless," she says angrily and she sits down on the sofa.

Regina sits down next to her. "Emma, can you tell us why you don't want to go home?"

"I can," Emma says.

Regina looks at Emma, in patience, not pushing her.

"That doesn't mean I will," she says.

"Emma, come on."

"Anna... She..." Emma tries to start, but she already feels tears coming up. She doesn't want to cry. "I can't tell," she whispers.

"Yes, you can." Regina whispers. "You're strong enough."

"I... No... She..." Emma mumbles but she can't get it out.

Regina softly strokes her daughter's back. "You can do this, Emma. Just tell me. Let it go." she whispers.

"I can't," Emma says and she starts to cry. She lets her feelings out, not her words.

Regina keeps stroking Emma's back until she calms down a bit. "Tell me, Emma. I can't help you if you don't trust me." Regina whispers.

"You can, by not forcing me to go home," Emma whispers, "because... No."

"Emma, please. You can't keep running away from the things that scare you. Just tell me. Just tell me and I will help you." Regina almost pleads.

"You know I'm not virgin anymore," Emma whispers, starting like she tried to start before, with a simple fact.

Regina nodds, not interrupting Emma.

"Anna she... She has..." Emma tries to say but she can only cry.

Regina strokes her back again, not interrupting her and letting Emma come with the story on her own time.

"She has... Nude pictures of me when that happened and... She posted them and no the whole school has seen them," Emma gets out at once and she hides her face in her hands.

Regina takes Emma in her arms and lets her cry against her. "Oh sweetheart." she whispers. "It's alright. It's going to be alright. Anna will be in big trouble when we get home. There is nothing to be ashamed of." Regina softly cries as well. "Anna is a mean, mean bully and she will face the consequences of this behaviour, I promise. She won't go to your school any longer, I will see to it."

"Everyone has seen those pictures already! I can't go back to school, I really can't!" Emma screams and she turns her back to her mom, "and don't do anything, you will only make it worse! Just let me stay here, please," she whispers.

Regina looks at Robin. She's completely out of words now. She doesn't know what to say.

Robin takes Regina's hand. "Emma we can only consider things when we can talk about it. Screaming won't help," Robin says in his usual calm voice. Emma says nothing but she does turn her face back to them.

Regina suddenly looks at Robin. "Erase their memories of what happened." she whispers. "I can erase memories of one particular event. I can do that. For Emma." She looks at Robin, almost silently pleading to let her do that for her youngest daughter.

 "Yes..." Robin whispers with some hesitation, "yes I'll let you do that for her."

Regina looks at Emma now. "Just once. I can do that just once. But there have to be a few rules considering school, parties, alcohol and drugs, Emma."

Emma breathes heavily and she isn't able to get her breath under control. She looks at her mom with panic in her eyes, but tries to nod, "thank you," she whispers very softly.

"Emma, it's going to be alright. I promise. I don't expect you to graduate with honor, although you can do that, I just want you to go to school, no more skipping lessons, do your homework, no more drinking, drugs and parties and please... no more being friends with Anna." Regina softly says.

Emma nods again and starts to cry. "I'll be all alone," she whispers.

Regina shakes her head. "You won't. I'll erase everyone's memory of you at that school so you can start again. A new page. What do you think?" Regina suggests.

"Regina you can't do that," Robin says, "erasing the memories of the pictures okay, but you can't just fade away a person...".

"Can't I? Maybe not... But I can erase their... their situations with Emma so she can start fresh. So they have a positive view of her."

"I don't want to get friends like that," Emma snaps, "that's not real friendship, because I know the truth and they don't."

"What do you want then, Emma?" Regina whispers. She's running out of ideas.

"I already told you once," Emma says, "I want to move, so I can have a real fresh start, not a fake one. I know that's not possible, but that's what I want." She turns her back towards her mother again.

Regina looks at Robin. "That's not going to happen, so we will have to find another solution."

"Just erase the memories of the pictures and let me be alone," Emma says, "that's the only option." She stands up, ready to walk away.

Regina looks at Robin again.

Robin shrugs. He doesn't know what to do either.

"I can do that." Regina whispers softly. "But you have to promise to stay away from Anna and find some real friends. If you show them who you really are, without Anna bullying you into things you don't want, then you'll have lots and lots of friends, I'm sure."

"It's not that easy!" Emma sighs, "nobody will like me if I show them who I really are...".

"Emma." Regina whispers. "What's so wrong about you being you?"

"Just nobody likes me, because I'm a stupid person," Emma says, "Anna was my only chance."

"Anna was your only chance because you didn't show other people who you really are, sweetheart. You're afraid to open up, aren't you?" Regina whispers softly.

Emma says nothing, but she knows her mother is right. She just wants to hold everything in. She sighs.

"Why?" Regina wants to know. "Why are you so scared? Are you afraid people will leave you when they get to know the real you? Like... Like I did, 5 years ago? Leave you?"

When Regina says this to her, Emma suddenly realizes that she is right. When her mother left her, she became afraid of opening herself up, afraid to loose more people and to disappoint more people, just like she lost and disappointed her mom. "Yes I am," Emma whispers honestly.

"I am so sorry, Emma." Regina whispers. "I am so sorry you felt abandoned. I'm so sorry I have you the feeling you were disappointing me. Because you were not. Not then and not now."

"It's okay," Emma says and she smiles a little, looking at her hands.

"It's not, Emma. It's alright if it's not okay. You are allowed to feel whatever you feel. You know that, right?"

Emma nods, still looking at her hands, "but it doesn't make anything better if I say that it's not okay." Although it's the truth...

"You don't have to hide how you feel towards me." Regina whispers.

"Sometimes I still wish that you wouldn't have left," Emma says softly.

Regina nodds. "Go on." she whispers softly.

"Because that changed me," Emma says, "I was a lot happier before you left. I was a good person right then, I even had some friends...".

"Go on. You're angry with me, aren't you?"

Emma bites her lip, "a bit," she whispers, a lie.

"No. Don't lie. Go ahead. Be angry. I abandoned you, Emma." Regina triggers Emma to let her anger out.

"Why do you want me to go on?" Emma says, "I only hurt you."

"Go on, Emma!"

"You hurt me, but I don't want to hurt you!"

"Go on, Emma!" Regina repeats. "I left you alone!"

"Mom!" Emma cries now, "yes you did and that... You...".

"I what? Tell me, Emma!" Regina almost shouts. Emma needs to let go. "I LEFT! For 5 years! Doesn't that make you angry at me? Enraged even?"

"Yes it does!!" Emma screams, "is that what you want to hear!"

"Yes! Go on! Tell me what I did to you!"

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" Emma screams and then she sinks down to the ground hiding her face behind her knees. She cries very hard.

"I did, didn't I?" Regina whispers now, while she sits down next to Emma and strokes her hair and her back. "I'm so sorry, Emma. I'm so sorry. It's alright. Let it go."

Emma only cries, not looking up to her mom. She keeps hiding her face and wants to stay hidden forever.

Regina takes Emma into her arms and holds her close against her body.

"Do you see why I don't have friends?" Emma whispers through her tears, "I only hurt people."

"I see why you think that." Regina whispers. "But that doesn't make it true, sweetheart. You're not the one who hurts people. I did hurt you and I'm so sorry for that. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, I probably even hurt you more," Emma whispers leaning against her mother.

"Emma." Regina makes Emma look at her. "You have never, never, never hurt me. Do you understand that?"

"You just told me not to lie," Emma says, "so you shouldn't lie too. I know I hurt you."

"I am not lieing, Emma. You have never hurt me. I mean that." Regina looks in her daughter's eyes and she couldn't be sincerer.

"That time I ran away," Emma whispers, "I saw you. You were sitting with dr. Anderson outside the hotel. You cried and... You were hurt, I could see that. I hurt you...".

"That wasn't your fault." Regina whispers. "You running away that day was something I couldn't handle that day. That's why dr. Anderson was there. But that wasn't your fault, Emma. I... I couldn't be there for you at that moment and I'm really sorry for that. But you didn't hurt me. Really. You made me concerned, but not hurt."

"I really didn't hurt you?" Emma whispers, "and when I screamed that you ruined my life? I didn't hurt you?"

"It's the truth." Regina whispers. "It hurts me to see you so unhappy with who you are and with your life. That hurts me very, very much. Because I love you and I want you to be happy."

"I don't know how to be happy," Emma whispers.

"You'll find out, sweetheart. While you live your life like you want it to. And being friends with Anna, doing those things she makes you do... Isn't exactly what you want... Am I right?"

"You're right," Emma says, not arguing. She wants to say Anna was the only choice she had, but she doesn't, because for one time it feels like maybe Anna isn't her only choice, for one time she feels a little bit of hope.

Regina still strokes her hair. "Is there more anger inside of you that you're not showing right now, dear?"

"A lot," Emma says, "not only anger...".

"Let it go, Emma. Please. Keep talking to me. You'll feel so much better afterwards." Regina whispers.

"I hate myself," Emma says. It feels weird to let it out, but it also feels good.

"Why? Tell me why." Regina whispers again.

"I'm ugly, fat and I can't even defend myself," Emma starts.

"Let it go. Go ahead and scream. You'll feel a lot better." Regina triggers now.

"No one likes me, but I want someone to like me so badly," Emma says, while tears start to roll down her cheeks.

"Go on, sweetheart. You're almost there." Regina whispers and triggers.

"But no one will ever like me, because I don't even like myself" Emma whispers and she hides her face behind her hands.

"What will it take for you to see yourself through our eyes, Emma? Because you really are a wonderful, wonderful girl."

"Mothers always think their own children are wonderful, but I'm not."

"Tell me. Why not?"

"I can't stand myself," Emma says, "I constantly want to feel nothing and when I look in the mirror I want to break something, because I don't look how I want to look. Not beautiful like others."

"Emma... Sweetheart..." Regina whispers. "Did you know that every girl your age feels this way?" Regina smiles a little bit. "It is normal to feel uncertain over the way you look. It is normal you are constantly thinking about what other people would say. But dear... That's going to pass. I promise. I really promise. Can you believe me?"

"It will?" Emma whispers, "you had this too, didn't you? And it did pass?" She looks up at her mom.

Regina nodds. "I had this too. And Snow as well. And it passes. It really does." Regina answers honestly.

Emma smiles and nods. Snow and Regina are the most beautiful women she knows and she almost can't believe they had this too. "What about all the girls at school?" Emma says, "they all look so confident."

Regina smiles. "They are being that way because they have put on a mask. They may look confident but they really aren't. Deep down they're as insecure as you, sweetheart."

Emma takes a deep breath and feels, in a way, relieved. She lays her head on her mother shoulder. "You don't have to erase their memories," she whispers, "I'll face them myself."

"Are you sure, sweetheart? I mean... I know you can do that. You're strong. You're my daughter, aren't you?" Regina winks.

"Yes I am," Emma says with a grin, "and I'm sure." She wipes away her tears with her sleeve. "Dr. Anderson already made sure the pictures aren't on the internet anymore, and maybe the memories of the people will fade too some time."

"People tend to forget things like that, Emma. I shouldn't worry if I were you. Maybe the first day back at school will be hard, but you're strong enough to show the rest of the students who you really are: a nice, beautiful young girl who has learned from her mistake of becoming friends with Anna and let her order you around. I know you can do that, sweetheart." Regina smiles and hugs her daughter.

Emma hugs her mother back and feels strong. Maybe her mother is right, maybe she just refused to believe it. "I'll try," Emma whispers.

"You'll do great, sweetheart. We believe in you." Regina whispers softly, a small smile on her face.

"I hope so," Emma whispers and she stands up. She walks over to Robin and hugs him too. Smiling she walks back and sits next to her mother again. "I really really hope so...". "I know so." Regina smiles, hugging Emma again.

Emma smiles and tries to believe her mother. And although she feels a lot stronger now, she still rather stays here than to go home. But that will pass too... Won't it?

"It will be difficult, the first days back, but I'll help you, sweetie." Regina whispers, almost reading Emma's mind.

Emma bites her lip, but smiles. "You know me too well," Emma says, now grinning.

"Is that a bad thing?" Regina laughs.

"It sometimes is," Emma winks, "especially when I try to trick you or something."

Regina laughs and tickles Emma.

"No stop it!" Emma laughs, "Robin help!"

"Robin isn't going go help you." Regina laughs. "He's going to help me to tickle you!"

"Am I?" Robin says, "I'm sorry Emma your mother is right." He laughs and he starts to tickle Emma too.

Regina laughs. She enjoys this moment so much. She doesn't hear her coming into their hotel room.

"Snow!" Emma says when she sees Snow standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry," Snow says with a smile, she has been watching for a while now, "you left the door open so...".

"Snow!" Regina shouts. She runs over to her eldest daughter and takes her in her arms. "You came." she smiles.

"Yes of course," Snow says and she hugs Regina tightly, "I was so worried when Robin called me! I'm so glad you're okay."

"I was able to heal myself. I couldn't take it any longer. I didn't think I could because I was so weak, but I could." Regina smiles softly. "I'm glad you're here."

"That's great," Snow says, "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner,"

"Don't be sorry, dear. You're here now and I know you couldn't come sooner." She looks up at Snow now. "How is David?" she softly asks, knowing the man doesn't like her very much.

"He is on a trip for his work," Snow says with a smile, "he is fine."

Regina nodds and turns towards Emma. "What do you say we all go out to eat tonight?"

"Yeah," Emma says and Robin nods too. Emma runs to Robin's room to pick up her dress.

Regina smiles bright when Emma returns in her new dress. "You look stunning, sweetie." she smiles.

"O wauw, Emma..." Snow says when Emma walks in, "you look amazing indeed." She smiles and so does Emma, looking at the ground.

"Come on then. That dress isn't made to wear indoors." Regina winks and they all head out to a restaurant.

Emma walks next to Robin to the restaurant. Snow turns to Regina, "is she all right?" she whispers.

Regina nodds. "She's going to be." she smiles.

"What is going on?" Snow asks. She knows she has been a bad mother, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care.

"I think it's up to Emma to tell you that, Snow, in her own time. She will tell you, but you have to give her her space and time. That's what I did and she told me." Regina takes Snow's hand in hers. "You're a good mother, Snow. You really are."

"Don't lie, you don't have to spare me," Snow says, "I just know Emma will never tell me, so I asked you."

"I can't tell you, Snow. Emma won't trust me ever again and I don't want to betray her trust. Can you understand that?"

"Yeah," Snow says, but she feels sad, "but... Don't I have the right to know what's going on? After all... I'm her mother too."

"I know." Regina whispers. "But you have to give her time. She will tell you. Believe in that, please."

"Okay," Snow says. She doesn't believe it at all, but she feels that Regina won't tell her anything, so she can better stop asking.

Regina softly smiles. "Emma? Where do you want to eat? Did you see something you think you'll like?"

"I didn't," Emma says, "it doesn't matter, as long as they have fries... I just decided that I'm actually going to eat something so fries are a must."

Regina points at a little, cozy restaurant across of the street. "There? I bet they make excellent fries and a steak."

"Okay," Emma says and she runs to the door of the restaurant. She waits inside for the rest, because she is very cold.

Regina, Snow and Robin follow quickly. Regina orders a table for 4.

They order their food and some drinks. "How is your trip so far?" Snow asks.

Regina looks at Emma to tell about it.

"It has been good," says Emma, "exept for the thing that mom almost died, it was good yeah."

Regina softly smiles. "I hardly nearly died." she whispers.

"You were asleep for almost two days and the doctors kept coming to us to say that maybe you wouldn't make it," Emma says with her eyebrows raised, "I call that nearly dead, mom."

"Did they?" Regina looks up at Robin. "I... I didn't know that. I'm sorry."

"They did," Robin says, "you couldn't know, because you were sleeping." He smiles, "that were one of the worst days in my life I can tell you." "Yes he even cried," Emma adds with a smile, "have you ever seen Robin crying?"

Regina giggles. "I don't think I have." She winks at him. Regina then looks up at Snow. "How is Storybrooke?"

"Boring without you all and without David," Snow says and she shrugs, "everything seems just the same...".

"That's good. At least we'll come home to a peaceful town then." Regina smiles.

"Oh yes you will," Snow says with a smile.

Regina takes Emma's and Snow's hand in hers. "I'm happy. Sitting here with the two of you and with Robin... I'm happy." she smiles.

Robin winks at her, when Emma starts to grin. Robin doesn't see Regina this happy very often, but when he does, he probably enjoys it even more than Regina herself.

"I do hope you all are happy as well." Regina adds softly.

"Well... I am," Robin says and Emma nods too. "Yeah," Snow says.

"Good." Regina smiles. At that moment their ordered food arrives and they all start to eat. Regina smiles when she sees Emma eating without embarrasment.

Emma looks at her mom while she is eating and smiles. She wants her mom to see her do it and maybe even be proud of her. "I like it," she says with a little nervous smile.

"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart." Regina proudly smiles. "I love seeing you this happy."

Emma smiles and takes a sip of her orange juice. Snow tries to figure out what is going on and she gets the feeling that she was the one who made Emma unhappy and why didn't she know Emma had eating problems... She stands up and walks to the toilet to get herself back together.

Regina looks at Emma and Robin. "Is it alright if I go talk to her for a second?"

"Yes of course," Robin says.

Snow stands in front of the mirror and takes a deep breath.

Regina walks inside of the girl’s bathroom of the restaurant and stands beside Snow. "Are you alright?" she whispers.

Snow startles when Regina appears, "yeah I'm fine, it's just a bit hard," she says and she smiles.

"I understand." Regina whispers. "I'm sorry. Maybe going out to eat wasn't the best idea."

"It was a good idea, really, I just needed a moment," Snow says, "don't worry about it... I love to see Emma happy." She smiles.

Regina smiles and gives Snow a warm and long hug. "You go ahead. I'll just use the bathroom before I come back, alright?" she suggests.

"Yeah," Snow says and she goes upstairs. "What was it?" Emma asks. "It was nothing," Snow answers. Emma looks at Snow with doubt in her eyes, but then decides to believe her.

Regina uses the bathroom. When she walks out of the toilet stable towards the sink to wash her hands, she startles when she sees The Black Fairy standing there.

"What a coincidence!" The Black Fairy laughs, "I was just on my way to pick up someone."

"Who are you picking up?" Regina softly asks.

"What?" the Black Fairy grins, "how rude, I'm picking up a girl."

"Who are you picking up?" Regina asks again.

"You'll see that this night," the Black Fairy says, "I've a nice job for you."

"You're not taking Emma or Snow, are you?" Regina wants to know now.

"O no," the black fairy says, "that would be unfair, they did nothing that annoyed or hurt me."

Regina nodds. "Alright then." she whispers. "Tomorrow is Thursday. Our deal is Friday."

"Indeed," the Black Fairy says, "I can wait. I just thought you would like to go home a bit sooner, so Emma could go to school on Friday, she is missing a lot of lessons." She laughs. "But Friday is fine."

"Friday it is." Regina walks away but The Black Fairy doesn't like rudeness like this.

The Black Fairy gets Regina back with her magic and holds her in the air by her throat.

"What do you want?!" Regina snaps at the woman in front of her.

"I want you to bow for me," the Black Fairy says.

"I'll never bow for you." Regina whispers. Her mind is already taking her to places she doesn't want to be anymore. Memories of her and Leopold where she needed to bow for him.

"I give you one chance to change your mind, because otherwise... Bad things will happen."

"I'll never bow!"

With one wave of her hand the Black Fairy drops Regina and replaces her by Emma. She holds the girl up by her throat so she can barely breath. 

"Now bow.”

"No! Please!" Regina shouts. "I'll bow for you, just... Just let her go. Please!"

"Do it then," The Black Fairy says with a grin, still holding Emma up.

Regina bows, utterly humiliated.

"Deeper," the Black Fairy laughs, she is enjoying this so much.

"Please." Regina whispers softly. She bows deeper.

"Good," she says, "see you at Friday." She grins and poofs away, dropping Emma. Emma curls up and coughs.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina whispers, quickly taking her in her arms.

"It's not that bad," Emma says, still trying to catch her breath.

Regina strokes Emma's troath. "I'm so sorry."

"It's nothing," Emma says and she stands up, "it's not your fault."

"I'm sorry you had to see this. Come on. Let's finish our dinner."

"Who was that?" Emma asks while they walk upstairs.

"The Black Fairy. She's a really mean, mean person."

"I could see that yes," Emma says. Robin and Snow run to Regina and Emma when they come up. "What happened? We were frozen in our seats... Couldn't move," Robin says.

"It's alright. The Black Fairy wanted to humiliate me in front of my youngest daughter." Regina whispers. "It's over now."

"I'm so sorry," Robin says, hugging them both. After that they finish their dinner.

After dinner the four of them return to the hotel. Snow spends the night in another room, as well as Robin, who sleeps in his room. Emma and Regina sleep together in the big bed. "Did you have a nice evening, sweetheart?" Regina asks softly.

"I did," Emma whispers with a smile. "Did you have a good evening too?"

"I did as well." Regina smiles brightly. She takes her daughter in her arms and strokes her hair. "I have an appointment with dr. Anderson tomorrow morning but I'll be back before lunch so we can spend the day in the city. What do you think?"

"Okay, that sounds good," Emma says, still smiling, "I would love that." She then sits up, "I have to go to the toilet," she says and she stands up.

Regina nodds and lets Emma go. She trusts her daughter.

Emma walks to the toilet, but when she looks in the mirror she immediately feels so bad that she had eaten so much this afternoon. She locks the door.

Regina hears the sound of throwing up coming from the bathroom. "Emma? Are you alright?"

Emma makes herself throw up again. She flushes the toilet so her mom doesn't hear it.

Regina knocks on the door. "Emma? Dear, are you alright?" she asks again.

"Yeah," Emma says from the bathroom and she quickly brushes her teeth.

Regina patiently waits until Emma comes back out of the bathroom. She then takes her softly by her arm. "Why did you make yourself throw up? I thought you enjoyed tonight?" she asks softly.

"You heard me?" Emma whispers, "I did enjoy it, I really did, but when I looked in the mirror...".

"What did you see in the mirror?" Regina asks softly.

"Myself," Emma whispers.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"I'm fat and ugly," Emma clearly states.

"Sweetheart." Regina whispers. She takes Emma in her arms. "You are everything but fat and ugly. Did you see yourself in the mirror tonight, dear, with that smile on your face? You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

Emma softly cries again. "I wish I was," she whispers.

"You are. You really are, Emma." Regina gives Emma a warm and long hug.

Emma closes her eyes and lets her mother hug her.

Regina keeps Emma in her arms. "Let's go to sleep, sweetheart. It's going to be alright."

"Yes," Emma says and she almost immediately falls asleep in her mother’s arms.

Regina makes sure she keeps Emma in her arms for the whole night. When it's almost time to get up, Regina gets dressed and waits for Emma to wake up.

Emma opens her eyes and stays laying in the bed. She feels warm and she loves it.

Regina smiles. "Do you want to sleep for a little bit more? You can, if you want to. I'll be with dr. Anderson but I'll be back before lunch."

Emma nods and falls asleep again, still tired from the day before.

Regina gives Emma a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, sweetheart." she whispers. Regina then walks over to Robin's room and afterwards to Snow's room to tell them she will be going to dr. Anderson and she'll be back before lunch.

Regina walks over to the facility. A nurse walks her over to dr. Anderson's office.

"Hey, Regina," dr. Anderson says when she walks in.

"Hello." Regina smiles softly. She walks inside the office and sits down across of dr. Anderson.

"How are you?" she says.

"My eldest daughter, Snow... She showed up last night at the hotel. I was really happy. My two daughters and Robin beside me." Regina smiles. "We went out for dinner."

"That's great," dr, Anderson says and she really means it, "tell me about it."

"Emma ate fries. I was really relieved to see that. But she threw everything up when we were back in the hotel." Regina remains silent for a second. "The Black Fairy came. Into the restaurant. When I went to the bathroom."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "but it's a step forward, she ate the fries."

"Yes. Yes, I hope so." Regina softly answers. "The Black Fairy humiliated me in front of Emma."

"What did she do?"

"She wanted me to bow for her. I didn't want to. So she... She let Emma appear and started to choke her. I had no choice but to bow." Regina whispers now.

"I'm sorry," dr. Anderson says softly, "how did Emma react?"

"She was alright afterwards. The Black Fairy didn't hurt her much. She just wanted me to bow. I. Hate. That." Regina clearly states with sudden anger in her voice.

"I can understand," dr. Anderson says, "I can understand you hat that. But you did what you had to do to safe Emma."

Regina nodds. "I did." she whispers. She closes her eyes for a second. Flashbacks to when she needed to bow for Leopold flash in front of her eyes. Regina flinches.

Dr. Anderson smiles a little, "remember you're here okay," she whispers, "we can talk about this."

Regina looks up. "I never wanted to be Queen. I never wanted to bow for Leopold."

"I know you didn't," dr. Anderson says, "what did you want?"

"I just wanted to be free. To be happy. To live my own life." Regina whispers.

"And do you have that now?" dr. Anderson whispers.

"I think so." Regina softly smiles. "Just need to get rid of that Black Fairy and Leopold." She looks up again when she hears a voice inside her head. Regina flinches again.

"Yes, but you're on the right path," dr. Anderson says and she looks into Regina's eyes, "what do you hear?"

"She's on her way. The Black Fairy." Regina whispers softly, trying to focus on the voice inside her head. The door to dr. Anderson's office opens and The Black Fairy walks inside. Regina looks up.

"You are here," the Black Fairy says, "what a surprise." She laughs. "Can you leave my office please," dr. Anderson states.

"What do you want?" Regina asks soflty.

"I just wanted to say hi," she winks, "I'm here to pick up someone."

"You never just want to say hi. What do you want from me?" Regina snaps now.

"I need you to come with me to a patient here," the Black Fairy says.

"I don't want you here. Go away!"

"Rude again," the Black Fairy states, "we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Didn't you hear me?" Regina makes a fireball appear in her hand.

"Didn't you hear ME?" she says and she starts to choke dr. Anderson. "The problem with you is... You have too much weak spots; you care too much about people to actually hurt me."

"Let her go!" Regina shouts now. "Please!"

"Come with me for a little moment, help me and I'll let her go," she says.

"NO!" Regina shouts again. "Just let her go! Our deal is on Friday!"

"It's just here at the facility, I know our deal is on Friday,"

"Let her GO!" A fireball shoots out of Regina's hand towards The Black Fairy. She hits her on the shoulder. Regina startles because this wasn't what she wanted to do.

"You think you can hurt me like this," the Black Fairy says with a laugh, "fine I'll see you tomorrow, I'll find another way." She poofs away and makes sure dr. Anderson falls unconscious on the ground before she leaves.

Regina runs over to dr. Anderson and heals her so she wakes up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina cries. When dr. Anderson starts to wake, Regina crawls away from her, afraid to be punished.

Dr. Anderson moans and tries to move. After a while she manages to open her eyes and to push herself up against the wall. "It's okay, Regina," she whispers.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina mumbles. She's crying, hiding away in the darkest corner of the office.

"It all right," dr. Anderson says, "don't worry." She gets herself on her feet and walks to Regina. "I'm not angry," she whispers.

Regina crawls away even further, although that's nearly impossible. "No. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Her voice is filled with panick.

Dr. Anderson sits down next to her, still a bit out if breath, but she feels fine. "I'm fine, it was not your fault," she whispers, "please, I really don't mind Regina."

Regina doesn't dare to look up. She makes herself very small, preparing her body for the first hit. "Please. Good girl. I'll be a good girl. Good girl, Regina. Please. I'll behave. I promise I'll behave."

"Regina please look at me," dr. Anderson says, "you are good, you just healed me. And this all... It wasn't your fault."

Regina looks up. She sighs in relief when she sees dr. Anderson. She relaxes now.

"Good," dr. Anderson whispers and she relaxes too. She smiles and reaches out her hand.

Regina just looks at dr. Anderson's hand. She shakes her head softly; it's too early. She first needs to calm down completely.

Dr. Anderson smiles and just sits down too, letting Regina calm down as fast as she wants.

After not a very long time Regina gets up from the ground. She helps dr. Anderson get up as well. "I should go." she whispers.

"Why?" Dr. Anderson says, "you don't have to go."

"I... I don't?" Regina whispers. She doesn't look up at dr. Anderson.

"Of course not," dr. Anderson says, "Regina, this little... Twist doesn't change anything. I don't hate you now, and I don't want you to go."

Regina softly nodds, slowly taking in this information. She sits back down on the chair she was sitting in before The Black Fairy disturbed them. "I hate her." she softly whispers.

"I can imagine," dr. Anderson says, "but don't let it take up all your time."

"I hate our deal! I need to get out of it. What is stopping her from delivering me to Leopold every week?"

"As far as I can see, nothing is stopping her from that," dr. Anderson says, "is there a way to defeat her?"

"I don't know." Regina whispers. She looks up again. "Are we sure Leopold is still in prison? I... I have a feeling he got out."

"I don't know," dr. Anderson says, "I didn't get a message or something... But he couldn't have escaped, could he? He doesn't have magic."

"Of course he is out," The Black Fairy whispers in Regina's mind.

"He's out. I know he is. It's Leopold we are talking about."

"But... How can he have escaped then?" Dr. Anderson asks.

"The Black Fairy." Regina just whispers.

"Of course," dr. Anderson says and at the moment she says it, the phone rings. She takes it and nods at Regina. 

"He is free indeed," she whispers after the conversation.

Panic shines trough Regina's eyes. "I need to make sure my family is alright." she whispers before poofing away to the hotel. "Robin? Emma? Snow?"

"Yes?" Robin says surprised. Emma comes to the room her mother is standing in. "What?" she says.

"Where is Snow?" Regina asks, panic in her voice.

"Just in her room I think," Robin says, "I haven't seen her this morning...”. "I just went to her," Emma says, "we decided to have breakfast together in ten minutes."

Regina nodds and walks over to Snow's room. "Snow? Are you there?" She knocks on the door.

"Yes I am," Snow says, "why?" She quickly dresses herself and walks to the door.

Regina sighs with relief. "The Dark Fairy is here and I don't know who she's after. We need to stay together now."

"Really? How did she get here?" Snow says surprised, "have you checked Robin and Emma?"

"Yes. They are alright. They are here. Where the hell is that bitch?" Regina wants to know.

"I'm here," the Black Fairy says from behind Regina.

Regina startles and turns around quickly. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to show you were I was," the Black Fairy laughs.

"What do you want?" Regina snaps, spitting in her face. She hates her so very much.

The Black Fairy doesn't even startle. She only laughs and wipes it away with her magic. "One word..." she whispers, walking close to Regina, "rude."

Regina doesn't take a step back. "I want to break our deal. What will it take?" she asks with darkness in her voice.

"You can't break a deal with me," the Black Fairy says, "unless you have something to offer...".

"What do you want?" Regina asks again, taking a step closer towards The Black Fairy.

"I don't need anything, so you have to come up with something yourself," the Black Fairy says, "and oh yes, I already picked up my victim, see you tonight." She grins and poofs away.

"Emma? Emma? Where are you?" Regina shouts through the hallway. Snow is standing beside her, so Emma... She has to be alright.

"Yes?" Emma shouts back.

Regina sighs with relief. "Robin is with you, right?"

"Yes," Emma says, "why are you constantly checking?"

"Because The Black Fairy took someone. And I don't know who. She's playing with me and I'm sick of it."

"All right," Emma says. "We need to find a way to stop her."

"We do. But you don't. I'm not letting you get in any danger." Regina decides. She looks at Robin and Snow. "Tonight, when she comes for me, I will see who she took as a victim and I will save her."

"I know you will, you can do this," Snow says with a smile.

"Maybe I can help," Emma says and she looks at her mom.

Regina softly smiles. "I'm sure you can help, sweetheart, but I don't want to put you in any danger. The best way to help me is to sleep in your safe bed this night and tomorrow we can all go home. How about that?" Regina strokes Emma's hair.

Emma sighs, "sleeping doesn't feel like helping, mom...".

"But it is, it really is. Knowing you are safe with Robin and Snow is the best way to help me. I mean it, Emma."

"Fine fine," Emma says annoyed and she walks to her room again.

Regina looks at Robin and Snow. "You watch out for her, right?"

"Of course we will," Robin and Snow say almost at the same time.

Regina smiles. She tucks Emma into bed as well as Snow White. She then lays nervous next to Robin until the clock strikes 12.

Robin kisses Regina on her cheek. "Be safe, okay?" he whispers.

Regina nodds. "I will." She immediately goes to The Black Fairy when the clock strikes 12 at midnight.

"Great you're here," the Black Fairy says and she immediately poofs them away to the place she has in mind. "You'll like this task," she says with an evil grin. Before they enter the room, she places a magic bracelet around Regina's wrist, so she can't use magic, and she laughs like she alway does.

Regina just looks at her. "What do you want from me tonight?" she whispers softly.

"You'll see," the Black Fairy says and she leads Regina into a small room. In the middle of the room stands a table. Aurora lays on it on her stomach. Her hands and feet are tied up and she doesn't wear a shirt. On another smaller table lays a robe, the exact same robe Leopold used to whip Regina.   
"You're going to give Aurora the same punishment Leopold gave you," the Black Fairy says and she locks the door.

"NO! You can't let me do this! NO! I won't do it!" Regina screams, while pushing against the door.

The Black Fairy is filled with satisfaction, "terrible things will happen if you don't do this, Regina." She lets her fingers go over Aurora's back, "it's only a useless girl..." she says, "shall I wake her up for you?"

"Leave her alone!" Regina snaps. "I'm not doing this!"

"You know that time-spell Cora used to speed up the time in Storybrooke? I'm sure you remember," the Black Fairy says, "I own that spell, so if you don't do this, I think you can guess what will happen in Boston. Now pick up that robe and start."

"Please." Regina begs now. "I... I can't do this to her. She's just an innocent girl! Please, I... I'll do anything. Please."

"I give you one last chance to pick up that rope…”.

"Please! Let me do something else! Anything, I'll do anything!" Regina begs again. "I'll be such a good girl if you don't make me do this."

"5... 4..." The Black Fairy starts, ready to speed up time.

Regina picks up the rope.

"Good girl," she whispers, "now whip her."

"Please." Regina whispers. "Do it on me. Use it on me. Not on her. Please. She has nothing to do with this."

The Black Fairy wakes Aurora up and starts to count again, "5... 4...". Aurora opens her eyes, "Regina?" she whispers. When she feels that's he is tied up she starts to panic.

"Please." Regina whispers one more time. "I... I can't." But at the same time Regina lets the rope come down on Aurora's back. Regina sinks to the ground. "Please! No more!"

Aurora screams and feels extremely frightened, "Regina what are you doing?" she whispers, her body shakes and her eyes are full of panic. "No more?" The Black Fairy laughs, "you just started, come on, go on."

"Please. Just stop. What do you want from me? Do you want to break me? Fine! Let Leopold come, he will do that for you!"

"That's exactly what I want yes," the Black Fairy says, "and this breaks you more than letting Leopold get to you."

"No. It doesn't. Not by a long run." Regina hits Aurora once more.

Aurora tries to keep in her pain, but she can't help but moan very loud. "I don't care about the long run!" The black Fairy says, "now hit her again!"

Regina uses the rope but The Black Fairy is standing right beside her and she hits her instead of Aurora.

"Funny girl," the Black Fairy grins and she heals herself, "do you think this will make everything better?"

"Stop it! I'll do anything, ANYTHING, but stop this!" Regina now screams.

"No."

Regina sinks down on her knees and bows. "Please. I'll do anything. I promise. I promise I'll be a good girl."

"Anything?" she laughs, "like, giving Emma to me every Wednesday?"

"N.No." Regina startles. "No! You can't have her! You'll have to do it with me! Isn't that enough?!"

"No it isn't," the Black Fairy says, "because you don't do what I tell you."

Regina once again whips Aurora with the rope. "Enough now!"

The sudden whip makes Aurora scream again. "Absolutely not! Do it again."

Regina keeps hitting Aurora until The Black Fairy tells her to stop. Regina sinks to the ground and cries, cries, cries.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she keeps mumbling.

Aurora screams everytime Regina hits her and tears roll down her face like rivers. She wants to shout at Regina, but she can't find her voice. The Black Fairy grins and looks at Aurora's bleeding back. It's completely damaged.

"Let me heal her. Please." Regina whispers, begs.

"No I love it to see her bleed," the Black Fairy says, "you wish to take her home with you?"

"Can I? Please?" Regina whispers softly.

"Yeah, she is useless to me," the Black Fairy says, "see you soon and good luck!" She poofs the both of them to Regina's hotel room, the bracelet still around Regina's wrist.

Regina curses. She wakes up Robin and lays Aurora in bed, on her stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina keeps crying now.

"Regina what happened!" Robin asks as he sees Aurora. Aurora can only moan, although she really wants to talk. He takes Regina in his arms, "please tell me," he whispers.

"Don't touch me!" Regina snaps. She flinches away from him. "I'm a bad girl. A bad girl, Regina."

"Regina, You're not," Robin says, but he steps back. He picks up the medication he used when Regina had a bleeding shoulder. He calls a doctor, while he cleans the wound. Aurora screams when Robin drips the medicine in her wounds. "It will soon be over," Robin whispers to Aurora, "you'll be okay."

Regina hides away in a corner. "I'm so sorry." she keeps whispering. "I'm so sorry. Bad girl, Regina. Bad girl, Regina!"

When Emma hears a scream she comes into the room. Snow came in too and is now helping Robin by calming Aurora down.

Emma walks to her mother who is sitting in the corner, knowing she is if no use to Robin and Snow. "Are you all right, mom?" she whispers.

"Bad girl, Regina. Very bad girl." Regina keeps whispering.

Emma grabs her mother's hand, "why?" She whispers, "why are you bad? What happened?" She looks at her mom, but Regina doesn't look back at her.

"Is Aurora going to be alright?" Regina asks softly to no one in particular. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Robin says she will be fine," Emma answers her mother's question. She tries to make eye contact.

Regina looks away from her youngest daughter. She feels so ashamed. "She wanted to make the time go faster if I didn't do it." Regina whispers. "I couldn't do that to you. Not again."

"Didn't do what?" Emma whispers.

"Aurora." Regina just whispers.

"You made those wounds?" Emma asks. No her mom didn't do that, that's not possible.

Regina flinches. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she cries again. "I couldn't let her make the time go faster again."

So she really did it... Emma now sits down next to her mother. "Thank you," she whispers. She still can't believe it.

Regina flinches again. "Why do you thank me? I'm a monster."

"Well..." Emma whispers, she suddenly feels nervous, "you told me you did it for me... So time wouldn't go faster... You're not a monster, you're just my mom, okay? Please just be my mom." She leans against her mother's shoulder, hoping she is right.

Regina slowly takes Emma in her arms. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm going to be alright. Tomorrow we go home and everything will be just fine."

"Will you really be fine? You can be honest with me." Emma says.

"I will be. I promise. I'll do everything in order not to let you, Snow or Robin get hurt."

"When you are hurt, we are hurt too," Emma says. She looks at Robin, Snow and the doctors who lift Aurora on a stretcher. "I really hope she will be okay."

Regina crawls away. She doesn't want to go to jail. She looks at the police who came with the ambulance.

After a conversation with Robin and a half conversation with Aurora, the police comes to Regina.  
"What is it?" Emma asks the police while she blocks the way to her mother with her small body.

Regina crawls further away, even though that's not possible.

"We need to talk to your mother," one of the policemen says. "You can't," Emma says with a lot of confidence, "she needs to rest."

"Emma." Regina whispers. "It's alright. It's alright."

"No it's not," Emma says, "please don't take my mom." "Sorry, but she needs to come with us, she is the only witness."

"I'm not leaving without my youngest daughter." Regina whispers softly.

"She is a minor," the policeman says, "so she can't." "I'm big enough," Emma says still trying to protect her mom. "Please."

"I'm not leaving without Emma!" Regina shouts now.

"I suggest you calm down," the policeman says, "this is the law. She can come with us to the station, but no further than that."

Regina nodds. She tries to stand up but sinks back to the grounds. Her body isn't strong enough to keep itself upright.

The policemen walk past Emma and help Regina upright. "You can lean on us," they say. Emma wants to reach her mother, but they are blocking the way.

"Emma." Regina whispers. She looks up at Snow and Robin. "Please, come with me." she begs.

The doctors want Robin to stay, because he knows the most about the situation. Snow walks with Emma behind the policemen and Regina.

Regina leans on one of the female cops. "Dr. Anderson. Call dr. Anderson." Regina whispers softly.

"She is already coming." At the moment Snow says it, dr. Anderson comes through the doors from the stairs and she walks to them.

Regina sighs with relief. "Where are you taking me?" Regina asks the police.

"We're taking you to the police station," the man says. Dr. Anderson takes over Regina's arm from a policeman, so Regina can lean on her instead of him.

Regina walks with them to the police car. She sits in between Emma and dr. Anderson, while Snow sits on the front seat of one police car. The second one drives in front of them. When they get at the police station, Regina has grabbed herself together and is able to walk alone inside the station.

Dr. Anderson tells Snow and Emma to wait outside, because they are not allowed inside. She walks inside with Regina.

Regina feels anxious and really scared. She clings to dr. Anderson and doesn't let go of her.

"It's okay," dr. Anderson says, "just answer their questions and nothing happens. I'll stay with you."

"But I've hurt her so much." Regina whispers. "It's all my fault. Bad girl, bad girl, Regina."

"Even if you did do it, they can't do anything to you here and now, they're not allowed too," she says, "so don't worry."

Regina slowly nodds, not really believing dr. Anderson.

They lead Regina to the interrogation room and let her sit down. Dr. Anderson sits on a chair next to her. One of the policemen sits down at the opposite side of the table and starts a recorder.

Regina just looks at the two men in front of her.

"So, Regina Mills," the man says, "you were there when a girl, Aurora, got hit by a whip."

Regina nodds slowly.

"Where you the only one who saw it?"

"I guess. I don't really remember."

"Does that mean that you were the one who hit her?"

Regina looks at dr. Anderson. She doesn't know what to say.

Dr. Anderson nods to Regina. She has to tell them the truth.

"I did."

"What was the reason you did it?"

"I had to. She treathened my daughter."

"So there was someone else involved? Can you tell me the name of that person?"

"I... I don't know her name." Regina whispers.

"Was it a total stranger to you?"

"Not really." Regina mumbles.

"Tell me about it."

"I can't." Regina states.

"Why can't you tell us about it?"

"Because I can't!" Regina snaps now.

"Regina calm down," dr. Anderson says strictly, "don't get yourself into trouble."

Regina remains silent now.

"What did the woman who threatened your daughter look like. Every detail can help us."

"I can't remember."

"Hair color, tattoos, skin color, everything can help us."

"I can't remember." Regina just repeats.

"All right, but she was no stranger to you? How did you know her?"

"Just... I don't know. I don't remember!"

The policeman asks a lot of questions, which Regina answers with a lot of 'can't remember." The policeman knows that she is lying, but she needs to confess by herself, so there is nothing he can do.

"Can I go back to my hotel now? Please? We are leaving tomorrow, back home."

"Yes," the policeman says, "we will send the files, results to your address as soon as we spoke to the girl too."

Regina nodds. "I'm really sorry. I... I didn't want to hurt her. I'm so sorry."

The policeman stays serious and doesn't react. "It's okay," dr. Anderson says. "Thank you," she says to the policemen in the room and they walk outside.

Regina walks outside of the police station and just.... starts to walk. To nowhere in particular. Just walking.

"Ehh, Regina?" Dr. Anderson says when Regina just walks away, "shall we go?"

"Yes. I... I'm sorry." Regina walks back and takes her daughters in her arms. "I'm so sorry for scaring the both of you." she whispers.

Emma and Snow hug her back and they walk to the car again. In the car Robin calls.

Regina picks up the phone. "Yes, Robin?" she asks softly.

"Hey, how are you?" he first asks.

"I'm... I... I don't know. Alright, I guess." Regina shrugs.

Robin smiles, "okay," he says, "I thought you might want to know that Aurora will be all right. No infections and stuff."

"Really? You're not tricking me? You really mean that?" Regina whispers, tears in her eyes.

"I do," Robin says, "she will be okay soon."

Regina cries softly from relief. "Is she... Is she really angry with me?" she then asks softly.

"She didn't want to talk about you," Robin answers, "so I don't know, but there is a big chance she is."

"I wouldn't blame her." Regina whispers. "We'll be at the hospital very soon. I... I want to see her. I need to see her." Regina puts down her cellphone. When they arrive at the hospital she slowly walks to Aurora's room, after asking which room number she's in.

Aurora is sleeping, caught in one if her horrible nightmares.

Regina sits down next to Robin, who is sitting next to Aurora's bed, and lays her head on his shoulder. "I want to stay here until she wakes up."

"That's all right," Robin whispers, laying his arm around her. After a while Aurora opens her eyes, when she sees Regina her eyes grow full of panic. She wants to move, but Robin stops her, so her wounds won't start to bleed. "Regina," she whispers.

"Aurora." Regina whispers back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She starts to cry.

"You did this to me," Aurora says. She can't get her breath under control, because she is filled with panic. "You... You..." She hides her face and lets out a scream in her pillow.

Regina flinches away, crawls away in a corner. She hates herself. She hates herself so much. The only way she knows how to deal with this is by... The Evil Queen.

"Regina come here please," Robin says, "we can talk about this, we really can." He knows this can go so wrong... He doesn't want to meet the Evil Queen again.

"NO!" Regina screams. "No more Regina! Regina is a bad girl!"

"Then... Figure-that-is-sitting-in-that-corner-over-there please come here."

Regina's head snaps up, darkness clearly in her eyes.

Robin makes eye contact and pretends that he doesn't see the darkness in her eyes, "please, we can talk about this."

"Regina is gone." The Evil Queen whispers, danger in her voice.

Robin calls Snow, so she can watch over Aurora for a while and he walks to Regina, "come on, we need to get out of here," he says, hoping the Evil Queen won't stay for long...

Regina crawls away from him. A man standing almost over her, bigger than her.

"Come," he whispers, reaching out his hand while he sits down on his knees.

Regina slowly takes his hand. The Evil Queen stays visible in her eyes.

"Good," Robin whispers, while he softly strokes her fingers.

Regina flinches but doesn't pull her hand away. She looks him deep into his eyes, trying to focus on him.

Robin only smiles, looking back at her, "you can do it," he whispers.

"I'm a bad girl." Regina whispers.

"You're not," Robin says, "doing something that's not right, doesn't make you bad."

"I... I...". Regina shakes her head. "I want to go. I want to go home."

"You can," Robin says, "but there have to be some people that stay here... I mean, Aurora doesn't have any family, but she needs someone."

Regina slowly gets up and walks over to Aurora. She sits down next to the bed and looks at her.

Aurora has calmed down a bit, knowing Regina won't attack her here. "Why did you do it?" she tries to say.

"She... The Black Fairy... She... She treathened me. She wanted to speed up time here in Boston. Like my mother did. I've lost 5 years with my daughters and Robin. I.... I couldn't again." Regina whispers, regret in her voice.

"So... If you had to to the same thing tomorrow, to safe time, you would have done it?" she whispers, finally getting her voice back.

Regina just nodds. "Yes." she whispers.

"Okay," Aurora whispers. She is glad Regina is honest with her, "it's okay."

Regina flinches away, just a bit. "It's not."

"If I had a family, people who truly loved me, I would have done the same," Aurora whispers. Her wounds burn and she moans a bit.

Frustrated Regina pulls at the magical bracelet on her wrist.

"Regina?" Aurora now whispers and she looks into Regina's eyes.

"Y.Yes?" Regina whispers.

"Can you do me a favor?" Aurora says with tears in her eyes.

"Anything. I'll do anything. Tell me." Regina whispers.

"Can you..." Aurora whispers. Her hands are shaking, "can you kill me?"

"No. No, I won't do that." Regina whispers. "Why would you want me to do that?"

"I don't want to live anymore," Aurora whispers, "I tried to kill myself back in the facility, but they saved me, kept me in that coma..." She starts to cry louder now. "There is nothing here for me, Regina, only pain and nightmares."

"I'm here." Regina whispers. "I'm here and I won't leave you again. You have a friend now. You have a family now." Regina whispers with tears in her eyes.

"You said you would do anything," Aurora says, "please...".

"Anything but that." Regina replies. "I won't do that. You will get through this and you'll come home with me."

"No," Aurora whispers and she cries in her pillow, "it's too late for that."

"It's not. It's never too late." Regina whispers. She stands up and strokes Aurora's hair softly. "You'll come home with us. End of discussion."

"I'm sick of the nightmares that haunt me every single night again, I'm just done here!" Aurora says, "you owe me...".

Regina looks at Robin, desperation in her eyes.

Robin doesn't know what she has to do, but he shakes his head. She can't kill her, can she?"

"No, Aurora. I don't owe you your death. It's not your time yet. Now try to get some sleep and we'll be back tomorrow. When you're capable of traveling, you go home with us." Regina softly decides. She then leaves Aurora's room.

"I hate you!" Aurora shouts very hard.

Regina doesn't look back. She looks at Emma when she walks out of Aurora's room. "Let's go to the hotel. I'm tired." she suggests.

They all nod and drive together to the hotel. Snow drives, Robin holds Regina's hand and Emma just keeps quiet.

Regina has fallen asleep on the way back to the hotel. She feels Robin lifts her up and puts her down in bed, gently tucking her in. Regina curls up and keeps sleeping. The next thing she remembers is feeling whip lashes on her body. She wakes up screaming and crawls into a corner of the room, away from the rope, away from Leopold who is whipping her.

Robin, who was asleep next to her, wakes up and sits up. "Regina," he whispers, "what's it?"

Regina curls up in the corner and keeps very quiet.

Robin sits down on the ground, so he is the same height as she is. "You want to hear something nice?" Robin says.

Regina looks up at Robin, just once. She makes herself small again but whispers, very softly, 'yes'.

"Emma wanted to tell you, but she couldn't fine a moment to tell you," he whispers with a smile, "Emma and I went for lunch when you were away and she ate a burger... And now the good part comes, she didn't throw up after that."

Regina's head snaps up. "She didn't? She... I... I... I.. should have known. Emma needs to be my priority. I... Bad mother. Bad mother, Regina." Regina starts to cry now. She's just so tired, so exhausted. So exhausted.

"Regina look at me," Robin says with a strict voice. He takes her in his arms, "stop with this nonsense. Stop saying you're a bad mother, a horrible person, a bad girl, because you're not. The only one who thinks of you that way is you. We all know you, love you and believe in you. Now believe in us and stop calling yourself a monster."

Regina leans against Robin's chest. She feels safe now, close to him. "Don't let go of me." she whispers softly. "Keep me safe." She then falls asleep in his arms.

"I won't," he whispers back and he holds her close while she is sleeping.

Regina curls up like a little girl on Robin's lap. She keeps her arms around his neck, afraid to let him go. Even in her sleep Regina clings to him. She mumbles softly. "I'm sorry, mommy. I'll be good, I promise. No, please. Don't lock me up in the basement. I'll be a good girl, a very good girl."

Robin softly strokes Regina's hair and keeps holding her. He lets her mumble, while listens to her sad words.

"Yes, my King." Regina whispers now. "I'll be an obedient wife. Do you want to undress me yourself?" Regina softly moans of pain now. "No, my King. Yes, I'll bow for you." Even in her sleep and sitting on Robin's lap, Regina bows for Leopold.

"It's okay Regina," Robin whispers, although he knows she probably won't hear him. He holds her closer, softly stroking her cheek.

Regina flinches but at the same time moves even closer towards Robin. "No letting go." she whispers in her sleep. "No letting go."

"I won't," he whispers. He holds her very close to his body.

Regina sighs with relief and finally falls asleep in peace. She sleeps the whole morning and gets up right before lunch. She feels she's laying in someone's arms but doesn't remember in whose arms exactly. She keeps really quiet and doesn't dare to move. Her breathing is shallow.

"Goodmorning," Robin says with a grin and he kisses Regina on her cheek, "did you sleep well?"

Regina softly smiles and sighs with relief again. "I... I think so." she smiles. She gets up and helps Robin get up as well. "Aren't you in pain now? Did I sleep all night like I just woke up?"

"Well my back aches a bit," he says with a wink and he stretches his back, "just joking," he grins, "you didn't sleep like this the whole night, but I think you did the biggest part."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. I... I felt safe." she whispers. "Where are Emma and Snow?"

"They're in the city," Robin says.

Regina nodds. "Can we go to them? Please? I feel safer when you're all with me."

"Yeah okay," Robin says, "but... You just woke up." He looks at her.

"Yes?" Regina asks, not seeing the problem.

"Fine," Robin says whit a smile, "I through you maybe wanted to start up a bit slower... But let's go then. I'll call them while you make yourself ready okay?"

Regina nodds. She takes a hot shower and puts on fresh clothes. She doesn't eat. She quickly goes back to Robin when she's ready. "Can we go? Are they safe?"

"Yes they are," Robin says "they're waiting for us so we can have lunch together... Or breakfast." He smiles and takes Regina's arm. They walk outside together.

Regina smiles back and walks with Robin to the tavern where Snow and Emma are waiting for them. Regina hugs her daughters when they arrive.

"Did you sleep well?" Snow asks, while she hugs Regina.

"I actually did. Thank you." Regina smiles. She then hugs Emma and whispers in her ear what Robin told her the night before. "I couldn't be more proud of you, sweetheart." she whispers then.

Emma smiles and looks at the ground, almost blushing. "I already hoped you would like it," she whispers back.

"I don't like it. I love it." Regina winks. She gives Emma an extra hug and then gets back up. "Shall we have lunch together?" she suggests.

"Yeah, good idea," Snow says, "although it's breakfast for you." She smiles. They go to a nice restaurant where they can sit outside and they order their lunch.

Regina sits next to Emma, Snow across of her and Robin across of Emma. She feels happy at this moment. "I need to visit Aurora in the afternoon."

"Yeah," Robin says, "I hope she is a little bit better today." "Can you tell me what actually happened?" Emma says.

Regina looks at Robin. "I... I don't know. What do you know?"

"I know you hurt Aurora so time wouldn't go faster," Emma says.

Regina nodds softly. "I did." she whispers.

Emma wants to know more, but she stops asking because she doesn't want to make her mother sad again. "Okay," she just says.

"The Black Fairy wanted me to do the same to Aurora as Leopold did to me." Regina softly explains. She wants Emma to know she trusts her with this story.

"You whipped her?" Emma asks, "why did she want you to do that?" She can't believe someone would want that...

"Because The Black Fairy is a... A...". Suddenly Regina startles when Fiona walks over to their table.

"What am I?" Fiona asks with a wink.

Regina flinches away from her. "N.Nothing." she whispers. She's scared to death of this woman.

"You think I'm nothing?" The Black Fairy says, "I don't think that's true... Do you want me to prove you wrong?"

Regina flinches further away. "N.No. No, please. I... I didn't mean it like that." she mumbles softly.

"Next time. Be careful," the Black Fairy says and she poofs away.

Regina breaths faster and isn't able to immediately get herself together. She looks around her, eyes full of panic.

"She is gone," Robin whispers from the other side of the table. Emma grabs her mother's hand, because she wants to calm her mother down, but also because the Black Fairy scared her too.

Regina looks up at Emma. Her hand calms her down. "It's alright. It's alright." Regina whispers. "She's gone. She's gone for now. We'll be alright."

"We will," Emma says, nodding. She smiles.

Regina smiles back, a small but genuine smile. "I suggest we go visit Aurora after lunch and then do something together? As... As a family?" Regina whispers those last words.

"Don't be so shy, it's a great idea," Snow says. "We can visit a musical together," Emma says, "the Lion King is playing tonight, maybe there are still tickets available." She softly smiles and looks at her hands, waiting for a response.

Regina smiles brightly. "I love The Lion King. Let's do that!"

"Yes," Emma says full of exitement, "if... There are still tickets available..." she adds. "Maybe we can fix that while Regina and Robin visit Aurora?" Snow suggests.

After paying the bill for their lunch, Regina hands over her wallet to Snow White. "There's enough money for the best tickets in there." She smiles and winks at Emma.

Emma sighs and grins. Snow and Emma leave the restaurant. Robin drives Regina to Aurora. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

"Maybe... Maybe I need to go in there alone for just a little while?" Regina whispers.

"Yeah okay," Robin says. He agrees with her. "I'm right here if you need me."

Regina softly nodds. She knocks on the door and walks inside of Aurora's room. "Aurora?" she asks softly. She sits down next to the bed and strokes the girl softly over her hair.

Aurora has her face turned away from Regina. She is crying.

Regina keeps stroking Aurora's hair until the girl calms down a bit.

"Go away," she whispers, when she has calmed down a bit. Regina's hand makes her feel safe, but also sad.

"I'm not going anywhere." Regina whispers. "I'm here for you."

"I don't want that," she whispers.

"Why not?"

"Because you want me to go on and I want to quit."

"I don't want you to quit. Nobody wants that." Regina softly answers.

"I do," Aurora whispers.

"But why? I don't understand. We can work on those nightmares. I have them too, but I don't want to give up." Regina wants to understand.

"I have them all the time, I almost have had them my whole life and I'm done with it. And there is nothing here for me to stay."

"We want you to stay." Regina whispers softly. "Isn't that enough?"

"Why?" she whispers.

"Because we care about you."

"But you don't care about me like family," Aurora says, "I'm not saying you have to do that, but... The way you love Emma... And Robin and Snow. I don't have that, I never had that."

"But you will have that. With us. I promise."

"You don't want that," Aurora says, "I wouldn't want that if I were you."

"Why not? Aren't you worth it? Because I think you are and so do Robin and Snow and Emma."

"You already work hard enough; I will only make your life harder."

"You won't. Please, Aurora. Give it a chance. Please?"

"Promise me that if it doesn't work, you'll kill me," Aurora says, she finally turns her head towards Regina and cries again.

Regina slowly nodds. "I promise." she whispers. "Do you know when you can go home with us?"

"I don't."

"I will go and ask. I will let you know before I leave, alright?" Regina strokes Aurora's hair one more time and then walks out of her room to ask the nurse when Aurora is ready to travel.

"It depends on how fast the wounds heal. She moves a lot at nights, in her sleep, which makes the wounds bleed again, but if we're careful and bring her home by an ambulance, she can go home tomorrow I think."

Regina slowly nodds. "We'll drive her home ourselves. We don't need an ambulance, thank you."

"She can't sit, that will hurt a lot and there is a big chance the wounds will bleed again," the nurse says, "It's a long trip to Maine...".

"We'll make sure she can lie down. It won't be a problem." Regina tries again.

"How will you do that?" The nurse says, "it's not an option, we need to keep her steady. It's not safe."

"I'm telling you we will manage. We're not going home with an ambulance." Regina snaps now.

"I'm sorry, madam," the nurse says, "it's the ambulance or she has to stay here."

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes. "Didn't you hear me? I said we will manage!"

"Our job is to keep our patients safe," the nurse says, "so I'm sorry, but driving her home yourself is not going to happen." Robin sees Regina talk to a nurse and walks to them.

Regina makes the automatic gesture for making a fireball but because she's still wearing the magical bracelet, which was put on her wrist by The Black Fairy, nothing happens. "We drive her home. End of discussion." Regina snaps again.

"Not going to happen," the nurse says. Robin comes between them, "what's going on?" he says.

Regina doesn't answer. She looks at the nurse with hatred in her eyes. "Listen, lady, you're going to do as I say. Because... Because you have no idea what I'm capable of." Danger sounds through Regina's voice.

"Regina what are you doing?" Robin says, "what's the problem, you will get yourself into trouble." He looks at her. The nurse is angry now and almost picks up a doctor.

"Aurora is not coming home with us in an ambulance. We'll drive her back to Maine!"

"Why?" Robin says, "why is that so important to you?"

"You know why." Regina looks at Robin. "Because of...". Doesn't he know about the protection spell around Storybrooke?

"We tell her everything live in another city," Robin whispers very softly, "it's not that hard."

Regina sighs. Without another word to the nurse she turns around. The darkness in her eyes disappears just a little bit.

"I'm sorry," Robin says to the nurse. He talks with her about their living place, a village very close to Storybrooke. From their they can move Aurora without a lot of risks.

In the meantime, Regina lets Aurora know they'll pick her up tomorrow in the afternoon. They will drive behind the ambulance. Afterwards Regina goes back to Robin.

The nurse is gone. "Why do you always get into a fight," Robin says. He can't help but grin a bit, although this is a very subject.

Regina tries not to laugh. "Because people like her irritate me."

Robin shakes his head. "But the only thing that happens when you snap at people, is get yourself into trouble."

"I didn't get into trouble when I was able to use my magic. I want it back. Can't you take the bracelet off?"

"But when you don't, you do get into trouble," Robin says, "I just want you to know fighting is never the answer..." He smiles and tries to get of the bracelet... It doesn't work.

Regina sighs. "The only way to get that bracelet off is when The Dark Fairy takes it off."

"I'm afraid you're right," Robin says, "but that's not something to worry about right now." He winks and pushes her forward, "let's go to Snow and Emma."

Regina nodds. "I hope they managed to get tickets for The Lion King." She giggles and takes Robin's hand. "Let's go."

Robin smiles and they walk together to the car. When they arrive, Emma comes running towards them, "we have the tickets," she says, feeling very exited.

Regina smiles. "I'm glad. Did you get good seats?"

"We did," Emma says, "just regular seats, but they are placed somewhere in the middle, so that has to be good I think."

"Did the best tickets sell out?" Regina wants to know, with a smile.

" I didn't want the best tickets," Emma says.

"You didn't? Why not, sweetheart?"

"I don't know, it feels better to sit in a regular seat, then I don't feel like I'm better than others."

Regina smiles. "That's alright, dear. Whatever you want." She winks at her youngest daughter. "So, what time does it start?"

"This evening 8pm," Snow says.

"What do you want to do 'til then?"

Emma shrugs. She really feels like going to the hotel, just doing nothing, maybe playing chess or sleep, but she doesn't dare to say it.

Regina looks at Robin and winks. "I actually could use some extra rest. A quiet afternoon. What do you guys think?"

"Yes please," Emma whispers with a small smile. Robin nods too, he hasn't slept this whole night so he can use some rest too.

"Snow? Do you want to come with us?"

"I think I'll take a walk on my own first," Snow says, "I'll come to you later, okay?"

"Are you alright?" Regina asks softly.

"Kind of," Snow says softly, "I just need a moment for myself."

Regina nodds softly. She gives her eldest daughter a warm hug and agrees to meet her later that day back at the hotel. Regina then walks with Robin and Emma towards their hotel.

"I'm looking forward to the musical," Emma says, although she feels very tired.

"Me too. I love musicals." Regina smiles. "I'm going to take a nap when we're back at the hotel. Do you want to do the same, dear?"

"I think so," Emma says. "I'll take a nap too," Robin says.

Regina smiles. When they get back at the hotel, she lies down on the bed in her bedroom. She looks at Emma and Robin. "Who wants to sleep with me?" She winks.

Robin lets Emma sleep with Regina, because he sees she wants to. When Emma is putting on a pajama, he looks at Regina, "can Emma stay with you? Is it safe?"

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Regina asks softly.

"This night wasn't that peaceful," Robin says, "I just want to be sure."

Regina nodds. "I know. I... I'm not sure I won't get any nightmares." she whispers.

"Yeah," Robin says, "what do you think? You can just try it."

Regina nodds again. "Yes, I would like that. But you'll be near when something happens, right?"

"Of course, I'll be in the next room," he says, "if it happens, come to me okay?" Emma comes back into the room, immediately lying down in the bed. She feels cold and tired.

Regina gives Robin a kiss before he leaves for his own room. She then lies down next to Emma. "Do you want to be close to me?" Regina asks softly, opening her arms for Emma.

Emma nods and moves her body closer to her mom. "What if we sleep for too long," she whispers, "we will miss the musical."

"I'll set an alarm on my cellphone. At 5 PM so we can have dinner before we go. Is that alright?"

"Yes," Emma says and while her mom sets the alarm, she already falls asleep, still not feeling warm.

Regina sets her alarm at the correct time and then takes Emma close to her body to warm her up. She softly strokes her hair.

Emma smiles in her sleep and her body stopped shaking.

Regina keeps stroking her hair until the alarm goes off.

Emma startles when the alarm goes off and she feels her mother is stroking her hair. "Did you even sleep?" Emma mumbles, yawning.

"No." Regina answers honestly. "I loved watching you sleep so... peacefully." She smiles and strokes Emma's hair out of her face.

Emma smiles, "but aren't you tired now?" she whispers, looking up at her mom.

"I am, but just a little bit. Let's go get Robin and call Snow to go out for dinner before we head over to the musical. What do you say?" Regina smiles.

"Yeah," Emma says stretching her legs, "do they have a restaurant at the hotel?" She doesn't feel like putting out her pajamas and she has to if they go to a restaurant in the city.

"They have. Do you want to eat at the hotel? That's alright. Do you want to tell Robin? I'll call Snow White." Regina picks up her cellphone and calls her eldest daughter.

"Hey," Snow says when she sees Regina's number in her display and takes up the phone.

"Snow? Emma wants to eat at the hotel. Are you joining us?" Regina asks with a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah," Snow says, "I'll be there in 10 minutes".

"I like that. See you in 10." Regina puts down her phone and walks over to Robin and Emma to tell them the news.

"Great," they both say and Robin gets himself dressed. Emma just makes a braid in her hair and waits for the rest to be ready.

The three of them walk downstairs and meet Snow in the lobby.

Snow smiles when she sees Emma, "so that's why you wanted to have dinner at the hotel." Emma laughs and they sit down at a table.

"I just need to use the bathroom for a second. I'll be right with you all." Regina gives Robin a kiss and then heads over to the bathroom downstairs.

"Ow okay," Robin says, not knowing what this means. Maybe she just really needs to go... He hopes so.

Regina really needs to use the bathroom. She uses the toilet and then washes her hands. She wants to step out of the bathroom but someone doesn't let her.

"Regina!" The Black Fairy says, "what a coincidence. I just wanted to make a deal with you." She smiles.

Regina flinches away from her. "What deal?" she asks softly.

"Do you still want to break out Friday-you're-mine deal?" The Black Fairy says.

"Yes." Regina whispers. She looks down. "What do you want?"

"That little thing inside you," she whispers.

"W...What do you mean?" Regina doesn't understand. Why would The Black Fairy want her baby?

"You know what I mean," the Black Fairy says, "I want your baby."

"Why?"

"Because that little thing inside you has a huge amount of power," she says, "Leopold told what happened, and I know it protected itself, never seen something like that before."

"You're not getting my baby." Regina whispers.

"I'll get it, that's for sure," the Black Fairy says, "but how I get it... That's up to you."

"No." Regina says now. "NO!"

"I'm not joking," the Black Fairy says, "we both know your baby is better if with me. It will develop its power with me, zo your little kit will be the most powerful wizard of all. If it stays with you, it will be noting more than a weak creature."

Regina slams The Black Fairy in her face without thinking of the consequences. "I hate you!"

The Black Fairy laughs, "what a surprise," she says, pushing Regina to the wall with her magic.

Regina gasps for air. She startles when the door to the bathroom opens and Leopold walks inside.

"This is the lady's bathroom, let's take this somewhere else," she grins and she poofs the three if them away, just before Snow comes to the bathroom to check if Regina is okay.

Regina immediately crawls away from Leopold and The Black Fairy, wherever they may land.

The Black Fairy immediately pulls Regina towards her with her magic. "Do we have a deal?" she whispers with a grin.

"No." Regina whispers.

"Right," the Black Fairy says, "as you wish. Have fun you two." She smiles and poofs away, leaving Regina and Leopold in a small locked room. In the corner stands a bed and there is a closet against the wall.

Regina crawls away. "No. No, please." she begs.

"Yes yes of course," Leopold says, walking closer to her.

Regina makes herself as small as possible in a corner of the room.

Leopold grabs her arm and makes her stand up. "Hiding you're so won't help you," he whispers in her ear.

Regina flinches when she feels Leopold's warm breath on her body. "Please, don't hurt me." she begs softly.

"There was a time we both enjoyed this," Leopold whispers with a grin, "let's get that time back and have some fun together." He softly pushes out her shirt.

Regina crawls away again.

"Get up," Leopold snaps, "get up now!"

"Please." Regina begs. But she gets up as well. She's too scared.

"Lets enjoy this together," he whispers, slowly undressing her.

Regina stands almost frozen in front of him. "When do you stop?" she whispers.

"I don't know," Leopold whispers and he stops moving, "until I find something that's better than this, truer than this."

Regina just looks at him when he's done undressing her.

Leopold slowly kisses Regina. Everytime he kisses her he hopes he will feel something like love, but he never does...

Regina lets him kiss her. She softly kisses him back because she doesn't want to make him angry.

Leopold smiles when she kisses him back and just kisses her again, slowly undressing himself too.

Regina flinches when their naked bodies touch. "I... I don't want to. Please." she tries to beg.

"Why not?" he whispers.

"I don't like it. Please. I'm with Robin. We're getting a baby."

Leopold hesitates and just stands still. "Why don't you want to have a baby with me? A baby that will become a king? Or a Queen?"

"Because I don't." Regina snaps.

Leopold did want to leave her alone this time, but when Regina snaps at him he gets angry again. "You lead this time," he snaps and he pushes her on the bed.

"Never!"

"Do it!" Leopold shouts.

"No!" Regina shouts back. She thinks to herself, to The Black Fairy, why she does this.

Leopold hates this, he hates it that Regina doesn't do what he says. He moves his hands to her hips and tells her one more time, "do it."

Regina flinches from his touch. "Never."

Then Leopold slips inside her and kisses her as heavily as he can. He pushes his hands on her throat and pins his nails in her skin.

Regina moans of pain. She leans against the wall when Leopold takes her without her consent.

Leopold grins, "changed you mind already?" he whispers in her ear.

"P.lease." Regina begs softly. "I... I can't anymore. I'm so tired. Let me go, please."

"Never," Leopold says, and he goes on... And on... And on...

Regina puts her arms around his neck to be able to stand upright while he goes on. She leans her head on his shoulder.

Leopold smiles and jets her lean on him. He likes her like this, helpless and weak. He softly stokes her cheek.

Regina leans into his touch. She's exhausted. Her legs can't hold her much longer.

"You like this don't you," he whispers. He doesn't stop, he will never stop. He makes sure Regina keeps standing, because he doesn't give her the pleasure of sitting.

She doesn't answer. She just keeps leaning on Leopold.

Leopold now looks into her eyes, wiping her hair from her face. "What do you see in that thief of yours?" he whispers.

"I love him. True love." Regina mumbles.

"Why?" he says, "what does he have to offer?"

"He makes me happy." Regina can barely keep her eyes open.

"Don't go away now!" Leopold snaps, but he feels Regina's body becoming heavier, "how? How does he make you happy?"

"He's Robin. He's sweet. He loves me." Regina coughs up blood now. "Please."

Leopold just lets Regina go, so she falls down on the ground. He gives her a kick and looks at her, blood covering the ground.

Regina doesn't even try to protect her body. They broke her.

"Love won't protect you," Leopold says, kicking Regina again. "Love is weakness."

Regina doesn't react.

"Silence?" Leopold says, "fine." He makes sure he kicks her very very hard in her stomach and although he knows it won't hurt the baby, he knows it will hurt Regina.

Regina coughs up blood again.

Leopold grins when he sees her bleed and goes on. He wants to see her unconscious, the prove that he has won... Again.

After a little while Regina closes her eyes.

Leopold hits her now. He wants to be sure she is of this world.

Regina doesn't react. She has lost conscience.

Leopold just unlocks the door, walks out and leaves Regina alone. He locks the door again and hits the wall, he is still very angry.

Regina doesn't wake up for a long time. The first thing she remembers is when someone tries to wake her up.

"Regina?" The Black Fairy grins, "I know you're awake."

Regina just looks up. She flinches when she sees The Black Fairy so close.

"Good girl," she says, "how was your sleep?"

Regina doesn't answer. She's too scared to speak.

"I see," she says, "I take that as a yes." She smiles. "Want some tea?"

Regina shakes her head in denial.

"All right," she says and she gets some for herself.

"Please." Regina whispers softly. "Can I go home?"

"Why would you want that," the Black Fairy says. "Emma didn't seem very happy when you didn't show up for your night out."

Regina crawls away now.

"You're always so afraid," the Balck Fairy grins, "why is that? I mean, you were powerful... Once".

Regina shows the magical bracelet The Black Fairy put on her wrist. "No more magic." she whispers. "Can I go home? Please?"

"Don't say it because of your magic," the Black Fairy says, "with magic you're just as frightened."

"Please." Regina whispers again. "I'll be a good girl. I promise."

"Are you still that good girl when I ask you to give me your baby?" The Black Fairy says, looking at Regina with a smile.

Regina slowly shakes her head. "No." she whispers. "Not giving my baby."


	18. Experiments

Regina slowly shakes her head. "No." she whispers. "Not giving my baby." 

"You see... Not a good girl at all," the Balck Fairy says, "I give you one last chance to be one, or I will make you one." She walks closer to Regina and looks her into her eyes, "now tell me that I will get the baby."

Regina slowly shakes her head in denial again. "No."

The Black Fairy now rips Regina's heart out and crushes it a little. "Get up," she says.

Regina gasps for air when The Black Fairy squeezes in her heart. She gets up.

"Good girl," the Black Fairy says, "now get on your knees and bow for me."

Regina does what she has been told. Tears stream down her face. "Whatever you do, you'll never get my baby." she whispers with a harsh voice.

"I won't be so sure about that," the Black Fairy grins, "tell Leopold you will do whatever he wants and then do what he wants." She winks and lets Leopold come in.

"I will do whatever you want me to." Regina whispers, still bowing for The Black Fairy.

"Ow I like that," Leopold says and he takes her arm, "kiss me," he whispers.

Regina kisses Leopold until she feels she can stop.

"How wonderful," Leopold whispers looking at the Black Fairy. They both grin and Leopold leads Regina to the little room again. "This is going to be so much fun," he says with a smile.

Regina just looks at him.

"Now you will lead," he whispers, pushing out her shirt again.

Regina undresses Leopold as well. She then lets him undress her completely. "Please." she begs softly. "

"You heard what I said," he whispers and he pushes her onto the bed, "do it."

Regina takes the lead. She kisses Leopold, touches his body and lets him slip inside of her. She looks up at The Black Fairy who followed them into the little room. Her eyes beg her to stop.

"Enough," the Black Fairy says and she tells Leopold to leave the room.   
"Get dressed," she says to the heart, while she lets a mirror appear on the wall.

Regina looks at the clothes The Black Fairy conjured up.

"Put them on," the Black Fairy says, "I'm not asking it again."   
She makes Emma appear in the mirror, she is crying in Robin's arms. "Looks like you hurt someone too today," the Black Fairy grins.

Regina puts the clothes on. Tears steam down her face. "Please. Let me go home. I beg you." she softly cries.

The Black Fairy turns the mirror to Emma again, now she is sitting in the window still and looks outside to the moon and the city lights. Tears stream down her face. "It seems she can use her mother right now," The Black Fairy says with a laugh.

"Please!" Regina shouts out. She sinks to the ground. "Please." she cries again.

"Hmmm..." The Black Fairy mumbles. She grins and pushes Regina's heart back in her chest. "Good luck with her," she says, "and o yes... I wanted to tell you, she hasn't eaten something this whole day, maybe you should tell her. I'm sure that will make her happy." The Black Fairy laughs very hard and poofs Regina to the room where Emma is sitting alone. She doesn't see that her mother appeared.

Regina crawls away into the farrest corner of the room. She makes herself small and almost invisible.

Emma hears something and looks into the room, frightened. "Is someone there? Robin?" she whispers, but then she sees her mother sitting in the corner. It looks like there is nothing left of her mom, she is making herself so small...   
Emma just looks at her and doesn't say a thing.

Regina doesn't dare to look up. Her body shakes and she coughs up blood. But in her mind she isn't here. She's gone.

"Mom?" Emma whispers.

Regina doesn't look up. She doesn't even hear Emma.

Emma softly starts to cry and walks to her mother. She carefully grabs her mothers hand to see if she will react.

Regina flinches away. She doesn't like being touched. She doesn't realise it's her youngest daughter in front of her.

Emma startles and pulls her hand away. "You're bleeding," Emma says, seeing the blood in her mothers lips, "shall I get Robin?"

Regina still doesn't look up.

Emma gets Robin, who sits down on his knees in front of Regina. Emma keeps her distance and looks at them while she is sitting on the bed. Her chin leaning on her knees.   
"Regina are you here?" Robin asks, trying to get contact.

Regina doesn't acknowledge the fact that Robin is with her.

"It's me Robin," he says and now tries to make eye contact, but her eyes are hidden. He very touches her arm very softly.

Regina startles but looks up. "Good girl." she whispers, very soft.

"There you are," Robin whispers. When Regina says those words he immediately knows what happened. "They're gone."

"No giving my baby. No giving it." Regina tries to crawl away even further but that isn't possible because she already pressed herself tight against the walls of her corner.

"You don't have to give it away, your back now. You're safe." Robin tries and he hopes he will reach her.

Regina turns inwards again. She doesn't want to be here. She should have been here for Emma. She's too late and she isn't able to face that fact.

"Please look at me Regina," Robin says, "it's all right again."

Regina doesn't react any longer.

"Emma," Robin says, turning towards her, "maybe it's better for you to go to Snow now."   
Emma shakes her head and stays where she is. Just like her mother, Robin thinks and he can't help but smile a little.   
"Regina we're here for you," he tries one more time, "please come to us."

Regina remains gone in her head.

"Regina please," Robin says with a sigh, "I just don't want to call an ambulance, because I know you don't like that. But you really need to come back now..."

No reaction.

Robin closes his eyes for a moment and then picks up his phone from the other room and calls dr. Anderson. She tells him to call and ambulance too, so that what he does.   
In the meantime Emma stares at her mom, as of she is figuring out what happened.

Regina is very far away. She doesn't react until the boys from the ambulance enter her hotel room.

Dr. Anderson is with them and tells them to be careful. The men lift Regina on a stretcher very carefully, although it's very hard to get her up.

Regina tries to fight her way out of their arms. "No! NO!"

The men don't let her go and make sure she will stay on the stretcher by attaching a belt to it. While dr. Anderson is helping the men, Robin brings Emma to Snow. He doesn't want her to see this.

Regina's screams go through bone and marrow. "NO! Not giving my baby! NO!"

"Regina you don't have to," Dr. Anderson says, "there is no need to fight, we won't hurt you."

Regina hears a familiar voice. She tries to focus but she's so scared, being in the present, she immediately retreats in her head again.

Now Regina stopped screaming they ride her out of the hotel. Robin joins them and together with dr. Anderson he gets to the hospital too. The men lay her down on a bed and attach the belts again, making sure she won't run away. One of the men stays in the room to see if she needs medicines or something. Dr. Anderson and Robin sit down next to her bed.

Regina pulls at the belts. Her eyes are filled with panic, being this strapped down and not being able to flee.

"It's okay, it's okay," dr. Anderson says quickly, "when we are sure you won't fight anymore and that you won't run away, we will remove them, I promise. Try to calm down."

Regina keeps pulling at the belts on her wrists and ankles. She screams something incomprehensible. "NO! Not giving my baby! NO! NO! NO!"

"Sshhtt," Robin whispers while stroking her hair, "no one is getting your baby."

Regina flinches away with her head with that kind of contact. "Good girl. I'll be a good girl." she whispers, before retreating back in her head.

"Please," Robin whispers, "please come back to me." He is really desperate.

Regina tries to focus on his voice.

Robin really doesn't know what to do anymore, so he keeps silent. Just looking at Regina. Her slipping away seems to get worse everytime it happens.

When Robin remains silent, Regina slips away again.

"No don't go," Robin whispers when he sees Regina go again. He starts to tell a story. "Once upon a time there was a boy..."

Regina listens to this familiar voice. Her hand opens and closes, again and again, as a sign she wants someone to hold her hand. She moans out of fear.

Robin goes on with his story. After a while he sees Regina's hand and holds it. He smiles, "I love you," he whispers.

Regina doesn't react but doesn't let go of his hand either.

"You want me to go on?" Robin whispers.

Regina starts to drift away again when Robin stops telling his story.

"The boy found love," Robin goes on, "a wonderful girl. They got a child together and were happy, but someone showed up and ruined it. That person killed his wife and his son." He still hold Regina's hand. "He thought he wouldn't find love again, but then he met this beautiful, kind woman, that changed his life. She made him believe again. She showed him that even the darkest souls store love and that there is light everywhere, even in the darkest times."

Regina lets go of his hand. She knows she's the one who killed Marian and his son. She slips further away. "I'll be a good girl now. I promise. No more killing. No more torture. Good girl, Regina, good girl."

"You only think about the negative things," Robin says, "that's not necessary, Regina, you've always been a special girl. And... You don't always have to be good." He grabs her hand again.

Regina flinches. She pulls at the belts again. "Please!" she screams now.

"You need to calm down," dr. Anderson now says, "we will release you I promise, but you need to promise you stay in this bed okay?"

Regina pulls again. She slips away again, back to oblivion, back to a place in her head where she isn't hurting, isn't strapped down.

Robin feels tears coming up. He isn't able to talk for a while and opens the window to get some fresh air.   
Dr. Anderson softly holds Regina's hand, but she is completely gone... not on this world anymore. She hopes Regina will fall asleep somehow and wake up as herself again, but she knows they need a miracle for that.

Regina feels the fresh air on her skin. She looks up to the window, to Robin. She didn't feel any fresh air when she was with Leopold and Fiona. It feels good. Regina relaxes a bit.

Robin looks at her, and he feels relieved that Regina is a bit more relaxed. Dr. Anderson smiles and she detaches the belts from her feet.

Regina looks up to Dr. Anderson now. She doesn't remember who this woman is, but she's removing the belts so she must be someone good.

Dr. Anderson removes on belt from her arm. "Do you promise me you won't run away?" she asks before she removes the last one.

Regina just looks and doesn't answer. She's slipping away again.

"Don't go," dr. Anderson says. She softly stokes Regina's arm. "You can do this."

Regina flinches again but manages to stay calm. "I won't run." she whispers.

Dr. Anderson smiles and removes the last belt.

As fast as a thunderbolt Regina crawls away to the head of her bed. She stays in bed though.

Dr. Anderson and Robin sit down next to her again.

Regina protects her stomach. "No taking my baby away." she whispers. "No taking it away from me."

"We won't take it away from you," dr. Anderson says, "we'll never do that."

Regina leans her head on her knees and starts to drift off again. She hears Fiona.

"Regina, we really want you to stay with us."

Regina doesn't feel safe. She wants to get off the bed to hide in a corner.

Dr. Anderson sees Regina has the intention to go and she carefully grabs her hand. "Don't," she whispers.

Regina pulls her hand back. "The Lion King." she mumbles softly. "I missed it. I missed it." She looks around, disoriented.

"You did, but that's not important right now," dr. Anderson whispers, immediately grabbing her hand again. She is not going anywhere.

"Emma. Emma. Emma." Regina keeps whispering.

"She is with Snow," Robin only says.

Regina keeps repeating Emma's name.

"Regina," dr. Anderson whispers, "she'll be okay, really there is nothing to worry about."

"EMMA!"

"It's okay, it's okay," Robin says, holding Regina's other hand. "Everything will be okay."

Regina flinches away. She tries to get off her bed again.

"Please don't do that Regina," dr. Anderson says, looking at Robin, so he will hold her hand tightly. She holds Regina's other hand.

Regina slips away immediately. She doesn't feel safe anymore and retreats back in her mind to a safe space.

Robin strokes Regina's hair, wiping away his tears. "Maybe we should ask if Emma wants to come," Robin says to dr. Anderson.

Regina curls up on the bed and doesn't react any longer. She needs to feel safe and she doesn't feel that way right now. Why is everyone keeping her pinned down? She doesn't understand.

Dr. Anderson shakes her head.   
Robin and dr. Anderson softly let go of Regina's hands to see if she will stay.

Regina keeps curled up on bed. She doesn't even notice nobody is holding her any longer.

"What do we do?" Robin whispers to dr. Anderson.   
"Maybe we need to give her some space," she answers, so they remain silent just watching over Regina.

Regina thinks she is safe in her own mind, her own little world, but soon someone sneaks into her head.

The Black Fairy lets out a very loud laugh in Regina's mind. "Welcome," she whispers.

Regina remains silent and curled up, inside her own mind.

"Regina? Can you please come back?" Robin says. He can't be silent anymore, it's unbearable. He sees doctors coming.

Regina keeps staying in the safe space in her mind. Her safe little world, which isn't so safe any longer now The Black Fairy has infiltrated.

"Let's talk about how you let Emma down... Again," the Black Fairy whispers in Regina's ear. 

The doctors come and prepare a medicine of which they think it will calm Regina down.

Out of the corner of her eye Regina notices someone holding a needle in his hand. Her eyes show the panic she's feeling now.

"We don't have to give you that," dr. Anderson whispers, "please come back, we won't do anything if you just come back to us."

"E...E.m.." Regina tries to mumble.

"You'll see her again," dr. Anderson whispers, "look at me and focus."

Regina's eyes search for those of dr. Anderson.

"Yes you're almost there," she says, "I'm here for you."

Regina coughs up a bit of blood. Her body is exhausted.

Robin wipes away the blood while dr. Anderson tries to het Regina back. "You can relax, we'll watch over you."

Regina almost panics again when one of the doctors steps closer towards her.

Dr. Anderson holds the doctor off, "wait, please," she whispers to the doctor, "she is almost there."   
"I promise you they won't do anything if you come back," she whispers to Regina now.

Regina very slowly nodds.

"Great," dr. Anderson says, not wanting to say 'good' because it might trigger something.   
"You can see me now, can't you?" she smiles.

Regina nodds again, very slowly. "Yes." she whispers.

"I'm happy to hear that," dr. Anderson whispers, "will you stay with me?"

Regina doubts for just a second but then agrees with a soft 'yes'.

Dr. Anderson smiles. "Try to relax a bit now. As I said, we're here to watch over you."

Regina just keeps looking at dr. Anderson. After a while she mumbles Robin's name.

"He is here," dr. Anderson says, "on the other side of you."

Regina slowly turns her head. She looks at Robin now. "The Lion King." she whispers.

"Don't think about that right now," Robin whispers, not wanting to trigger something.

Regina slowly nodds. After a while she falls asleep. She's exhausted. When she wakes up again, she feels disoriented. She doesn't know where she is.

Only dr. Anderson is still in the room when Regina wakes up. She lets Regina look around a bit, so she remembers where she is.

When Regina notices only dr. Anderson is with her, she relaxes a bit. "Robin?" she whispers softly.

"He had to go for a while," dr. Anderson says with a smile. Snow had called him...

"They want me broken. Leopold and The Black Fairy. They want me broken." Regina whispers.

"I know," dr. Anderson says, "but you're stronger than they are. You've come back every time again and you've shown them they don't own you."

"But they do. They do now." Regina whispers. She sighs and curls up, slipping away again.

"But you're here," dr. Anderson says, "I know you're here. You don't have to flee."

"They are calling me. I need to answer." Regina just whispers before listening to the voices in her head.

"Do you think this was the worst we can do to you?" The Black Fairy whispers in Regina's head, "we're planning tot do something even better." She laughs, "we were just warming up."

"But I'm calling you too," dr. Anderson says, turning Regina's eyes towards her.

"I'll be a good girl. I promise." Regina thinks to The Black Fairy. "When do you want me to come?" She doesn't hear dr. Anderson any longer.

"I'm happy to hear that Regina," the Black Fairy whispers, "tonight? What do you think?"

"Tonight. I... I don't have magic so you need to come and get me." Regina thinks back. Her body stiffens with just the idea of being back with Leopold and Fiona but Regina knows she needs to be a good girl, because she doesn't want to get hurt again.

"That won't be a problem," the Black Fairy says, "I know you would be a good girl." She laughs. "I see the doctors are coming with the medicine again, good luck... See you at midnight."   
The Black Fairy disappears and a needle is pushed into Regina's arm.

Regina lets out a loud scream. "NO! You promised! YOU PROMISED!"

"Get it out!" Dr. Anderson says to the doctor when she sees Regina is coming back again. The medicine isn't inside her yet.  
"I know I promised I wouldn't do this if you stayed with me," dr. Anderson says, "but you slipped away."

"I did not!" Regina shouts.

"You didn't react," dr. Anderson says, "but you're back now, and we won't give you the medicine."

"You promised. You promised." Regina starts to cry now.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were gone," dr. Anderson says, softly stroking the top of Regina's hand and wiping her tears away with a handkerchief.

Regina flinches away. "Don't be nice to me. I have to be back with them tonight. I can't have it if you're being nice to me. It will hurt too much when I'm gone."

"You... You're going back to them?" Dr. Anderson says, "but what do you want me to do then?"

"I need that bracelet off me." Regina mumbles. "I need my magic back."

"How can I do that? I don't have magic..."

Regina sighs and turns away. "I need to go or they will take my baby. I can't let that happen."

"But I don't understand," dr. Anderson says, "they can't take your baby, it isn't even born yet."

"She can do anything!" Regina snaps. "Don't you see? She can take my baby whenever she wants, born or not."

"I'm so sorry," dr. Anderson whispers, "I wish I could do something."

"You can't." Regina whispers. "I need to do this on my own." The rest of the day Regina sleeps to regain some strength. Then the clock strikes 12 at midnight.

"Hello there," the Black Fairy says with a wink, when she appears in Regina's room. She poofs them away to her place.

Regina looks up at The Black Fairy.

The Black Fairy smiles, "I found something you can help me with," she says, "are you willing to help me?"   
Leopold walks inside.

"Yes." Regina whispers softly. She flinches when she sees Leopold.

"Good girl," Fiona says, "I need you to test this potion for me." She hands the potion over to Regina, "just drink it and I'll see if it worked." She grins, knowing it will hurt.

"It won't hurt my baby?" Regina asks softly, taking the potion in her hands.

"No it won't hurt your baby," Fiona says with a grin.

Regina drinks the potion. At first nothing happens but after a couple of minutes it feels like she's getting drowned from the inside out. Her lunges hurt and she gasps for air. She sinks down to the ground.

"I think this one worked," Fiona says, "this was just what I expected it to do." She lets Regina struggle, because she knows only her magic can stop this. "Does this feel good?"

"Pl...ease." Regina begs.

Fiona laughs and stops the drowning. "That was fun," she says, "now the real work can begin." She lets another potion appear in her hand.

Regina drinks the next potion. It feels like knifes get pushed into her body. She screams of pain again.

"It's spreading," the Black Fairy says, "breaking every boundary your body contains." She smiles and walks closes to Regina, "lay down at the table." She orders Regina,

Regina stumbles to the table. "Please!" she screams. "It hurts!"

"I know," the Black Fairy says, "that means that it is working. Now lay down!"

Regina quickly lays down.

"I like it when you're such a good girl," the Black Fairy says and she walks towards the table, on which Regina is lying.   
She lays her hand down on Regina's belly. "Now don't move," she says and she pushes her hand in Regina's stomach and rips the heart of Regina's baby out.   
She holds the little heart in her hand and looks at it.

Regina screams her lungs out. "NO! NO! NO!"

"Calm down," the Black Fairy says, annoyed. She sighs and picks up a small box. She places the heart in it. "I'll just store it here until it's born. Then I'll take the body."

"NO! Please!" Regina screams. "I beg you! Please! Don't take my baby! Please!"

"You rather want to give Emma to me then?" Fiona grins, "I don't think so. I'll take the baby,"

Regina curls up and wants to slip away in her head, slip away to never come back. But Fiona and Leopold think otherwise.

"Don't you dare to curl up and slip away like that," Fiona says, "or do you need Leopold to wake you up?"   
Leopold already comes closer.

Regina doesn't react. She's almost gone completely.

"Come back!" Fiona says and she slams Regina in her face, not feeling like using magic... Just not worth it.

Regina startles. "Please." she begs softly. "Give me back my baby's heart. Please. I'll be such a good girl. Don't do this, please."

"Why would I give you that heart back?" Fiona laughs, "just because you say please? Well... No."

Regina jumps down off the table and, despite the pain, stands close before Fiona now. "You have no idea who you're dealing with." she whispers with danger in her voice.

"O don't I..." Fiona says, "you make me curious! Surprise me then." She throws Regina on the table with her magic and ties up her hands with magical robes.

"You don't want to mess with me, Fiona." Regina warns. "But you're clearly afraid of my power, otherwise you wouldn't have put that bracelet on me."

"Where did you get all this courage all of a sudden," Fiona laughs. "And I'm not afraid of your magic, I just wanted to make it a bit easier for myself."

"That's weak." Regina laughs. "You're just afraid."

"Be careful with what you're saying, Regina," Fiona says, tightening the robes, "you know what I'm capable of."

"Weak!" Regina screams now.

"How lovely will it be to see Emma when some years have passed," the Black Fairy says with a smile. She holds her hand up, letting Regina know that with one twist of her hand, she can let the time go faster.

Regina immediately stays silent. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"You should be," Fiona says.

Regina nodds. "What can I do to make it right?"

"You could stop crying about your child, because it will be mine. No matter what," the Black Fairy says.

Regina slowly nodds. "Yes." she whispers.

"Good girl," the Black Fairy says, "very good girl. Now relax a bit, I have some more potions to test."

Regina nodds again.

The Black Fairy makes a potion appear in her hand. "Take this."

Regina takes in the dark potion. It makes her close her eyes, see memories from a long time ago when she was just married to Leopold and feel all of his tortures all at once. Regina screams of pain.

"Very well," Fiona laughs. She looks at Leopold, "you did a good job," she says and Leopold laughs with her.

"P.Please. How much longer?" Regina whispers.

"A little while," Fiona says and she leaves the room with Leopold.

Regina falls down off the table and stumbles to the little box, containing her baby's heart.

Fiona comes back and opens the door.

Regina is just holding the heart of her little bean in her hands.

"Put it back," Fiona says and she walks to Regina.

"Please. Please, Fiona." Regina turns towards The Black Fairy with tears in her eyes. "Don't you have a soul?"

"I do have a soul," Fiona says, "a dark soul."

Regina takes a step back. "I... I beg you, Fiona." Regina sinks down to the ground and bows her head. "Let me put the heart back. I beg you."

"It won't change a thing," Fiona says, "I need your child..." She walks away to the table and sits down on it. "You can the heart back, go ahead," she whispers then.

Regina quickly puts her baby's heart back where it belongs. She keeps sitting on the floor, her head bowed for The Black Fairy. "Thank you." she whispers softly.

"I can see you're very grateful," Fiona says, "how was the potion?" She wants to change the subject, she hates it when people thank her. Then it feels like she is some kind of hero...

"Mental pain. A lot, a lot of mental pain." Regina just whispers.

"Great, take some more," she says and she throws the bottle to Regina.

Regina listens obediently and drinks the potion. She screams again.

"Wonderful," says Fiona, but she sounds annoyed, "but not useful... Try this one." She throws another bottle to Regina.

Regina drinks the next potion.

"Now come here and let me check if it worked," Fiona says. She still sits in the table and point at a spot right in front of her.

Slowly Regina gets up and stands right in front of The Black Fairy.

The Black Fairy rips Regina's heart out and lets a heart from one of her victims appear in her hand. She pushes the other heart (of a girl she just killed) into Regina's chest and looks what happens.

Regina's body starts to shake. She gasps for air.

Fiona gets a bit angry, why doesn't it work like she wants it to... She doesn't do anything hoping after a while, it will turn out like she wants it.

Regina's eyes start to turn away. She drops down to the ground. She coughs up blood and it also drips down her nose. She grabs her chest, on the place where her heart should be.

Fiona rips the wrong heart out again and pushes Regina's own heart back in her chest. She is filled with rage. "Why didn't it work?" she snaps.

Regina takes deep breaths of air. "You... You can't use the heart of someone who's dead and put it into a living person. It doesn't work."

"The potion was supposed to make that work," Fiona says slamming her hand on the table. "Drink it again. More this time. I'll just try again."

"I'm telling you it won't work!" Regina snaps. "The dead are supposed to stay dead."

"Shut up!" Fiona shouts, "I will find a way to bring back the dead, I'll never stop trying! Now drink it!"

"You'll kill me if you go on like this!"

"I don't care," Fiona snaps, "I don't care how many people die. I will succeed."

Regina drinks the potion, the whole bottle this time. She looks at Fiona.

Fiona rips out Regina's heart again and places the other heart in her chest.

Immediately Regina's body doesn't approve of the strange heart.

Fiona replaces the heart again. "I don't get it, I broke the boundaries inside you, I gave you this potion... It should have worked." Out if anger she throws Regina against the wall with her magic and keeps her pinned up.

Regina moans out of pain. "Please!"

"O no, you will suffer for this," Fiona says and she starts to choke her. Leopold comes back in and grins.

"It's not my fault your magic sucks!"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Fiona snaps and she is ready to twist her hand and and make time go faster. She chokes Regina even harder and knows she has to drop Regina to have enough magic to change the time.

"N.oo..." Regina whispers now. "D.on't... D..on't.. Please. Please!"

"Too late!" The Black Fairy snaps and she drops Regina and makes the twist with her hand. She lets one month pass. "Now stay a good girl or this month will become a year!"

Regina curls up on the ground. "Please. Let me go. Let me go to Emma and Snow." she begs softly.

"Have fun!" The Black Fairy snaps, "but don't think our meetings are over!"   
She poofs Regina to Storybrooke.

Regina reappears in her home in Storybrooke. She crawls immediately away in her closet in her bedroom.

Nobody knows Regina is in her closet, Robin gets into the room a few times but never opens the closet... Why would he...

Regina softly starts to cry. She curls up inside her closet and puts her arms around her belly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.


	19. The Black Fairy

The night Regina disappeared Emma had run away again. Snow couldn't stop her and called Robin, who went after her. He found Emma, when she had drunk far to much alcohol. He carried her to the hotel, while Emma was fighting back.  
When Regina didn't return after a day, Robin drove Snow and Emma home, because Snow had to go to work and Emma had to go to school. Robin came back to Boston, but Regina wasn't there. After two days he went back to Storybrooke too to look after Emma, because Snow had called him that she couldn't handle Emma anymore.  
Robin took Emma in and together they stayed in Regina's mansion. Emma was devastated, but Robin managed to stop her from drinking and going to parties. Emma followed his words, while she kept repeating her mothers words in her mind. That's he was strong and that she could stand up against Anna. She kept believing, although it was hard. The people in school either laughed at her or looked at her as if she was some kind of monster.  
The loneliness was almost unbearable, but she found something to make her forget everything: reading. She discovered that while reading she forgot that she had no friends and that she stopped missing her mother for a while.  
She read every book Regina owned (and that seemed nice to read) and when Robin told her that there was a library in Storybrooke her book obsession became bigger. During every lunch break and everyday after school she was reading... Also because she didn't really have something better to do...  
She even became friends with the woman in the library, Belle. Belle really knows a lot and she told Emma all kind of stories. Once she told Emma a story about magic.   
From that moment Emma started to study magic together with Belle and in secret Emma tried to find out how she could defeat the Black Fairy. Sometimes she even went to her mother's vault to browse through her spell books and look for ingredients.  
Anna doesn't make this things easy for her, but she gets trough it with a little help from Robin and Belle.  
Dr. Anderson still calls everyday to hear if Regina came back already. She also has sessions with Emma.  
Snow keeps on teaching, just like she always did. And although David and her work with the kids make her happy, she isn't really the happy person she always was.  
Now one month has past and Regina still isn't back.   
But today, when Robin is walking into Regina's room, he hears something. A soft voice coming out of the closet.  
He opens the doors and sees Regina. He looks at her. "Regina you're back," he whispers with tears in his eyes. He sits down beside her.

Regina flinches away. "Emma." She keeps repeating her youngest daughter's name. "Emma. Emma. Emma." Regina can't stop crying. She doesn't allow any kind of touch from Robin. She just wants her youngest daughter with her. "The Lion King. I missed it. I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina mumbles. She keeps talking as if Emma is with her. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I left. Again. She made time go faster. I wanted to stop her. I'm so sorry I couldn't. I'm so sorry. I'm a bad mother. You are right to hate me. I'm a bad mother. Bad mother, Regina!"

"Regina," Robin starts. He wants to hug her so badly, because he missed her so much. "We can go and see her, but not like this. If you calm down, we'll go to her room." He reaches out his hand, hoping Regina will take it.

Regina takes his hand and nodds. Together they walk over to Emma's room. Regina lets Robin knock on the door and open it. Standing in the doorway, not moving an inch, Regina just looks at her daughter.

"I'm not hungry," Emma says, thinking Robin came in to pick her up for dinner. When she doesn't get a reaction, she looks up and sees her mom. She doesn't say something, she just looks. She feels hurt, but also happy.

Regina keeps staring at Emma. When Emma doesn't do a thing, Regina takes a step back, ready to go away.

Robin pushes Regina a bit forwards. "You can't flee from this," he whispers.

Regina flinches away from his touch. She looks at Emma again. "Emma." she whispers, so softly. "I... I..." Regina breaks down and starts to cry.

Emma turns her face away, she feels tears coming up too. She stares out of the window and lays her arms around her knees.

Carefully Regina walks closer towards Emma. "I... I'm sorry. I... I couldn't stop her."

"I know," Emma says, still not looking at her mother, "but... Sorry doesn't change a thing." Tears roll down her cheeks.

Regina remains silent now. She doesn't know what to say or do.

Emma hides herself under her blankets. "I'm tired," she whispers, "I want to sleep. Bye."

Regina quickly turns around and walks past Robin back to her room. She wants to hide back in her closet.

Robin says a few words to Emma and then closes the door. He walks to Regina and stops her from hiding. "You don't need to hide from this," he says, looking Regina into her eyes.

Regina flinches away from his touch again.

"Maybe you should lie down and rest a bit," Robin says, sitting down on the bed.

Regina silently lies down on her bed, away from Robin. She curls up and makes herself small.

Robin lays the blankets on her body and then lies down next to her, just looking at her, even though he can't see her eyes.

Regina turns around so she can see Robin. "I don't want to wake up anymore." she whispers. "I'm so tired."

"Then wake up for me, and for Emma," Robin whispers, "because we love you and we know this too will pass, even though you don't believe it."

"She will never let me go. She will keep torturing me. Leopold as well. And Emma... I keep disappointing her. It's better for everyone if I'm just gone." Regina softly starts to cry.

"It's not," Robin whispers, "do you remember what you told Aurora... you're too young and to precious to go. We love you." He softly takes her in his arms, hoping she will accept him.

Regina's body stiffens but she doesn't pull away. "He hurt me again." she very softly whispers, hoping Robin knows who she's talking about.

"Is he with her now?" Robin whispers and he kisses her forehead, "do you want to talk about it?"

Regina flinches again, but still doesn't pull away. "Dr. Anderson. I... I want to talk to her. Is.. Is that... Alright? You... You can stay with me, but... Please?"

"Okay," Robin whispers. he lets Regina go and grabs his phone from the nightstand. He calls dr. Anderson.

In the meantime Regina realizes something. She quickly walks over to Emma's bedroom, knocks on the door and walks in. "Emma? I... I know you're very angry and disappointed in me and you have every right to be. But... Do you want to try to take that bracelet off of me again?"

Emma turns around and looks at her mom. She opens her hand without saying something, so her mom can lay her wrist in it.

Regina puts her wrist in Emma's hand.

Emma takes off the bracelet and holds it in her hand. "Can I keep it?" she whispers.

"Yes. I trust you." Regina softly answers. "Thank you, Emma." Regina wants to give her daughter a hug but she doesn't dare.

Emma then wraps her arms around her mother and starts to cry. "I missed you," she whispers through her tears.

Regina sinks down on the bed with Emma and cries too. "I missed you too. I'm so sorry it happened again. But no more now. She needs to go down. She needs to stop ruining our lives." Regina cries.

"I'm trying to find a way to do that," Emma whispers, "with the spell books in your vault... But she is so strong."

"You... You did what?" Regina whispers. She looks Emma deep into her eyes. "You... You did... What? You... You didn't go out and get drunk and took drugs? How is Anna? Did you... Did you stand up to her? How is school? Are you alright?"

"I didn't," Emma whispers, "I wanted you to be proud of me when you got back, if you ever would... Robin helped me. and school... it's lonely..."

Regina burst out in tears again. "Oh sweetheart." she cries. "I'm always proud of you, but hearing this... You have no idea how happy that makes me. So, so happy." Regina takes Emma close against her body and hopes her daughter feels all the love Regina has for her.

"You are?" Emma whispers, "even when I didn't find new friends?" She closes her eyes and lets her mother hug her. It's the best feeling she has ever had.

"Yes, sweetheart. Yes, of course I am happy. I'm happy you stood up for yourself. Trust me, new friends will come, I believe that. I really, really do." Regina keeps Emma close to her. She never wants to let her go ever again.

"Do you promise tat next time she takes you, you'll at least say goodbye before you go?" Emma whispers, looking into her mother's eyes.

Regina nodds. "I promise, sweetheart. If I get the chance to say goodbye, I promise I'll do that." Tears stream down Regina's face.

Emma lays her head on her mother's shoulder again. "you have to," Emma whispers.

Regina nodds. "I promise, sweetheart. I promise." Regina has trouble staying awake now. She's so tired, so exhausted.

Robin comes in and smiles as he sees Regina and Emma hugging. Emma pulls back and lays down on her bed again. "you should go with Robin," she whispers.

"Don't you want me to stay with you?" Regina asks softly.

"No," Emma lies, "Robin can take care of you, and you need that."

Regina softly nodds. "You... You know I'm here for you, right? If... If you need me... I'll be just in my room next door." Regina gives Emma a soft kiss on her forehead before taking Robin's hand and walking with him to their room.

Robin smiles, "she still loves you, you see?" he says, "I've called dr. Anderson. She is on her way to us, do you want that?"

Regina slowly nodds. She suddenly doesn't feel safe and keeps looking over her shoulder while walking down the hall to her bedroom.

"Okay," Robin whispers and he lays his arm around her. Robin sees Regina constantly looks over her shoulder, but he doesn't say something about it.

In her bedroom Regina quickly hides in a dark corner. She makes a fireball appear in her hand. She looks at it, fascinated. It feels like a really long time she has been able to do magic again.

"You have your magic back?" Robin says, while he sits down on the bed.

"Emma was able to take that bracelet off of me." Regina answers with a soft voice.

"I thought so," Robin says. "You can have some sleep before dr. Anderson arrives," he suggests.

Regina makes the fireball disappear and lies her head on her knees. She closes her eyes.

Robin keeps sitting on the bed, looking at Regina.

After a little while Regina falls asleep. Her body sinks down to the ground and even in her sleep she curls up to make herself as small as possible.

Robin lifts her up and carries her to the bed. He closes the curtains and lies down beside Regina.

Regina moves closer to Robin and curls up against him. "Safe now." she whispers very softly, before falling in a deep sleep.

"Yes," he whispers. After a few hours he hears the bell and walks out of the room to let dr. Anderson in.

Regina doesn't notice Robin goes away to open the door. She didn't even hear the bell ring. She's in a deep sleep.

Robin lets dr. Anderson in and he looks if Regina has woken up yet. She hasn't and Robin doubts if she will wake up before tomorrow morning. They just drink some tea in the living room and talk a bit.

After sleeping for a couple of hours, Regina wakes up from a nightmare. She crawls out of bed, taking her blanket with her, and hides in the corner. On the way over there, she puts on all the lights she comes across.

Robin and dr. Anderson hear movement upstairs and come to the room to look. Dr. Anderson walks to Regina, Robin keeps standing in the doorway.

Regina looks up. She relaxes. "I.. I had a nightmare. I.. I'm sorry..." she apologizes.

"Not a problem," dr. Anderson says. She smiles, because she is very happy to see Regina again... She worried about her a lot, when Regina was away.

Regina just looks at her now.

"Robin told me you talked to Emma already," dr. Anderson says, "how did that go?"

Regina doesn't answer. She just shows her wrist where the bracelet used to be.

"She took it off, that's great," dr. Anderson says, "is it easier for you to talk to Emma than to talk to us?"

Regina shakes her head in denial.

"But a conversation with Emma did work, but you couldn't talk to Robin and me? Why?"

"I don't talk with Emma about Leopold. About what he did. What she made me do." Regina ansers with a soft voice.

"I see, so you can keep your mind off Leopold when you're talking to Emma?" she asks, "because as soon as you left her room, you crawled away again."

Regina slowly nodds.

"Can you tell me what you thought when you left Emma's room? Which thought made you crawl away?"

"I don't know. I don't remember."

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "do you think you come out of this corner and talk to me in the living room?"

Regina slowly nodds again. She stands up out of her corner but hesitates to leave it.

Dr. Anderson gives Regina time to leave, while she already takes a few steps towards the door.

Regina quickly follows dr. Anderson. She stays close to her.

"So for you it was only one day ago that you left," dr. Anderson says while they walk down the stairs.

Regina nodds in respons.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "can you tell me what happened in that day?"

Regina just looks at dr. Anderson. That's a too difficult question to answer.

"No problem," dr. Anderson says and she thinks of a simpler question. "Can you tell me who were with you on that day?'

"I.... I don't remember. I only remember Leopold and Fiona."

"You do remember, you just gave me two names, that's enough," dr. Anderson says. Now the situation makes a bit more sense. "Did Fiona hurt you?"

Regina flinches a bit away. "You know she did. Why do you ask?"

"How can I be sure?" dr. Anderson says, "what if she didn't do anything, but Leopold did. Then it would be useless to talk about her."

"She did." Regina whispers.

"Did she hurt you physically or mentally? or both?"

"Both."

"Did she say things to you that hurt you? or did she do things?'

"Both."

"Did she threaten your baby again?" dr. Anderson asks. She asks questions, which Regina can answer with just yes or no.

Regina slowly nodds. "She ripped out it's heart. For a little while." she very, very softly says.

"For a little while? She then gave it back again?"

"I took it. Out of the box. She let me put it back. I don't know why."

"Yes that's weird indeed," dr. Anderson says, "so she wanted to keep it at first"

Regina nodds. "She wanted to keep it and take my baby's body when it's born. She still wants that, I think."

"Do you know why she wants that?' she asks, hoping Regina can manage a harder question.

Regina shakes her head in denial.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and Leopold, did he hurt you too?"

Regina now nodds again.

"physically or mentally?"

"He hurt me." Regina whispers now.

"Did he make you bleed?"

Regina just looks at dr. Anderson now.

Dr. Anderson smiles, "this was enough for now," she says, "is there anything more you want to tell me?"

"He hurt me." Regina whispers softly. She wants to tell her how but it's so difficult to say those words out loud. Again. "He hurt me." she whispers again.

"It's okay, let it out," dr. Anderson says, feeling that Regina wants to tell her more.

Regina just looks at dr. Anderson again. "Like before." she whispers.

"He raped you again," dr. Anderson says. Maybe hard but also true.

Regina flinches away when hearing those words.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says. She knows this is a yes.

"She ripped my heart out." Regina whispers then.

Dr. Anderson nods, "go on," she whispers.

"She made me... With him." Regina mumbles.

"When she has your heart, she can control you?" dr. Anderson asks, not knowing everything about this magical stuff.

Regina nodds. "Yes."

"What did she made you do?" dr. Anderson says. She doesn't see the point in taking Regina's heart, because Leopold can also break her without controlling her.

Regina quickly bows for dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson says nothing, although Regina surprises her. "She just likes it to control you? or did she want you to do something?"

Regina repeats the words she needed to say to Leopold when she was with them. "I will do everything you want me to do, Leopold."

Dr. Anderson knows how much this can break someone, forcing people to do things they don't want, when they don't have a choice. "I'm sorry," dr. Anderson says.

Regina flinches away again. "She wanted to put the heart of a dead girl inside of me. It didn't work."

This words shock dr. Anderson. "She wanted it to work? To bring back someone who's dead?"

Regina nodds. "But that doesn't work. Never. Her magic isn't strong enough to do that."

"But she doesn't believe that?" dr. Anderson says, "do you know why she wants that?"

Regina shakes her head in denial. She really doesn't know.

"All right," dr. Anderson says, "and did you tell her it won't work?"

Regina nodds now. "She doesn't believe it. She doesn't believe her magic sucks."

"And you told her that?" dr. Anderson says surprised.

Regina very slowly nodds. "She... She made time go faster then."

Dr. Anderson can't help but smile a little, "it's really brave that you stand up against her. You may think it only brought you more suffering, but I can tell that you hurt her too."

"But she hurt me more!" Regina snaps now. She flinches away and seems to walk more and more towards a corner in the living room.

"I know she did," dr. Anderson says, "but that's no reason to hide again. Corners won't make you stonger, going on with your life as much as possible, that will make you stronger. That will show Fiona that she can't get to you."

"But she can!" Regina shouts out now. She takes another step towards a corner.

"Don't hide yourself," dr. Anderson says.

"I'm trying!" Regina snaps, getting frustrated now.

"I can see that," dr. Anderson says, "but you're still moving backwards."

Regina keeps standing still now. She then hurries over to the couch and sits down. "Happy now?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm happy," dr. Anderson says with a smile, "you're not doing this for me, you're doing this for yourself."

Regina turns her back towards dr. Anderson now. "I don't want to wake up anymore." She repeats, softly, the same words she said to Robin a couple of hours before.

"Why not," dr. Anderson says, "because of the things you just told me?"

Regina doesn't react.

"Do you love Emma?" dr. Anderson asks.

Regina's head snaps towards dr. Anderson. "Of course I love Emma! And I love Snow and Robin as well!"

"Aren't they worth fighting for?" dr. Anderson reacts, calm, not angry.

A fireball appears in Regina's hand, ready to throw it towards dr. Anderson. "Of course they are!"

"Then wake up for them. Wake up for them everyday, again and again, until you want to wake up for yourself again," dr. Anderson says calmly. Of course she is a frightened, but she doesn't show it.

Regina makes the fireball go away. Dr. Anderson said something she thinks she can try. She softly nodds, just once, before turning away again. In her head she starts to hear two voices.

Leopold and The Black Fairy just shout in her head. All kind of things very very loud, one big chaos.

"R.Robin." Regina whispers softly.

"Think of him and of Emma," dr. Anderson says, "try to see them in front of you."

"They are shouting in my head. I... I can't understand what they are saying."

"You don't have to understand them," dr. Anderson says.

"I... I don't?"

"No," dr. Anderson says, "they just try to confuse you.'

Regina looks over her shoulder to dr. Anderson. "I don't have to understand them." she whispers, repeating dr. Anderson's words.

"Indeed, you don't," dr. Anderson says. She shakes her head when Regina looks at her.

Regina slowly walks over to dr. Anderson and stops right in front of her. She takes her hand and puts it over her own heart. "She ripped my heart out." Regina whispers again.

"Yes she did," dr. Anderson reacts, letting Regina stand in front of her and looking her into her eyes.

Regina takes another step, closer towards dr. Anderson. "She wanted me to kiss him. Leopold." she whispers.

"Yes," dr. Anderson whispers. She stands still and looks Regina into her eyes, wanting her to go on.

"She ordered me to do everything Leopold wanted me to do."

Dr. Anderson nods and keeps quiet.

"He wanted me to fuck him." Regina looks straight into dr. Anderson's eyes.

Dr. Anderson nods and looks back at Regina, who seems to look at her with fire in her eyes. "So that's what you did." she whispers.

Regina slowly nodds. "He liked it." she whispers.

Dr. Anderson keeps looking into Regina's eyes. "and you hated it?"

Regina remains silent. She lets her hands wander over dr. Anderson's hips. "My body liked it." she whispers.

"I can imagine that," dr. Anderson says. She doesn't move and lets Regina's hands go over her hips. Maybe it will help her in some way.

"You can?" Regina whispers, lowering her hands now.

"I can," dr. Anderson only says. She keeps looking at her.

"Why is that?"

"I was married once," dr. Anderson answers.

"And?"

"And... we made love sometimes," dr. Anderson says.

"With your consent?" Regina wants to know.

"Most of the times," she says.

Regina doesn't avert her eyes from those of dr. Anderson. Her hands rise up to her breasts now.

Dr. Anderson doesn't know what to do, so she just stands still and doesn't say a thing. She just looks at Regina and breathes slowly.

Regina retreats, fysically and emotionally. She seems to listen to voices inside of her head, not knowing what to do next.

Dr. Anderson doesn't break the silence, not wanting to trigger something. She wants Regina to figure out her thoughts and movements herself.

Regina starts to talk to someone who isn't there. "You can't make me. No. I don't want to. I don't want to hurt her. No, you can't make me. You can't make me." Suddenly someone appears next to Regina. She flinches away.

Dr. Anderson doesn't see someone. She listens to Regina's words. For Regina on the other side the figure is real, pushing her into something she doesn't want.

Regina startles when someone appears next to her. "You can't make me!"

"Of course I can," the figure whispers, "bad things will happen if you don't."

"No. You're not real. You're not here!"

"Maybe I'm not, but the person who send me is very real," the figure hisses.

"You can't make me!"

"Don't be so angry," the figure says with a slow voice, "go on with what you were doing, it seemed to calm you down."

Regina turns back towards dr. Anderson, hesitation in her eyes and mind.

"Now go on," the figure hisses.

Regina slowly walks back over to dr. Anderson. She stops right in front of her. "He wants me to go on." she whispers.

"You don't have to," dr. Anderson whispers, but the figure says otherwise. "O yes, you have to," it whispers into Regina's ear.

"It calms me down." Regina whispers now, repeating the words she's hearing in her mind.

Dr. Anderson remains silent. She tries to look confident, but actually Regina is frightening her. "Now you get it," the figure says.

Regina softly strokes dr. Anderson's hips again. "It calms me down." she whispers again.

"If it calms you down, do it," dr. Anderson. She has to take the risk, she can't let anything happen to Regina right now and if this calms her down... she needs to do it. She bites her tongue and closes her eyes for a moment.

Regina flinches away. "Go." she whispers. "You need to go. Now."

"I can't let anything happen to you," dr. Anderson whispers. The figure keeps repeating the words while it hovers around Regina's head.

"Go. Please." Regina whispers again. "You need to go before I can't hold myself together any longer."

"Regina, I can't leave you," dr. Anderson says, looking away. She takes a step back, but doesn't dare to leave Regina alone, too afraid of what will happen to her. "Do it now, or I'll kill her," the figure whispers, sending it's cold breath over Regina's neck.

Regina takes a step towards dr. Anderson again. She softly kisses her.

Dr. Anderson lets Regina kiss her. She even kisses her back. Her hands are shaking and she closes her eyes.

Regina stops.

Dr. Anderson takes a deep breath, a deep nervous breath. The figure appears again and says nothing, it only shows its disapproving face.

"I don't want to. Please, go." Regina whispers to the face next to her.

"So you decide that you want her dead" the figure whispers, "excellent choice."

"N.No. Please. Why do you do this?"

"My mistress orders me to do so," the figure says, "so killing her is your choice?"

"N..ooo."

"All right, then you know what to do," the figure says. Dr. Anderson is looking at Regina, trying to figure out what she will do.

Slowly Regina starts to undress herself. She looks up at dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson knows what Regina is doing, but she keeps focussing on Regina's eyes.

Regina now stands really close in front of dr. Anderson. "Go on." she whispers softly.

"You want me to go on?" she whispers, not moving at all.

Regina nodds in agreement. "It calms me down." She repeats the words the figure is saying in her head.

"I... I... can't do that," she whispers, but she lays her hands on Regina's hips, "I can't do this to you, do it to me," she whispers while pulling her hands back again.

Regina takes dr. Anderson's hands and puts them back on her hips. "Go on. It calms me down."

Dr. Anderson shakes her head, "I can't," she whispers, but she moves her hands down. Does she have to do this? For Regina?

Regina moves her body closer to the doctor. She leads one of her hands down there on her body. "Right... There." Regina whispers, opening her legs a bit.

Dr. Anderson looks away and closes her eyes, moving her hands to where Regina wants it. She touches Regina right there, while she holds her breath.

Regina moves her hips closer to dr. Anderson. "Go on. Make me come. I know you want to." She repeats the voice inside her head.

"I don't want this," dr. Anderson whispers, not knowing if Regina was talking to her, but she goes on. She doesn't look at Regina.

Regina moans of pleasure. When dr. Anderson makes her come, she screams out of confusion. How can she likes this when she doesn't even wants it? When she's down from the high of her climax, Regina crawls away in one of the corners of the living room, making herself small, that way protecting her skinny body.

Dr. Anderson is frightened and breaths very fast. "Are you all right?" she whispers to Regina, but before she can say the last word someone takes her breath away. She falls on the ground.

Regina startles when she hears a body fall down to the ground. She looks over her should and then runs to dr. Anderson. "Why?! I did what you wanted! Please, don't hurt her!"

"You didn't do what I wanted," the figure says, still stealing dr. Anderson's breath.

"What do you want from me?!" Regina shouts out now.

"Touch her," the figure says and he gives dr. Anderson space to breathe again. Dr. Anderson is breathing very heavily, trying to catch her breath.

"Why?! Why do you want me to do this?!" Regina softly starts to stroke dr. Anderson's breasts again.

"Just to hurt you," the figure says, "my mistress likes that."   
Dr. Anderson doesn't move and still has her eyes closed, but she can feel Regina's hands on her breasts.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina softly cries while she starts to undress dr. Anderson. When the woman on the ground is completely naked, Regina lies down next to her, kissing her and touching her body.

"It's okay," she whispers very softly, feeling the urge to protect her body as much as possible, but she doesn't do it. She gives Regina her body, so she can touch and kiss her. She is trying not to think of it too much.

"When can I stop?" Regina whispers, to the figure who is now standing over the both of them.

"When I say so," it says back.

Regina just keeps kissing dr. Anderson, touching her body. She waits until she's been told to stop.

The figure now laughs, "enough, enough," it says, "enjoy your night." He grins and then it's gone.

Like a thunderbolt Regina crawls to the corner, protecting her body by making herself as small as possible.

Dr. Anderson dresses herself again. Her hands are still shaking a bit and she breaths heavily. She pushes herself on the couch and looks at Regina. "It's.. Okay, don't worry about it," she whispers.

Regina pushes herself against the walls of her safe corner. "Go." she whispers. "I need you to go. You're not safe with me."

"I said it was okay," dr. Anderson says. She buttons her shirt and takes a deep breath. "I'm not giving up on you just because this happened."

"GO!" Regina shouts out. A fireball appears in her hand, ready to throw it to dr. Anderson. Regina screams she wants her gone, but deep down inside she just wants to be hold and to be comforted.

"Regina I'm not leaving," dr. Anderson says. The fireball doesn't frighten her. She opens her arms for Regina, "you don't have to kill me," she says, "a hug is enough."

The fireball disappears again and Regina sinks back down to the ground. There is no strength in her body any longer to do anything but lie down on the ground, hoping someone will take her in the arms and stay with her.

Dr. Anderson softly walks to Regina. She feels the heat of the fireball, but doesn't care. "If you let that thing go, we can... Talk, maybe, or we will just say nothing, I don't care, but I won't go away..." she says.

The fireball disappears completely now.

Dr. Anderson takes a deep breath, while she sits down next to Regina. She takes Regina's hand in hers and squeezes it a little.

Regina keeps making herself small, protecting her naked little body. "I need it to stop." she whispers softly.

"We will help you to find a way," dr. Anderson whispers. She looks at Regina and sees how thin she is. It looks like you can break her with just one twist of your hand...

Regina slowly nodds. "I just want to sleep. Until I'm not tired any more." she whispers.

"Of course," dr. Anderson says. "You want to stay with Robin? Or will you sleep alone? Or.. With me?"

Regina doesn't answer and falls asleep in Dr. Anderson's arms.

Dr. Anderson smiles a little and lets Regina sleep. She holds her tight, hoping Regina will feel safe.

Regina curls up on Dr. Anderson's lap. She sighs with relief, finally asleep.

Dr. Anderson doesn't mind, she can't sleep anyways. She watches over Regina. After a while Robin comes in to see if everything is okay. He sees Regina and smiles. He lies down on the couch and looks at her for a while, then he falls asleep too.

In the middle of the night Regina wakes up. She looks disoriented.

Dr. Anderson smiles when she sees Regina is awake.

"C.Cold." Regina whispers softly.

"I thought so," dr. Anderson says, "I'll get you a blanket, or do you want to go to the bed?"

Regina keeps close to the walls of the nearest corner.

"I'll be right back," dr. Anderson whispers, she grabs a blanket from Regina's bed upstairs and walks back to Regina. "There you go," she whispers. "Do you want me to get you some pajamas too?"

Regina slowly nodds.

Dr. Anderson walks upstairs again and picks up something that looks like a pajama.

Regina takes over her pajamas and puts them on. She wraps the blanket around her body before she lies down on the couch next to Robin. She never averts her eyes from dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson smiles a little and looks at Regina too. She sits down on the ground with her back against the wall.

Regina just keeps looking at dr. Anderson. She very softly whispers her apologizies.

Dr. Anderson softly shakes her head, "you don't have to apologize," she whispers.

Regina closes her eyes and nodds. "Yes, I do." she whispers, already getting frustrated because her apologies aren't accepted immediately.

"Try to get some sleep," dr. Anderson says and she looks out of the window to the moon.

Regina throws the blanket off of her and walks upstairs, frustrated as hell.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Anderson whispers, when Regina walks away. She follows her.

"GO!" Regina shouts.

"Why?" Dr. Anderson says. She has tears in her eyes and already starts to walk away from Regina, not knowing where to sleep.

"I said I'm sorry! Why don't you just accept that?" Regina shouts, frustration in her voice and tears welling up in her eyes as well.

"Just give me some time to think," dr. Anderson whispers.

"You can think while you lie beside me." Regina turns around and invites dr. Anderson into her bedroom.

Dr. Anderson looks at Regina and then walks in.

Regina already lies down in bed with her face towards dr. Anderson. "Can you hold me? Please?" she whispers softly.

Dr. Anderson hesitates but then she nods. "Yeah," she says and she lies down next to Regina.

Regina lies close against dr. Anderson's body, feeling safe this way. She lies with her back against dr. Anderson's stomach.

Dr. Anderson lays her arm around Regina. She closes her eyes, to stop the tears from rolling down.

"I'm really sorry." Regina whispers now. "I won't do that ever again. I... I just... I just didn't want them to kill you."

"I know," dr. Anderson says, "and I accept your apology."

Regina's body relaxes now. "You... You do?"

"Yeah," she whispers. She can't cold the tears in anymore and they stream softly down her cheeks.

"The Black Fairy is going down." Regina whispers, her body tensing again.

"She is," dr. Anderson says. She quickly dries up her tears. She hasn't cried for years and it feels very strange...

Regina nodds. She falls asleep again and wakes up in the morning. She notices dr. Anderson is still sleeping. Regina slowly gets out of bed and takes a long and hot shower. She dresses into something casual, a jeans with a t-shirt, and then makes breakfast for everyone.

Emma's alarm goes off. She opens her eyes and tries to think about what happened yesterday. She dresses herself and walks down. Robin is still sleeping on the couch. Regina is in the kitchen.

"Hello sweetheart." Regina softly smiles. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did," Emma says, "you too?"

"After a while I did." Regina softly smiles. "Are you in the mood for waffles?"

"Actually, I am," Emma says. She pushes herself up and sits down on the kitchen counter.

Regina smiles and gives Emma a kiss on the forehead. "I love you." she whispers. Regina makes the waffles. It smells delicious throughout the whole house.

"I love you too," Emma smiles and she goes to the living room to wake up Robin. She just sits down on him and laughs. It works, Robin does wake up. He moans but then laughs.

Regina slowly walks upstairs and wakes up Dr. Anderson. "I... I made waffles." Regina whispers.

Dr. Anderson startles when Regina wakes her up so suddenly. "Okay," she reacts. She turns around and looks at Regina. "How're you feeling?"

Regina flinches away. She shakes her head in denial, as a sign she's not feeling well.

Dr. Anderson nods, "I see," she whispers, "Lets have breakfast first," she forces a smile, "we will talk about it after that." That seems like the best plan.

Regina nodds and flees downstairs. The four of them eat their breakfast together. "You have school, Emma?" Regina asks softly.

"Of course I do," she says, enjoying the delicious breakfast. When the rest is still eating she stands up. "I'm going to make myself ready for school," she says and she runs upstairs to do her hair and pack her bag.

Regina silently follows Emma without her noticing. She looks at her daughter while she's making herself ready for school. Regina smiles softly.

Emma stuffs all her books in her bag and checks her phone. Robin bought her a new one, when Regina stayed away. The screen is empty so she drops it in her bag. Although she is happy she doesn't get messages from Anna anymore, it's quite disappointing to look on your phone every day and get no messages at all. She straightens her blankets and opens the window to let some fresh air in. Then she picks up her hairbrush and starts brushing her hair in front of the mirror.

Regina softly smiles and walks into Emma's room now. "Let me." she whispers softly. Regina takes over the hairbrush from Emma and brushes her hair. "How are you feeling today, sweetheart?"

Emma smiles when her mother takes over the hair brush. For how long has she been standing there?  
"I'm fine," Emma says, looking at herself and her mother in the mirror.

"Really?" Regina whispers softly. "I've noticed so many new books in your room. Do you like to read?"

"Yes really. And I do like to read," Emma says, "I almost read all the time."

 

"That's nice." Regina smiles. "I love seeing you happy. But... Something is bothering you, isn't it?"

Emma shrugs, "it's nothing."

"I can see it is."

"Well... Nothing important then," Emma says, "I'm just feeling lonely."

Regina softly nodds. "I understand. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"No not really," Emma says, "but thanks." She smiles and grabs her bag, because she is afraid she will feel like throwing up if she looks to long to herself. "What's your favorite book?" she asks then.

"I actually love reading your storybook." Regina smiles.

"But you're a villain in my book..." Emma says.

Regina nodds. "I know. I like to read how wrong everyone was about me."

Emma smiles, "I have to go, or I'll be too late for school," she says, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

Regina gives her youngest daughter a hug. "I love you, sweetheart." she smiles, before letting her go. When Emma left the house, Regina calls Snow White to let her know she's back.

"Regina!" Snow exclaims when Regina picks up the phone, "I've been so worried!"

"I'm sorry." Regina softly answers. "I... I couldn't stop her."

"I though it was her from the beginning," 

"I... I just wanted to call you to let you know I'm alright now. I'm sorry for leaving... Again."

"It isn't your fault," Snow says, "it has been hard, but I knew you would come back."

"How... How are you, Snow?"

"I'm all right."

"Are you? Really?"

"Yes."

Regina softly smiles. "Alright." she whispers. She startles when dr. Anderson knocks on the door to her bedroom. "I... I need to go now. Do you and Charm... David want to come over tonight?"

"Okay. David isn't home, but I'll come," Snow says.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you." Regina whispers softly. She puts down her phone and turns around to dr. Anderson. She just looks at her.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," dr. Anderson says, "you didn't come downstairs after Emma left so..."

"I called Snow. To let her know I'm back." Regina doesn't approach dr. Anderson. "You should go." she then whispers. "I... I don't want to hurt you again."

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "but I can't leave you here. You're not feeling all right, are you?"

"I'm fine." Regina lies.

"Don't lie," dr. Anderson whispers.

"Why do you even care? I've hurt you!" Regina snaps. She can't let dr. Anderson come close again. It hurts too much.

"I know you did, but that doesn't make me care less about you," she says, "but I'm here for you so if you want me to go... I will." She talks softly and takes a deep breath.

Regina flinches away. "Why don't you hate me?" She really doesn't understand.

"I don't hate that easily," dr. Anderson says, "I know what you're going through and I know you didn't want to harm me in any way. I just believe in you..."

Regina freezes. She believes in her? Nobody, aside from Robin, Snow and Emma, ever believed in her.

Dr. Anderson just smiles and keeps standing in the doorway.

Regina slowly nodds. "I'm not fine at all." she whispers.

"I thought so," dr. Anderson says.

"I hate myself for what I've done to you."

"That's not necessary, Regina," dr. Anderson says, "I can understand you do, but it's okay." She still feels a bit weird because of the night before, but she feels she can get over that.

"No. No, it's not okay. I shouldn't have done it." Regina mumbles.

"We can't change it anymore," dr. Anderson says.

"I know." Regina whispers now. "And I hate myself for that. I have magic. I should be able to undo it."

"I don't want you to," dr. Anderson says, "please don't hate yourself, it not worth it."

"I'll try." Regina whispers. A really small smile appears on her lips. "I promise I'll try."

"I'm glad to hear that," dr. Anderson says and she opens her arms, hoping Regina will trust her enough to give her a hug.

Very slowly Regina walks over to dr. Anderson. She hesitates a little but then gives dr. Anderson a careful hug.

Dr. Anderson smiles, "thank you," she whispers.

Regina's legs shake out of emotion. She wants to cry but she knows she will look weak.

"Let it go," dr. Anderson whispers, "Don't keep everything in. It will only hurt you if you do."

"H.Hold me. Please. Don't... Don't let me go." Regina cries now.

"I won't, I promise," dr. Anderson whispers. She holds Regina close to her.

Regina keeps crying for at least half an hour. After that she feels exhausted.

Dr. Anderson softly strokes Regina's back while she lets her cry. She doesn't let go of her.

Regina leans against dr. Anderson's body. She almost can't hold herself up any longer. She's so tired, so exhausted from letting all her sadness and pain go.

Dr. Anderson lets Regina sit on the bed, still not letting her go. "you're doing so well," she whispers, "I'm so glad you're finally letting your feelings go."

"I feel sick." Regina mumbles, fysically feeling really ill.

"Do you feel like throwing up? or is your head aching?" dr. Anderson starts, she wants to know how ill she is.

"Both." Regina mumbles. Her body shivers from cold now. "I'm cold. I.. I don't feel well."

Dr. Anderson touches Regina's forehead. It's very hot. She places the pillows on the bed in the right position and lets Regina lay down. She covers Regina's body with two blankets. "We will see if it gets worse, if so, I'll call a doctor," she whispers, softly stroking Regina's hair.

"No doctor." Regina just answers.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says. She gets a bowl, so Regina can throw up in it if she has to, and a cold wet towel, to lay down on her forehead.

"Robin." Regina mumbles. "Where's Robin?"

"He is downstairs."

 "Can he come? Please?"

"I'll ask him," dr. Anderson says and she leaves the room to get him. After a while Robin comes inside.

In the meantime Regina has fallen into a sleep full of nightmares.

"Regina?" Robin whispers and he shakes her shoulder to wake her up. He can see she is in a nightmare.

"Hmmm..."

"You were having a nightmare," Robin says.

"I don't feel well, Robin." Regina whispers.

"I can see," he whispers, wiping the hair from her sweaty forehead.

Regina leans into his touch. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I do," he whispers, then he remains silent for a while.  
"Don't tell me this is a goodbye,"

Regina can't help but to laugh. "You silly. I'm just not feeling well because I cried so hard for half an hour. I'm not dying. You won't get away from me that easily."

Robin can't smile. He wants to, but he just can't. "It sounded quite dramatically-ending-like," he says.

"I just... I just wanted to tell you I love you." Regina whispers softly.

"I love you too," Robin whispers and he kisses her hand. "And who says in want to get away from you." He now grins a little and he winks.

"I don't know. Maybe you're already tired of me." Regina winks at him.

"So that's what you're trying to do, making me so tired if you that I'll go away," Robin says, "well... I can tell you. You won't get away from me that easily."

Regina giggles now. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"Right," he whispers, "get some sleep then." He kisses her on her forehead, which is still very hot.

"Will you hold me? Please?"

Robin is surprised that Regina wants him to hold her, he though dr. Anderson was only the one who Regina let come close to her. "Okay," Robin whispers after a while. He lies down next to her and takes her in his arms. Dr. Anderson comes in, but when she sees Regina and Robin she smiles and walks out again, softly closing the door behind her.

Regina curls up against Robin. "Don't let go of me." she whispers.

"You know I won't," he whispers and he holds her as if he is never letting her go again.

Regina smiles. "I know. I know." she whispers with a smile on her face.

Robin relaxes and he hopes Regina can relax too. He closes his eyes, while feeling the warmth of Regina's body.

Regina relaxes and falls asleep again. She enjoys every moment of rest because she knows those never take long.

Robin doesn't sleep, he only watches over Regina. In the meantime dr. Anderson is taking a walk in de woods to think about everything that happened.

After a couple of hours Regina wakes up well rested. She smiles when she sees Robin looking at her. "What time is it?" she asks softly. She feels a little bit better now.

"It's two o'clock," Robin says. He kisses her on her forehead. He smiles because he sees Regina has finally had some good sleep.

"Where is dr. Anderson? I need to talk to her. About wat happened."

"She is taking a walk," Robin says, "I don't know where she is now, maybe you can call her."

"I just hope she comes back." Regina whispers.

"Why wouldn't she?" Robin asks.

"Because I hurt her." Regina just answers. She gives Robin a warm kiss on his lips and then gets up out of bed.

Robin looks surprised when he hears Regina, "you did?" he says, when she got up. He can see she doesn't want to talk about it...  
"I don't think dr. Anderson will leave you because you hurt her," he says, "she is not so easy to scare off."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Regina whispers. She changes her clothes into something comfortable and walks downstairs.

Robin shrugs, while he opens the window to let some fresh air in. He picks up the wet towel and the extra blankets and folds them up.

Regina sits down in the couch in the living room. She waits for Dr. Anderson to come back. If she comes back.

After a while dr. Anderson comes back and silently opens the front door in case Regina and Robin are sleeping. She walks into the living room and is surprised when she sees Regina.

Regina looks up when Dr. Anderson walks into the living room. "You came back." Her voice sounds surprised, as if she really thought she would be left alone again.

"You thought I wouldn't?" dr. Anderson says.

"I don't understand why you came back."

"I do," dr. Anderson says, "I won't give up on you because of what happened... I just can't do that."

"You really are a nice person, aren't you?" Regina asks softly, no treath or danger in her voice.

"If you think so, maybe I am," dr. Anderson says and she laughs shyly, "thanks." She smiles.

Regina smiles back, soft. "I know so."

Dr. Anderson smiles again and she walks to the kitchen to make some tea for herself.

Regina keeps sitting on her couch. She knows dr. Anderson will come back to her now.

"You want tea?" dr. Anderson asks from the kitchen.

"No, thank you." Regina answers politely. She doesn't want to get fat.

"All right," dr. Anderson says. She sits down on the couch with her mug in her hand, warming herself up. "The woods are beautiful," she says and she really mean it.

Regina nodds. "They really are. Robin's house is actually in the woods but I like living here as well."

"It is?" Dr. Anderson says, "I thought you were living here together." She looks out of the window, "this is a beautiful place to live too, indeed."

"I... I don't know where we live exactly. Sometimes here, sometimes at his place. We like it this way, I guess. I... I don't know if I can speak for Robin, but I like living here and at his place."

"It sounds nice," dr. Anderson says, "and I think Robin likes it too, otherwise I think he would have told you."

Regina nodds, relieved. "I think so too." she smiles softly.

Dr. Anderson smiles and takes a sip of her tea.

Regina looks up at the doctor. "I'm sorry. About what happened."

"I know you are, I'm sorry too" dr. Anderson says, "and as I told you, I accept your apology." She smiles and blows the steam of her cup.

Regina softly nodds. "Thank you." she whispers.

"No problem," dr. Anderson says and she drinks her tea.

Regina looks down now. "They are coming back. I know they will." she whispers.

"Yes, they will," dr. Anderson says. She knows it's true. "But in the meantime we will figure out a way to stop her."

Regina nodds. "I have my magic back. Maybe... Maybe that can help. But I... I freeze when she's with me."

"You're brave enough to face her without freezing, but you have to believe in yourself," dr. Anderson says, "I think that will only hold her off, it won't let her disappear, but it's a good start."

"I... I'll try. Next time." Regina whispers softly.

"I'm glad you will," dr. Anderson says and she now looks at Regina, "but remember that you're not some fool of it doesn't work, okay?"

Regina nodds, slowly.

"Right." 

At that moment Emma comes home. She runs through the hallway to the kitchen, not passing Regina or dr. Anderson. She grabs a bottle of water and wants to go to the library.

"What's the rush, dear?" Regina smiles at Emma when she walks past the living room again, heading outside.

"I'm going to the library," Emma says quickly.

Regina smiles. "That's alright. What time will you be back home?"

"I'm back in an hour," Emma says, "but I have to go, Belle is waiting for me." She runs outside.

"We have planned a session in an hour," dr. Anderson says.

Regina softly nodds. "I... I didn't know Emma talks to you as well." she whispers now.

"She does," dr. Anderson says, "you couldn't know, you just came home remember."

Regina slowly nodds again. "Is she... Is Emma happy?"

"She is happier than she was before," dr. Anderson reacts.

"No more drinking? No more drugs?"

"No more drugs," dr. Anderson says, "but I'm not sure about the drinking, I thought it stopped, but then I found an empty wine bottle in her room last week. We're working on that one."

Regina slowly nodds. "Alright." she whispers, realising there's nothing really she can do to help.

"She will be okay," dr. Anderson says, "especially because you're back now."

"I don't want to leave again." Regina's eyes now clearly show the panic she's starting to feel.

"I know," dr. Anderson says, looking Regina into her eyes, "and there will be a time that you never have to leave again, I'm sure about that."

Regina softly dares to smile. "I hope so. I really, really hope so."

"Emma is talking about it all the time," dr. Anderson says, "about you never having to leave again. She tries to figure out a way." She smiles.

"Did she find something? Anything?"

"She did," dr. Anderson says, "I don't know if it's something, since I don't really understand magic, but she was very optimistic about it." She laughs when she remember how enthusiast Emma had been when she found out something.

"What did she find?" Regina wants to know immediately.

"I'm afraid I don't know," dr. Anderson says, "she told me all about it, something with light magic, but I really didn't understand."

"I don't have light magic." Regina mumbles.

"She knows," dr. Anderson says, "she told me about that too."

Regina nodds softly. "And now? What do we do now?"

"That's up to you," dr. Anderson says, drinking the last bit of her tea. "I can go back to the facility, if you think you can manage alone."

Regina immediately closes up. She knew she couldn't trust this woman. The first moment she gets the chance to leave, she abandons her. Regina slowly shoves away from dr. Anderson.

"Is something wrong," dr. Anderson says, startled, "I'll stay here if you want that."

"I don't care." Regina snaps, getting up now and retreating to the kitchen.

Dr. Anderson stays sitting on the couch. She takes a deep breath and doesn't understand why she feels tears coming up.

Regina starts to slam with the cabinet doors in her kitchen. She feels frustrated as hell and doesn't really know how to cope with that.

When Robin hears a few loud sounds, he comes down to look what's going on. When he finds Regina in the kitchen he is surprised. "What's going on?" he asks.

Regina doesn't answer. Not yet, anyway. She keeps slamming with the little doors.

Robin doesn't stop her. He just waits.

After a little while Regina sits down at the kitchen table, exhausted. She doesn't look up at Robin. "What?" she whispers.

"What is going on?"

"Nothing."

Robin laughs, but nods, "I can see," he says, "because it's normal to slam all those doors, I understand.... Everyone does that, I forgot."

Regina looks up at Robin now, darkness appearing in her eyes.

Robin just looks at her. He knows that look in her eyes...

"She wants me to let her come out to play." Regina whispers with a harsh voice.

"Who?"

"The Black Fairy wants me to let The Evil Queen out."

"That's new for me," he says, "why does she want that?"

Regina shakes her head in denial. She doesn't know either.

"And what do you want?"

"It's not going to happen." Regina whispers. "No, I won't do it."

Robin smiles, "and why does this hit you so all of a sudden, what triggered you?"

"Nothing!" Regina snaps now.

"All right," Robin says, sitting down at the table.

Regina tries to relax, even if it's just a little bit.

Robin nods when he sees she tries to calm down. "Take a deep breath."

Regina nodds and does what she's been told.

Robin waits.

After a while Regina has her breathing back under control. "She's coming." she whispers.

"Be strong," Robin whispers and he walks to her. He takes her hand in his.

"She's not getting me this time!" Regina snaps to no one in particular.

"That's the spirit," Robin says, "it only needs some love." He winks.

"She won't get me! NO!"

"I won't?" The Black Fairy whispers in Regina's mind, "I'll make sure I will." 

"She won't," Robin says squeezing her hand.

"You won't!" Regina now screams.

The Black Fairy starts to choke Robin very hard.

"N.o.. No, please!"

"Will you be a good girl then?" Fiona whispers

Regina doesn't answer right away.

Robin shakes his head, "don't do what she tells you," he says with the last air he has in his lungs, even though he doesn't hear what Fiona is saying. The Black Fairy only chokes him harder.

"Yes. Good girl. I'll be a good girl." Regina softly whispers.

The Black Fairy laughs, "so you'll come with me?" she says.

"When?"

"Now of course."

"Please." Regina tries to beg.

"What? Please let him go before you come with me or please don't take me and kill him?"

"Let him go." Regina whispers, very softly.

"Very well," The Black Fairy says. She poofs herself to the kitchen and reaches out her arm, "let's go then." She drops Robin.

"I'm so sorry." Regina is able to whisper to Robin, before The Black Fairy poofs away with her.

"Brave little girl," The Black Fairy laughs when she and Regina arrive at her place.

Regina quickly steps away from Fiona.

"Don't step away from me," Fiona says, "I've just seen you're not afraid to come close to a woman." She grins.

Regina looks down but doesn't step towards Fiona again.

"Come closer dear."

Regina slowly steps closer towards The Black Fairy.

"Drink this potion," the Black Fairy says. She first covers a random beating heart with it and then hands it over to Regina.

"Please." Regina whispers softly. She strokes Fiona's arms very softly. "Don't let me do that again. It will kill me. Don't you want to have fun with me before I die?"

"Do I want to have fun?" Fiona says, "seeing you die, or see my potion works is enough fun for me." She grins.

"If I die I won't be of any use to you any longer." Regina whispers. She walks closer towards Fiona, their bodies touching gently now.

"You're right," Fiona says, "but you won't die. This potion will work."

"You don't know that." Regina whispers in Fiona's ear, tickling her with warm breath. Her hands move slowly up towards The Black Fairy's breasts.

"This trick won't work on me," Fiona whispers in Regina's ear, while she is laughing. "But I know someone who will love this."

"I want you." Regina whispers now.

"But you're not the one with the power here. I am."

Regina looks up into Fiona's eyes with big, brown eyes. "Don't you want me too?"

"O I do, I like such things," Fiona says with a grin, "but not now, this is not about me."

Regina almost freezes when she feels hands on her own hips.

Fiona smiles, when Regina freezes. "You still want this?"

"Yes." Regina whispers, like an obedient girl is supposed to answer.

"Open your mouth," Fiona whispers, moving her lips closer to Regina's, but not touching them.

"N.o. Please. No potion." Regina whispers softly, almost begging.

"Yes," Fiona whispers.

"N.oo."

"Open your mouth."

Regina doesn't answer anymore but keeps her mouth shut.

"You want it the hard way?" Fiona says, moving her hand from Regina's hip to her chest. "One last chance, open your mouth."

Regina quickly opens her mouth and lets Fiona give her the potion.

Fiona laughs. This potion will make her inside burn. She drips the potion over the random heart and lets it rest for a while.

After just a little while Regina sinks down to the ground, screaming of pain. "It burns! Please, it burns! It hurts to much!"

"I know it hurts, I'm not stupid," the Black Fairy says and she rips Regina's heart out.

"Please. Please, let it stop, let it stop!"

The Black Fairy places the wrong heart in Regina's chest and looks what happens.

Regina doesn't flinch. She just looks up at The Black Fairy.

Fiona smiles, because Regina doesn't collapse. "What do you feel?" Fiona says, hoping Regina will feel like another person.

"Nothing much. It seems like that potion works to put another heart into my body but it doesn't do a thing."

The Black Fairy looks away and rips the heart out again. She crushes the wrong heart and keeps Regina's heart in hers.

Regina keeps looking at Fiona. In the meantime she feels hands on her body again.

It aren't Fiona's hands, but hands of a man who stands behind her.

Regina slowly leans into his touch because she knows that's what's expected from her.

Leopold has his hands on her waist and he kisses Regina in her neck when she comes a bit closer.

"You know what I like." Regina softly whispers.

"I do," Leopold whispers and he leads her to another room. In the meantime The Black Fairy keeps Regina's heart and thinks of what could have gone wrong.

Regina obediently follows Leopold's lead.

"So..." Leopold says, while he does the same thing he does everytime, "give me something special today. I'm tired of the basic stuff."

"S.Special?" Regina whispers. "What... What do you mean?"

"Well you can think of something," he grins.

Regina shakes her head. "I don't." she whispers.

"You want me to take your heart to make you do something, I don't think so." Leopold says, "so think of something."

Regina flinches away. "I... I really don't know, Leopold." she whispers.

Leopold squeezes Regina with his naked body and brings his lips close to hers. "If I were you, I should think of something this minute, because that's the time you get to figure something out."

"But I don't know!" Regina shouts out, frustrated now.

Leopold slams her in her face. "Fine we will do it the normal way then, but a lot more painful!" he snaps and he slips inside her, very deeply and he pushes his hands very hard on Regina's waist.

Regina moans of pain now. "You're hurting me!" she screams.

"I don't care," Leopold snaps, "now go on!"

With a lot of pain in her body Regina moves her hips in Leopold's rhythm. She makes him reach his climax very fast. When he slips out of her, Regina sinks down to the ground on her knees, right in front of him. Leopold still stands closely in front of her.

"Good," Leopold says, "we're done for today." He brings his hand under her chin and makes her look at him. "Did you like it?"

"N.oo..." Regina softly cries now.

"Then I suppose we try again..." Leopold says, "I mean... You should like this too. That would be fair."

Regina wants to make herself small on the ground. "You've hurt me." she cries.

"did I? I'm so sorry," he says sarcastically and he starts laughing very hard. "You must be so sad now."

"Can I go back now?" Regina asks softly.

"But you didn't like it..." Leopold says with a satisfied grin. "I think it will be a lot more pleasant if you like it too, so let's try again."

Regina doesn't stand up.

The Black Fairy comes in.   
"Get her up," she says. Leopold sighs, but takes Regina's arm and pulls her up. "Get her dressed and send her to me." Leopold follows her orders.

Regina gets pushed by Leopold towards The Black Fairy. She's standing very close against the woman now. She can feel her warm breath on her face.

The Black Fairy pushes Regina's heart back in hee chest. "How was your stay with Leopold ?" she whispers, her lips very close to hers.

"I'd rather have you." Regina whispers.

"And why is that?" the Black Fairy whispers

"You won't hurt me like that."

"You're right," she says, "men can be quite cruel when they have a girl all for themselves."

Regina just nodds.

"Is Robin any different?" Fiona says, lying her hands on Regina's hips.

"Yes. He is." Regina whispers, leaning into Fiona's touch.

"Tell me about it."

"N..o." Regina whispers. "That's between Robin and me."

"It's not that hard to make it between you, Robin and me," Fiona says with a grin.

"No. I don't want to. Please, don't make me."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Regina, please doesn't work with me."

"What do you want then?"

"Tell me why Robin is different."

"He's sweet. He knows when I don't like something."

"Like what?"

"Like Leopold does." Regina whispers.

"What does Leopold do?"

"He rapes me!" Regina snaps.

"That's more like it," the Black Fairy says, "tell me about it."

Regina leans more into The Black Fairy's touch. "What do you want?" she whispers.

"I want you to tell me about what Leopold does to you," she grins.

"You know what he does."

"I want to hear it from you," Fiona says.

"He touches me."

"Go on."

"He kisses me."

"Go on."

"Like this." Regina whispers. She softly kisses Fiona and lets her hands touch her breasts.

"All right," Fiona whispers back with a grin.

"You can undress me if you want to." Regina whispers softly. She notices Leopold looking at the two women in front of him, almost not able to control himself, but she doesn't care.

Fiona undresses Regina, grinning at Leopold. "How does it feel to be rejected?" she laughs at him, "she wants me."

Regina strokes Fiona's waist.

"Tell me more about Robin," Fiona whispers.

"His touches are always gentle. Always careful." Regina whispers.

"Sounds like a boring man then."

Regina just looks up at Fiona now. "How do you like it then?"

"I like it a bit more rough," Fiona smiles.

"Enlighten me." Regina just whispers.

"Not today," Fiona whispers and she steps away, grinning.

Regina looks over at Leopold.

"She is yours," Fiona says to Leopold, "but remember she likes it gentle and careful."

Regina flinches just a bit.

"There is no fun in that," Leopold snaps.  
"All right, you've got your chance," Fiona says, "see you later."  
She poofs Regina back home, her clothes are still lying on the floor.

Regina quickly scrambles away into a corner.

No one notices that Regina is back. Robin is upstairs in the bedroom and Emma has her session with dr. Anderson.

Regina protects her little body by making herself as small as possible in the corner. She doesn't dare to come out of it to get a blanket.

After the session dr. Anderson and Emma walk into the living room. Dr. Anderson sees Regina sitting in the corner and turns to Emma. "It better if you go to Robin now," she says. Emma knows immediately what's going on and nods. She walks out of the room while dr. Anderson gets a blanket for Regina.

Regina freezes when she notices someone approaching her.

Dr. Anderson sees Regina is frightened but she lays the blanket around her anyways. She sits down opposite her.

"N.oo.." Regina mumbles softly. "D.Don't. Don't."

"Regina you're freezing," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina tries to push herself even more into the corner, which is physically impossible.

"Are you here, Regina?" Dr. Anderson whispers.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Regina whispers softly.

"It's okay," she whispers.

"I want to be alone." Regina whispers now.

"Okay," dr. Anderson whispers. She makes sure the blanket covers Regina's body and she leaves the living room.

Regina sighs, a bit relieved. She doesn't want anyone near her. Not now, not ever again.

Dr. Anderson stays in the kitchen with Robin and Emma.

Regina keeps sitting in her corner, her own safe little world.

Robin and dr. Anderson check on Regina a few times. Emma wants to go too, but the adults won't let her.   
When it's late in the evening, Emma goes to bed, but she doesn't feel like sleeping.

Regina still doesn't come out of her corner. She's very tired but she can't allow herself to sleep. She needs to stay awake, stay alert to her surroundings.

"Regina?" Dr. Anderson whispers after a few hours, "it's time to come back."

"I want to be alone." Regina softly repeats.

"You can't be alone forever."

Regina doesn't answer.

"Fine," dr. Anderson says and she lies down on the couch, "call me if you changed your mind okay?"

"I want to be alone." Regina, calmly, repeats again.

"Pretend I'm not here"

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes now. "I want to be alone!" she snaps.

Dr. Anderson stands up and walks out of the room. She lets the door open and sits down on the other side, next to the door.

Regina retreats away in her mind.

Dr. Anderson falls asleep in the hallway, but wakes up again after a few hours. She comes into the living room again.

Regina is having a hard time to not fall asleep. She needs to know what is going on around her.

"You can sleep if you want," dr. Anderson says, "I'll watch over you."

"No."

"Why not," dr. Anderson says, kneeling beside her, "you need some rest."

Regina tries to scramble away from this woman, deeper into the corner.

"Regina..." Dr. Anderson whispers, "you're safe now."

"I want to be alone."

"Regina, please"

"Too close. You're too close." Regina mumbles now.

Dr. Anderson moves, so there is at least three meters between her and Regina.

Regina shakes her head. "Too close." she whispers.

"Regina, I won't hurt you, you know that," dr. Anderson whispers. She moves to the couch now.

"Too close!"

"Regina please, you have to trust me," she says and she now walks to the other side of the room.

Regina remains silent now. She just looks at dr. Anderson.

"You need to come back," dr. Anderson says, looking back at Regina.

"No."

"What is stopping you from coming back?'

Regina remains silent.

"Emma told me she found a way to stop the Black Fairy." Dr. Anderson then says, hoping she will get Regina's attention now.

"Lies."

"It's not a lie."

Regina turns her back towards dr. Anderson now.

"Regina, she just told me this, you have to believe me."

Regina just shakes her head. But now, with her back towards dr. Anderson and facing her little corner, Regina no longer sees what's going on around her. That makes her afraid, really afraid.

"She told me she needs you," dr. Anderson says.

"Lies." Regina whispers again.

"I'm not lying," dr. Anderson says, calm but clear.

Regina tries to make herself even smaller.

Dr. Anderson comes a bit closer again. "Please look at me Regina."

"I want to be alone." Regina whispers, trying one more time.

"I can't leave you here, you've been alone for enough time now."

"Please."

"I can't let you disappear forever."

"That's what I want."

"You can't."

"Sure I can."

"And Emma?"

"Better off without me."

"You promised to her you wouldn't leave again."

At that Regina very slowly turns around. "I did, didn't I?" she whispers softly.

"You really did."

"I can't come back. I'm too far away." Regina mumbles before turning inwards again.

"You can," dr. Anderson says, "I know you can."

"How?"

"Think of Robin and Emma. Think of the happy moments you had with them and think of the happy moments that will come again."

"Robin." Regina whispers. Her body trembles when she hears his name. "She used him. To hurt me. To hurt me." A tear runs down Regina's face.

Dr. Anderson nods. "Let it go," she whispers, "get it out of you and make room for happiness."

"No! I'm not weak!"

"Letting go is not weak, Regina."

"She used him! She used him!"

"She does," dr. Anderson says, "what more? Go on."

"No! I don't want to talk anymore! I want Robin!"

"Right," dr. Anderson says and she gets Robin for her.

Regina just looks up at Robin when he walks into the living room, followed by Dr. Anderson. "She used you." Regina whispers.

Robin bites his tongue and walks towards her. "I'm so sorry to hear that," he says.

Regina flinches away from him. "She used you." she whispers again. "She wants us apart but I don't want that."

"I don't want that either, Regina," Robin says, "so it won't happen."

Regina slowly nodds. "It won't happen." She struggles to keep her eyes open.

"You want to sleep?"

"No!"

"It was just a question," Robin says, surprised by Regina's reaction.

Regina looks up at him again, suspicion in her eyes. "Maybe. I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Robin asks.

"Maybe I want to sleep. Does it matter? I'm not allowed to sleep. She'll wake me up."

"You don't know if she will, so you can at least give it a try."

Regina nodds softly, a sign for Robin that he's allowed to come closer.

Robin walks closer and even dares to sit down next to her. He doesn't touch her, only looks at her.

Regina puts her head on his shoulder. "Alright. You're alright." she whispers.

Robin smiles and takes her hand in his. He softly strokes the top of it.

Regina quickly falls asleep, leaning against Robin, with a small smile on her face.

Dr. Anderson winks at Robin and leaves the house. She has booked a room at Granny's.   
Robin keeps holding her hand and even feels a bit happy.

In the middle of the night Regina wakes up. She looks at Robin.

Robin looks at her and a little smile appears around his lips.

"You're still awake. Can we go to bed? Together?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

"Yes of course," Robin says, "you can walk on your own?"

"Yes. Yes, I can." Regina takes Robin's hand and walks with him to their bedroom. When they walk in and Regina puts the light on, she startles. "What...." she mumbles, looking at Fiona who is lieing down in bed, clearly waiting for Regina and Robin to join her.

"Hi there," Fiona grins, "I was just waiting for you."

"I don't want you here."

"That doesn't matter," Fiona says, "I want you two here, that's what matters."

"Why? What do you want from us?"

"I want you to join me," she grins.

"Leave Robin out of this. Please." Regina whispers.

"Well... No," Fiona says, "now come. You told me you wanted me, now you'll get me."

"N..ooo."

"Yes."

Regina takes a step away.

Fiona pulls her towards her with her magic.

Regina stumbles into her bed.

She freezes Robin, making his eyes focussed on the bed, on them. "Now show him what you can do," Fiona whispers.

"No, please. Let him out of this." Regina doesn't do a thing.

"I want you to join me," she grins.

"Leave Robin out of this. Please." Regina whispers.

"Well... No," Fiona says, "now come. You told me you wanted me, now you'll get me."

"N..ooo."

"Yes."

Regina takes a step away.

Fiona pulls her towards her with her magic.

Regina stumbles into her bed.

She freezes Robin, making his eyes focussed on the bed, on them. "Now show him what you can do," Fiona whispers.

"No, please. Let him out of this." Regina doesn't do a thing.

"Yes! Yes, I'm sorry!" Regina quickly undresses herself.

"Good," Fiona says, lying her hands on Regina's hips, "that's more like it."

Regina softly nodds. "Just... Don't hurt him. Please."

"I won't, as long as you do your job."

"Good girl." Regina whispers.

"You are indeed," Fiona says, "now show him what you can do."  
"Regina stop," Robin whispers.

"What I can do?" Regina asks with a very soft voice.

"You know exactly what I mean," Fiona whispers, moving her hands down.

Regina's body reacts to that kind of touch. Her back arches and she leans into Fiona's touch.

"Regina don't let her do this to you," Robin says, really wanting to move.

"I can't let her hurt you." Regina whispers back. Her hands move over Fiona's body as well, soft.

"Show him more," Fiona whispers.

"What do you want exactly?" Regina whispers back.

Fiona lets her hands go down again and touches Regina right there. "Just show some more passion, you're too careful."

Regina gasps for air. She kisses Fiona now.

Fiona kisses Regina back.  
"Stop," Robin says, now to Fiona, "let me do this instead of her."  
But as soon as he says it, there is a soft knock on the door and Emma looks inside.

Regina startles but Fiona keeps her with her in bed. "Please. Don't let Emma see this. Send her away." Regina whispers.

Emma looks at whats happening. She looks at the note in her hand. She had found it on her pillow, was it really from her mother.  
"Come closer dear," Fiona says to Emma, but Emma stays where she is. Not able to move, "but..." she whispers.

"Leave her out of it! Please!"

Fiona doesn't have to say a thing because Emma already runs away. She wants to go to dr. Anderson, but she doesn't know where she is, so she runs to Snow. "How lovely," Fiona says, knowing Emma only had to see a little bit of this to be really scared.

"Why do you hurt her like that? Just hurt me, not Emma or Robin or anyone I care about! Please!"

"Hurting your loved ones hurts you the most." She grins and pushes Regina away from her, while she pulls Robin towards her.

"Leave him alone!"

"Stop talking," Fiona says and she pulls Robin into the bed.

Regina lies close between Fiona and Robin now.

"You two can show me what you can do now," Fiona grins.

"No!"

"You want me to get Emma back?" Fiona says, "so she can watch us, while she is tied up?"

"No. No, I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She quickly kisses Robin.

"just get this over with," Robin whispers. He kisses her back and lays his arms around her.

Regina feels other hands on her back, moving to her front.

"We'll get through this," Robin whispers. Fiona lays her hands on Regina's stomach.

"No. Please. Leave my baby alone." Regina mumbles.

Fiona moves one of her hands down, the other hand stays on her stomach. Robin lays his hand on Fiona's

Regina screams. She doesn't want any of this. "Please!" But her body leans into Fiona's touch.

"It's okay," Robin whispers. He holds Regina's hand tightly in his.

"Make me come." Regina whispers.

Fiona grins and touches Regina where she likes it. "What about you talking me over," Fiona says to Robin, but Robin doesn't move.

Regina moans of pleasure.

The Black Fairy laughs. "You see, Robin, you should be the one who makes her happy. Is he not, Regina?"

Regina can't answer. Her hearts beats fast because Fiona knows where a woman likes to be touched. "Please, make me come." she begs.

Fiona does exactly what Regina wants, smiling.

Regina rides our her orgasm. She sinks into Fiona's arms.

"Good girl," Fiona whispers, "I knew you would like this." She holds Regina in her arms, strong enough so she can't escape. "Robin doesn't give you that, does he?" she smiles.

"He does." Regina just whispers, exhausted from her high.

"Surprising," Fiona grins. "It seemed like he didn't want you to have a good time..."

"Not with you he doesn't!" Regina snaps.

Fiona laughs "Of course not." She softly lays Her hand on Regina's cheek.

"What more do you want?" Regina whispers.

"Not very much, maybe even nothing at all..." Fiona says, "I don't remember." She laughs. "Well I know where to find you when it gets me again. Have fun with Robin." She poofs away.

Regina scrambles out of bed and into her closet.

"Regina please, don't do this again," Robin says opening the door of the closet.

"Go away!"

"No, come out, we can talk about this."

"She's lieing! I do am happy with you!"

"I believe you," Robin says. He reaches out his hand. "Please come out."

"No. I want to sleep in here."

"You can't hide from this,"

"Watch me."

"Come on, Regina."

"Regina..." Robin sighs when he finally has contact. "I'm sorry to say this, but you can't face Emma when you're like this. You need to get yourself back together before we go to her."

Regina slowly nodds, not looking away from Robin.

"Let's sit down for a bit, I'll call Snow and dr. Anderson to ask if Emma is with them and you can calm down a bit."

Regina nodds again and sits down on the bed.

"She is with Snow," Robin says when he returns to Regina.

"Is she alright?"

"Well... She locked herself up in her room so I don't know."

"I need to go to her." Regina whispers, already standing up again.

"Wait a minute," Robin says calmly and he makes Regina sit down again. "Don't expect her to just run to you, hug you and forgive you. I know she did that before, but that's no guarantee. If she snaps at you or doesn't want to talk to you, don't start to cry and run away. If you think that will happen, you have to wait. You can't break down there, okay?" His voice is calm and kind, but he really means this.

"Why would she be mad at me? I didn't do anything wrong!" Regina screams. And then, with a softer voice, "Or did I?"

"You didn't, but It's not about what you did, it's about what she thinks you did," Robin says calmly.

Regina slowly starts to walk over to her closet again, hoping Robin doesn't notice that.

Robin sighs, "I'm not saying you have to run away from this," he says.

"I'm not. I just want to sleep a bit." Regina mumbles, moving closer to the closet.

"I know exactly what you want," Robin says "and it's not just sleeping."

"Then what do I want?"

"Hide yourself in the closet, or a corner."

"So? What's wrong with that? I will come out of it sometime."

"Fine, do what you want," Robin says not very kind anymore. He lies down on the couch.

Regina startles and freezes in place.

Robin just gets some water in the kitchen and sits down on the couch again,

Very slowly Regina disappears into her closet. She's so tired, so exhausted. She falls asleep almost immediately, curled up under a blanket, lieing in her closet.

Robin doesn't fall asleep, he just stares in front of him. When he finished his water he takes some wine...

Regina doesn't come out of the closet.

Robin doesn't move either.

Regina keeps sitting in the closet until someone opens the door. She doesn't look up.

Emma looks down at her mother.

Regina doesn't move.

"Hi," Emma whispers.

Regina doesn't do a thing.

"A- Are you alright," Emma whispers.

"You never should have seen something like that." Regina whispers with a harsh voice.

Emma shrugs, "but I did." She looks at her mother, who doesn't look back at her.

"She needs to go down."

"Is that all you want?"

"I don't want to be hurt again." Regina whispers.

"But hiding or not the Black Fairy finds you anyway... You know that."

"What do you want from me, Emma?"

"I just thought maybe... just... well I don't kwow... but maybe you should just get the best out of the days you're here. I mean, there are a lot nicer things to do than hiding, I guess. But I understand, I think I'll leave you alone then." Emma is a bit nervous. She nods to show that she understands Regina doesn't want her around and walks to the door.

"No, stop." Regina whispers. "Please."

"Yes?" Emma says.

"Don't leave me."

"Okay," Emma says doubtingly, "will you come out of that closet then?"

"Yes." Regina whispers. She slowly comes out of the closet.

"Did you write this?" Emma says and she hands over a piece of paper to her mother. She knows she can't look at her mother in a normal way, before knowing this. It says: < Emma, I have to go to Fiona right now, I'm sorry. But I promise I'll be back at midnight, will you come to my room to just chat a little and have some mother-daughter-time? Love you, mom. >

"I didn't." Regina whispers slowly. "I really didn't." Regina doesn't dare to look up.

"But it's your handwriting," Emma says, she looks up at her mom.

"Fiona did that." Regina whispers.

"Right," Emma says and she crushes the paper in her hand and throws it away, "that makes sense."

"I'm so sorry she hurt you like this." Regina mumbles, trying not to disappear into a corner or her closet again.

Emma shrugs, "don't worry about it."

"I... I want to take a shower. Is.. Is that alright, dear?"

"Okay," Emma says. She is a bit disappointed, but doesn't show it.

"Will you be here when I'm done? I just need to... to not be.. not be dirty any longer." Regina quickly disappears into the bathroom.

Before Emma can answer Regina has disappeared in the bathroom. She walks to her own room and starts writing in her diary.

Regina takes a hot shower and a after a short time she feels refreshed and more clean. She puts on new clothes and walks over to Emma's room. She knocks.

Emma quickly put her diary away. Dr. Anderson said it was a good idea to have one and it works quite good. "Come in," she says.

Regina steps into Emma's bedroom. "I feel better now." Regina whispers.

"I'm glad you do," Emma says and she turns her chair so she can see her mother. "I feel just the same."

"You do? How come?"

"Maybe it's because I didn't take a shower."

Regina looks confused.

"Nothing," Emma says. "You have decided to leave your closet... forever?"

"I... I'll try." Regina whispers. She doesn't really know where to sit or stand.

"You kissed her," Emma says, "why?" She looks het mother into her eyes.

Regina flinches when her daughter asks this question. She doesn't answer right away.

Emma waits.

"Because she wanted me too."

"Did you like it? Kissing her and... You, well... Touching each other?" She just needs to know this thing, maybe they're cruel questions but she doesn't care.

"I'll believe you." Regina whispers. She straightens her back. "I need to take that fairy down."

"I figured something out," Emma whispers. She doesn't like it when her mother talks about a person like that.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"I do," Emma says. "I've worked on it for weeks with Belle and I will only tell you if you want to hear the whole story..."

Regina nodds and sits down besides Emma on her bed. "I want to hear everything."

"When you left I was so super lonely that Robin said that I should try reading. I did and I'm glad I did. I started reading your books, but they got boring after a while and then I found out there is a library here in Storybrooke." Emma starts.

Regina nodds. "That's a good idea of Robin."

"It was and there was a very nice woman working there: Belle and she showed me all the good books. I discovered there were a lot of books about magic and I had hope that I might figure out a way to make sure the Black Fairy can't hurt you anymore. I told Bella all about it and she was in with me. She knows a lot of books about all kind of stuff so that was very handy."

Regina smiles. "Belle sounds really nice."

"She really is. We called our mission, operation Phoenix. She found out the magic of the Black Fairy, since she kind of brought Dark Magic to life, is ten times as strong as people like you or Cora. So that brought us on the idea of enchanting a cuff with light magic of 11 people, because she also found out that the light magic of a person has the same strength as the dark magic of another person. We only need to find eleven people with light magic, enchant the cuff and you have to place it around your wrist whitout her noticing . What do you think?" She looks at her mom.

Regina stares at Emma. "I think that's an excellent idea, sweetheart, but... I don't know 11 people with light magic. I don't have that kind of magic. I only have dark magic."

"I know," Emma says, "but maybe we can find 11 people if we look for them in my storybook and maybe Belle can find some too... And besides that, we also need your magic."

Regina nodds. "Let's do that. I think it's an amazing idea." She smiles softly.

"You do?" Emma says with a little smile, "we need you to find a spell or potion which can make the cuff absorb the magic, because now it's filled with dark magic... I have been looking in your vault, but I didn't understand the spell books at all..."

Regina softly smiles. "I always knew you are a very smart girl, Emma." She winks at her youngest daughter. "I will look into the books tomorrow. I think I have to find Robin first." she whispers then.

"Oh yes," Emma says, she hoped her mother would have stayed a bit longer. "I'm curious what you will find I'm the books tomorrow." She smiles and takes her diary.

"Do you want to come with me to my vault tomorrow?" Regina suggests.

"Yes, I would love that." Emma says.

Regina softly smiles. "That's a date." She winks again. "I'm just going to see where Robin is. Would you like to go to Granny's for diner?"

"I rather eat here with you and Robin," Emma says, looking at her mom, "I missed your lasagna..."

Regina chuckles. "I'll make my lasagna, although you can make it better." She winks one last time, gives Emma a kiss on her forehead and walks downstairs to find Robin. "Robin?"

"Regina."

"Are you... Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, you too?"

"You... You're drunk." Regina whispers now.

"I needed a break," Robin says.

Regina just nodds. She notices Robin is really drunk. Does he still know his boundaries or not?

"So what's it," he says, looking at Regina with weary eyes. 

"N.Nothing." Regina mumbles, taking a step back.

"Then why did you come?"

"I just wanted to... I... I don't know." Regina watches as Robin stands up and walks over to her.

Robin raises his eyebrows as if to ask to be a bit more specific.

Regina just looks at him, approaching her.

Robin has a bit trouble with walking, but he manages to get to her. "Just say it, you can't hurt me."

"I just wanted to see you. Know that you're alright." Regina whispers. She smells the alcohol on his breath.

"Now you've seen me, what do you think? Am I all right?" Robin says. He laughs a bit and leans against the table to keep himself steady.

"You're not." Regina wants to take a step back but Robin doesn't let her. She looks up at him. "Maybe you need to go to sleep a little bit?" she suggests.

“I feel really awake, don't you see" Robin says, "what about you?"

"I feel awake as well." Regina whispers.

"You see no need for a sleep," Robin says and we walks to the door.

"Where... Where are you going?" Regina wants to know.

"I'm going out for a walk," Robin says, walking slowly to the outside door, stuggling to get the key in the keyhole.

Regina quickly walks over to him and takes his hand. "Isn't it better to stay here? You're drunk."

"Am I drunk?" Robin says, still trying to turn the key.

"Yes, you are."

"Well spotted," Robin says, finally managing to open the door. "See you."

"Please. Stay."

"To do what?"

Regina softly kisses him. "For me."

"You told me I'm drunk," Robin says, kissing Regina back, "but you kiss like your drunk." He closes the door behind him and hands the keys over to Regina.

Regina gives him another kiss, a longer one, opening her mouth for him. "Go on." she whispers.

He kisses her more heavily, pushing her against the wall.

Regina allows him to touch her.

Robin doesn't do more. He only kisses her, his hands wrapped around her waist.

"You can go on." Regina whispers in his ear, her warm breath touching his face.

"I'm drunk," Robin whispers, letting his hands go through Regina's hair.

"I don't care." Regina whispers.

"I do," Robin says. He softly stokes her cheek, but he doesn't feel how hard he is touching her cheek...

Regina lets him. She doesn't want to upset him or make him angry. She softly moans but doesn't pull away.

Robin pulls away. He walks outside and closes the door behind him.

Regina opens the door and calls his name.

"Yes, Regina," Robin says and he turns around to look at her.

"Will you please stay?"

Robin looks at her for a while, "yeah, fine," he says and he walks back to the house.

Regina sighs with relief. She helps Robin walk over to the couch in the living room. She sits down next to him.

"So...?"

"I'm glad you're staying." Regina whispers softly, stroking Robin's back.

"Right, I'm glad you're glad."

Regina kisses Robin again.

Robin kisses Regina back, softly.

"Go on. Please. I want you to." Regina whispers softly, guiding Robin's hand to the back of her dress she's wearing.

"Why," Robin whispers, softly pulling her zipper down.

"Because I love you. I want this, with you." Regina whispers, as honest as she can be.

"Isn't this too fast for you?" he whispers and he gives Regina another long kiss.

"No, it isn't." Regina whispers. She really does want this with Robin. She's a little bit scared, but not so much of him as of Fiona interrupting them.

Robin brings Regina's zipper a bit more down, "but I'm drunk," he whispers,

"I don't care. I know you won't take advantage of me." Regina whispers, truly believing this. She stands up to get out of her dress. She sits back down next to Robin and strokes his chest.

"You're so beautiful, do you know that?" Robin says laying is hands on her waist.

Regina softly smiles. She pulls out his shirt and pushes out his pants.

Robin winks and pulls her towards him, "and you're a strange woman. Yes..." he says in himself, "very strange."

"Strange?" Regina whispers. She lies close to him now, guiding his hand to her panties.

"Yes, strange indeed," Robin says, kissing her. He lets Regina take his hand wherever she wants it to be.

"Go on." Regina whispers.

"I will," Robin whispers and he touches her. He goes on, sometimes looking at her, sometimes closing his eyes and kissing her.

Regina allows Robin to touch her completely. She softly moans of pleasure. "Go on." she whispers again.

Robin hesitates, but then does what Regina says. "Tell me if I have to stop," Robin says, touching her where she likes it.

"Don't stop. Go on, please." Regina whispers, almost reaching her climax.

Robin goes on, this time with his eyes closed. "Okay," he whispers.


	20. The Little Bean

Very soon Regina reaches her climax. While she rides down her orgasm, as silent as she can be considering Emma is still in her room upstairs, she feels a shift of air. She startles when someone appears next to them. 

"How lovely," Fiona whispers. She makes sure Robin can't see her.

 

"N.o". Regina whispers.

"What?" Fiona whispers.

"Go away." Regina whispers softly.

"You're never alone," Fiona whispers and she poofs away.   
Robin now looks at Regina.

Regina softly smiles at Robin. "I enjoyed that. Very much." she smiles at him.

Robin smiles back and lays his arms around her. It feels like ages since he could hold her like this.

Regina sighs with content. She really did enjoy this moment between them. But in the back of her mind she can hear a woman's voice, torturing her.

"You're never safe, you know that," Fiona whispers in her head, "because I can kill your loved ones whenever I want."

"Please. Don't do that. Don't treathen me with that. I know you can do that. Please. I'll do anything for you. Just... Just leave them out of this. You know I'll do anything for you, I promise. I'll be a good girl." Regina thinks.

"You're too weak to be a good girl," Fiona whispers, "and doing everything, you don't mean that at all." She now moves her own hand down to Regina's hips and further.

"I promise I'll be a good girl." Regina whispers. "I really do promise."

"That's a lie. Well, prove me wrong," Fiona says, "will you destroy Emma's sweet plan for me then?"

"Emma doesn't have a plan." Regina thinks back, hoping The Black Fairy doesn't know anything.

"A good girl you said," Fiona says, "you know I know everything. I can destroy her plan to destroy me myself, but that wouldn't be much fun don't you think..."

"Good girl." Regina thinks. She moans when she feels Fiona's hand, invisible to Robin, going lower and lower on her body.

"Then destroy her plan," Fiona whispers, "and make sure you don't mention me. It's all your idea that you don't want to go on with the plan, you think the plan is stupid, right?"

"What's it Regina," Robin whispers.

"I think it's an excellent plan." Regina can't help but think. She lies down in Robin's arms now. "Nothing. I just want to enjoy this moment a little bit longer." she whispers to him.

Fiona moves her hand more down, "difficult to hide isn't it," she whispers, now touching her at the right place.

Regina quickly gets up from the couch. "I... I need to use the bathroom." She gives Robin a kiss on his lips and then walks over to the bathroom downstairs. "Leave me alone!" she yells in her head.

No answer.

Regina washes her hands and walks back to Robin. "Can I lie back in your arms?" she smiles at him.

"Yes," Robin whispers.

Regina lies back down in his arms, softly stroking his chest. She pulls up the blanket on the couch to cover the both of them.

Robin strokes Regina's hair gently and kisses her cheek. They lie together in peace, sharing their warmth.

Regina sighs again with content. "I like this." she smiles.

"Me too." He lays his arms around her and holds her close, not speaking anymore.

Regina closes her eyes and almost falls asleep. Almost.

Robin stays quite, Regina (and himself too) can use some sleep.

Regina feels herself getting pulled into a peaceful sleep. But the voice inside her head doesn't stop talking now.

"Leave me alone." Regina thinks, almost falling asleep.

"Sleep tight, little good girl."

Regina finally falls asleep, safe in Robin's arms. She hopes she wakes up like this.

Robin falls asleep too. 

Emma walks downstairs when it's dinner time, but when she sees Robin and Regina sleeping she makes some dinner herself. She makes a salad with all different kind of things and leaves some for them too, for when they wake up.

After sleeping for a couple of hours Regina wakes up. She's lieing in someone's arms and she can only hope it's those of Robin.

It really is Robin, who is still sleeping.

 

Regina smiles. She gets up and puts her dress back on. Regina then goes upstairs to check on Emma. She sees her youngest daughter has fallen asleep while reading a book. Gently Regina takes the book out of Emma's hands and puts her blanket over her. "I love you, little angel." Regina whispers. She gives Emma a kiss on her forehead and walks back downstairs.

Robin has woken up too. His head is aching, so he says on the couch.

"Emma left us some dinner. I'll make lasagna tomorrow, if that's alright. Emma asked me but we all fell asleep."

"Yes," Robin says, pushing himself up with a moan.

Regina sets up the table for the two of them. She doesn't eat much.

Robin drinks some water and eats the salad Emma made. "You should eat more," Robin says.

"I'm not very hungry." Regina whispers. She strokes her belly, a bit stressed.

"You're pregnant, that child needs food too," Robin winks with a smile.

"I'm not hungry." Regina repeats softly.

"Do you think you'll get fat?"

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"Because you will," Robin says, "our baby is growing inside you so, your belly will grow anyway."

"That's different."

"Just eat a bit okay?" Robin sighs.

Regina eats a bit but then stops. "I can't anymore. I'm full."

"Nonsense."

"I said I can't eat any more." Regina whispers.

"Right," Robin only says.

Regina puts away her plate and lies back down on the couch. "Can we sleep here for the rest of the night?"

"Okay," Robin says and they lie down, just like a few hours before and fall asleep.

Regina wakes up in the middle of the night because she hears a noise coming from the kitchen. She doesn't wake up Robin but slowly makes her way over there. "Hello?" she whispers softly.

"Mom?" Emma says, hiding the bottle of wine behind her back. "What are you doing here?"

"I woke up because I heard something. Someone. You." Regina smiles softly. "What's that behind your back, dear?"

"Oh I'm sorry I woke you up," Emma says nervously, "I just needed some... Ehh... Aspirin, because I felt a bit sick. I've nothing."

"Emma." Regina answers with a stern voice.

Emma bites her lip and places the bottle on the table from behind her back. She looks at her feet.

"Are you alright?" Regina just whispers, not getting angry.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm fine, thanks," Emma says not looking up and slowly taking a step in the direction of the kitchen door.

"Emma? Why the drinking tonight?"

"Nothing," Emma says, "really it was nothing, just ehh... felt like it I guess" She takes another step towards the door.

"Emma, please be honest with me."

"I just felt lonely," Emma says, hoping she looks confident, "yes that was totally it. I don't know what got into me."

"And what else? Because that's not the only reason."

"Leave me alone."

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She takes a step back.

"Good night then," Emma says, "I hope you're satisfied."

Regina doesn't answer and lets Emma pass.

Emma slams the door behind her and walks to her room.

Regina freezes when she hears this slamming sound and retreats in her head.

Robin wakes up because of the slam.

Regina doesn't move. She hears The Black Fairy already.

"You see, you're weak."

"N.o". Regina whispers in front of her.

"Definitely yes."

"What do you want?"

"Go upstairs and tell Emma her plan is rubbish."

"No. I won't do that. You can't make me."

"Of course I can," Fiona says, "and remember YOU find her plan rubbish. If you mention me I'll kill Robin. If you don't do it at all, I'll kill Emma too. Or maybe worse, touch her like I did with you. She will love it."

"NO!" Regina screams in her head now. "Leave them out of it! Hurt me if I don't obey you, but not them!"

"When I hurt them I hurt you too, so of course I'll hurt them." The Black Fairy laughs.

Robin comes in. "Is everything all right?"

Regina doesn't answer him right away. She's too busy arguing with Fiona in her head. "Please. Don't let me do this."

"You know I'll let you do this, so do it now."

"No!"

"Fine, I'm upstairs if you look for me," Fiona says, "I'm still sure she will like it."

Regina quickly poofs away into Emma's room. "You stay away from her!" she yells at Fiona.

"Of course I won't," Fiona says, pinning Regina up to the wall.

"No! Please!"

"You should have done what I said, you ruined it for yourself."   
Emma looks at her mom, a bit frigtened.

"Leave her alone! Take me, not her!"

"I'll take her, that hurts you more."   
She walks closer to Emma and softly lays her hand on her shoulder.

"NO!" Regina screams again. "Using a child is WEAK! You're WEAK!"

"I'm not weak, I'm smart," Fiona grins. She winks at Emma, moving her hand under her shirt.

"Leave her alone!" Regina has been made really angry now and she's able to get herself out of Fiona's grip and shoots a fireball right at The Black Fairy.

Fiona makes Regina's fireball disappear and smirks. "Well done," she says and she poofs herself and Emma away.

"NO!" Regina sinks down to the ground. "Where are you taking her?" she asks Fiona in her head.

"Not telling you," Fiona laughs, "maybe after a while, so you can come and see what I do to her."

"Please. I beg you." Regina whispers softly.

"Begging won't get you anywere Regina."

"What do you want? What do I need to do for you to leave Emma alone?"

"Give me your child, the child inside of you."

"Anything. Anything but that. Please."

"That's the only thing I want." Fiona says.  
Then she stops communicating.

Regina explains the situation to Robin when he enters Emma's room. She looks torn.

"Can you give her something else?" Robin says, "me or... Your house, I mean, there has to be something."

"Not you. Never you." Regina whispers. She tries to contact Fiona for anything, anything else.

Fiona doesn't react. 

"Rather me than Emma," Robin says, taking Regina in his arms.

"No! Not you! Never you!" Regina snaps now. "Take me." she whispers in front of her. "You get me. All of me."

"I can skip 5 years again," Fiona says, "that one is also quite satisfying I have to say."

"No. Please. Just... Take me. You get me. All of me. Not just on Friday. Forever. But let Emma and Robin be happy. They don't need me. Please. Please, take me. All of me." Regina whispers.

"Forever?" Fiona says.

"Forever." Regina answers.

"Deal."

Regina sighs with relief. She watches Fiona and Emma return to Emma's bedroom. Regina quickly hugs Robin and Emma and, very very softly, whispers to them she'll find a way back to them. "You know how to defeat her, Emma. I believe in you." Regina whispers very softly.

Emma cries in her mother's arms. "You promised you wouldn't leave me again," Emma says, "you promised!"

"I know, baby. I know." Regina cries as well now. "But I can't let her hurt you. You or Robin or that little thing inside of me, or Snow or anyone I care about." Regina holds on to Emma and Robin for as long as she can. "I will come back. But I'm going to need your help, sweetheart." she whispers in Emma's ear.

"I don't know how," Emma says, "I don't know how to do it without you. Let her hurt me I don't care, please don't leave." She is really panicking. Robin takes her by her shoulders, knowing Regina won't agree with that.

"I won't ever let her hurt you. I'd rather die than see that happening." Regina whispers.

"But now you're hurting me more," Emma says, "I'll never forgive you." She holds her arms around her mother, "please stay."

"I'll come back. I promise I'll come back, if it's the last thing I'll do." Regina cries while holding Emma in her arms for as long as she can.

"No," Emma softly whispers, not letting go, until Fiona pulls them away from each other. "I'll find you mom. I love you."   
Robin nods at Regina and takes a deep breath, as to say: we will be all right.

"Please, let me see them sometimes." Regina begs to Fiona after they have poofed away.

"Never," Fiona laughs, "love is weakness and I need you to be strong."

"You sound like my mother." Regina snaps.

"We were friends," Fiona says, "I was the one who thaught her that, seems she didn't really get it after all."

"What do you want?"

"I don't know yet," Fiona says, "I'll lock you up until I know."

Regina just nodds.

Fiona locks Regina up in the dungeon for two weeks with almost no food."

The only thing Regina can do is survive. She eats what she gets from Fiona. "Please. A bit more food today. My baby." she begs somewhere in the second week.

"Right," Fiona says. She gives Regina some more food. "Bow for me."

Regina slowly bows.

"Good, enjoy your stay."

"Can I see Emma and Snow? Just for a second? Please?"

Fiona makes a mirror appear and shows Emma sitting in class. She writes a story instead of taking notes and playing attention.

"Emma." Regina whispers, a tear running down her face. "Let me speak to her. Please. Just for a second."

"Absolutely not." Fiona says, "you're not here for sweet moments."

"Snow?" Regina asks, hope in her voice.

"The price for that is another week in prison."

Regina softly nodds. She sits back down in a corner of the cell. She never leaves that place.

Snow appears in the mirror. She is teaching how to paint a bird. She is smiling to her class.

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you." she whispers to Fiona.

"You're welcome," Fiona laughs and she leaves Regina alone for another week.

Regina looks up when someone walks into her cell during that week.

"Hi there, sweetheart," Leopold says, "I didn't know you were back."

Regina just looks and doesn't stand up.

"I'm just here to bring you some... Well... They call it food."   
He throws a half burned bread at her.

Regina doesn't look away from him.

"Something wrong?"

"What do you want? You're not just here to bring me food."

"I was," Leopold says, "but if you say I'm not. Let's go to a party tomorrow, you, me and Fiona. I mean, you're our slave now, so you need to serve us when we have fun."

Regina just nodds before turning away from him.

"Yes, your highness," Leopold says and he turns his ear towards Regina.

Regina doesn't say or do a thing.

"Say it, or you will make things worse for yourself." Leopold grins.

"Yes." Regina whispers.

"Say the words and bow!"

"Yes, your Highness." Regina now whispers. She doesn't move.

"Say it and bow!" Leopold says rising his chin.

Regina still doesn't move.

"I say it one last time: bow!"

Very, very slowly Regina bows for Leopold. "Yes, your Highness." she whispers. She takes the bread and disappears into her corner again. When Leopold leaves, Regina thinks to herself. "Emma? Can you hear me?" Regina tries to contact her youngest daughter through their minds.

 "Yes, mom? I can hear you," Emma sends back, not knowing if her mothers voice is real, or that she is just imagining it.

Regina starts to cry. "Sweetheart. I miss you so much. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina cries even louder now. "When I get home I make my lasagna I promised you. I... I need to get back home to you and Snow and Robin. I miss you so much, sweetheart."

"I miss you too, mom," Emma says, "and..."   
She gets interrupted by the Black Fairy. Emma doesn't hear Fiona but Regina does, so she can't hear what Emma is saying.  
"Did you really think it would be that easy," Fiona grins.

"Just for a second. Please. Please, Fiona." Regina begs.

Fiona lets Emma appear in the mirror. Emma can see Regina too. "Mom!" she exclaims

"Emma." Regina whispers. She crawls towards the mirror. "Emma. Emma. My sweetheart. I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too mom, are you really there?" Emma says looking into her mother's eyes. Is she getting mad... Seeing things that aren't there...?

"Yes, sweetheart. It's really me. I'm here. I'm really here." Regina cries now. "I miss you so much, sweetheart. I promise we'll see each other very soon."

"How can you promise that?" Emma says, laying her hand on the mirror. She doesn't cry.

Regina lays her hand on the mirror as well. "Because I will do whatever it takes to get back to you, sweetheart. I promise. I promise." Regina can't stop crying.

"I'm trying too. I've a lot of help, but I need more time," Emma whispers, "is Fiona with you? Can she hear us?"

"She's not with me. Not physical, at least. She can hear us though. She's in my head." Regina answers softly.

"I'm trying very hard," Emma says, now tears in her eyes, "and... I have a friend now." She smiles very brightly.

Regina smiles through her tears. "I'm so happy for you, darling. Who is this friend?"

Emma smiles back, "her name is Elsa, she is Anna's sister, but I promise she is very different!"

"She better is." Regina winks at Emma. "Thank you, Fiona. Thank you so much. I'll be at my best behavior at this party tomorrow, the party Leopold told me about." Regina thinks to The Black Fairy. "I love you so much, Emma. Never forget that."

"I won't," Emma says, "I miss you." She looks away and then Fiona makes her disappear from sight. "Very well she says."

"I miss you too, sweetheart." Regina whispers while Emma disappears. Regina looks up when Fiona appears next to her. "Thank you." she whispers again.

"Don't thank me," Fiona says and she poofs away.

Regina crawls back into her corner. She's exhausted and quickly falls asleep.

"Regina!" Leopold shouts the next morning.

Regina startles awake. "Y.Yes?"

"Get up! We are going."

"Can I... Can I refresh myself?" Regina whispers softly. She hasn't seen a bathroom, shower or fresh water to clean herself in weeks.

"Can you? You have to," Leopold snaps, "you can't show up there like this!"

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. She lets Leopold lead her to the bathroom in Fiona's Castle.

"You have ten minutes," he snaps, pushing her inside.

Regina quickly takes a hot shower. She's out of it in 9 minutes, freshly washed including her hair. She notices there are no clean clothes so she waits, naked, until Leopold comes back inside. She looks up at him.

"Being pregnant makes you fat," he says, slowly walking towards Regina and laying his hand on her waist.

Regina just nodds. "I... I know. I'm sorry." she whispers, flinching away from him.

"I think you understand we have to get rid if that baby, otherwise the corset won't fit." He holds up a potion.

Regina takes a couple of steps back. "No.." she whispers. "No. That wasn't the deal! I could keep my baby! Fiona promised!"

Leopold rolls with his eyes, "this will only move the baby for a while. We found the perfect mother, she will keep your baby until the end of the party and then... You'll get it back. Quite simple."

Regina shakes her head. "Please, no. Please." she begs.

"Drink it!" Leopold sighs, "we don't have hours!"

Regina shakes her head again.

Fiona comes in, "do you still not know how to have power over this woman?" Fiona laughs at Leopold. "Watch and learn." Emma appears in the mirror again, grabbing her throat. Fiona is choking her.

Regina grabs the potion and quickly drinks it.

Fiona laughs, "very good," she says, while Regina's stomach gets thinner and thinner.

Regina softly cries. She strokes her stomach.

Fiona poofs them away to the dressing room. Where a woman waits for Regina to put on her grey dress and corset.

Regina lets the woman dress her. She doesn't complain.

Fiona and Leopold wait for her at the coach.

Regina keeps her head low and steps into the coach.

They arrive at the party, a very big party in a huge palace. "Fiona! Leopold! I'm so glad to see you here." He kisses them on the cheek and shakes hands. He completely ignores Regina. "Come in."

Regina waits until she's been told what to do.

"Follow us Regina and do whatever we say," Fiona whispers. When they go inside and join the party she tells Regina to get drinks for them.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Punch."

Regina looks for the bar and gets punch for the both of them. She doesn't take a drink for herself because she doesn't know if she's allowed to do that.

"Now go and make yourself useful," Fiona snaps, "I'll get to you when we need you."

Regina nodds softly. She walks around and looks at the other guests. She walks over to the bar and asks for a glass of water.

"And who are you?" the man at the bar asks, looking at Regina's ugly dress.

"I'm... I'm Regina." Regina whispers.

"Are you on the guest list?"

"I'm... with Leopold and Fiona."

"You're a servant?" the man asks annoyed.

Regina slowly nodds. "I guess I am. Can I have a glass of water? Please? I'm really thirsty."

"Servants can't get anything without permission of someone higher in rank." The man says.   
"She can have one," a voice says from behind.

Regina startles and turns around.

"Regina, it has been such a long time," Daniel says, when Regina turns around. He is wearing a black suit and a smile around his face.

Regina flinches away. "Daniel." she whispers softly.

"Yes it's Daniel indeed," he says and he hands over the glass of water from the man to Regina.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She drinks greedy, truly thirsty.

"Manners," Daniel whispers, "I don't care, but the people here seem to have eyes everywhere."

Regina coughs softly and gets herself together quickly. "I'm.. I'm sorry." she whispers. She bows for Daniel.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel says, nodding, to show he accepts her bow.

"Fiona and Leopold. They own me." Regina whispers, her cheeks turning red in shame.

Daniel raises his eyebrows, "right," he says, "so your life hasn't really turned out like you wanted."

Regina shakes her head and doesn't look up. She feels truly ashamed right now.

"I feel bad for you," Daniel says, sounding formal, not emotional, "you deserved better than this."

"Thank you, Daniel." Regina whispers. "Are you... Are you here with someone?"

"I am," Daniel says, "I'm here with Zelena and my daughter."

"You... You have a daughter?"

"Yes, are you surprised about that," Daniel says, leaning against the bar and taking some wine.

"N.No. No, I'm sorry." Regina looks down again. "I'm sure she's a beautiful girl."

"You're right about that," Daniel says, "my son is home now, too young too come here."

Regina nodds. A small smile appears on her face. "I'm glad you're living a happy life, Daniel. I really am."

"Well thanks," Daniel says, "I'm very glad as well. What about you?"

"Me? I... I have Snow. Leopold's daughter. And Emma." Regina whispers. "And Robin." she softly adds.

"So you and Robin are still together," Daniel says.

Regina just nodds.

"And Emma is another daughter of yours?"

"Emma is Snow's daughter. But after The Curse... My Curse... I didn't know and I've adopted Emma. I guess Snow and I are both her mother."

"You've got yourself through a lot of trouble, while you're life could have been so easy," Daniel says, looking at Regina. He smiles a bit.

Regina looks down again.

"I really am sad that all that trouble didn't get you anywhere," Daniel says.

"I... I think I have to get back to Fiona and Leopold." Regina whispers.

"Why?" Daniel asks.

"Maybe they need me."

"Don't you want to see Zelena and my daughter. I'm sure they would love to meet you."

Regina slowly nodds. "I would love to meet them." She manages to smile.

Daniel winks. He takes Regina's arm and leads her to Zelena and his daughter.   
"Who is this, dad?" the girl asks, "why are you talking to a... Servant." She looks at Regina with disgust in her eyes.

Regina just looks at Daniel, waiting for him to answer his daughter's question.

"Don't be rude, sweetheart," Zelena says, before Daniel can say something, "Regina," she says, shaking her hand, "it has been a long time."

Regina slowly takes her hand back after shaking Zelena's and then bows for her sister. "Zelena." she whispers.

Zelena smiles and makes her daughter give Regina a hand.

Regina shakes the little girl's hand. "You're a very pretty girl. What's your name?" Regina asks the girl softly.

"Glinda," the girl says, pulling her hand very quickly away from Regina. She wants to clean her hand immediately...

"Nice to meet you, Glinda." Regina whispers.

"Why doesn't she bow for me," Glinda says angrily to her mother. "I'm a prinses," she says louder, so Regina can hear it.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She quickly bows for the young girl.

Glinda sighs and looks from her father to Regina. "How do you know each other?"

Regina looks at Daniel for him to answer her question.

"We're old friends," he says, "she just wasn't as lucky as I am."

Regina slowly nodds. "Your father is right." she whispers.

"I don't like you," Glinda says, "you're dirty."   
"Glinda!" Zelena says with a stern voice.  
"It's true," Glinda says and she walks away. Zelena follows her after saying that Regina shouldn't think to much of it.

Regina quickly takes a step back. "I... I really need to go now." she whispers.

"Well, see you later then," Daniel says, "maybe. It was nice to see you again and good luck."

"It was nice seeing you too." Regina softly smiles and turns around. She forgets to bow before she leaves.

A lot of eyes are now focusses on Regina. Daniel doesn't care that Regina doesn't bow but he still whispers. "Manners."

Regina turns back around. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." A tear runs down her face. She bows for Daniel and waits for permission to get up again.

Daniel nods and kindly smiles. He walks away, when he is almost with Zelena again, he looks over his shoulder.

Regina slowly gets up and walks back over to Fiona and Leopold. When Daniel looks over his shoulder, Regina does the exact same thing at the same time.

Daniel smiles at her.

Regina softly smiles back. She then turns her attention back to Fiona and Leopold.

"Regina, about time," Fiona says, "get us some more punch will you?"

"Yes." Regina walks back over to the bar and orders 2 punch for Fiona and Leopold.

The man gives Regina the punch.   
Fiona and Leopold are talking to a group of important people, all covered in riches. "Don't forget to bow when you hand over the drinks," Fiona snaps in Regina's mind.

Regina hands over the drinks to Fiona and Leopold and bows for them. She looks up at the group of important people.

The people ignore her. Everyone on the party ignores her.

Regina looks at Fiona and Leopold and waits until she's been told what to do.

"Get out of the way will you." Leopold snaps when the group starts moving.

"Y.Yes. I'm... I'm sorry." Regina quickly moves out of the way.

"Bow," he snaps

Regina quickly bows again.

The group walks away from her.

Regina keeps bowing until the last person walks past her.

"My mother told me I had to apologize." Glinda says standing in front of Regina, "but I won't."

Regina's eyes meet the eyes of the little girl. "You don't have to." Regina whispers.

"Of course I don't, I'm a princess."

Regina nodds. A soft smile appears on her face. "Yes, you are. And you're a beautiful princess, Glinda." Regina talks with a soft, motherly voice.

"You have a pretty face." Glinda reacts, she is starting to like this Regina more than she did before.

"Not as pretty as yours." Regina winks.

Glinda tilts her head and smiles. "I doubt that, you're just... Dirtier than me."

"I am." Regina whispers. She quickly bows again. "Can I help you with something, Princess?"

"No, and..." Glinda says. She hesitates but then says, "and I'm sorry." She quickly walks away.

Regina looks up and sees Zelena looking at her. She nodds slowly as if to say her daughter apologized to her.

A smile appears around Zelena's lips and she gives Regina a kind nod.

Regina smiles back. A small one but a smile nonetheless. She turns around when she feels hands on her hips.

"Hi there," a random man says. He is very very drunk and he wants a toy.

"H.Hi." Regina whispers softly.

The man laughs, taking deep snoring breaths. He moves his hands to her breasts.

Regina flinches but doesn't step away.

He pushes her to the cupboard and locks themselves in there. But they're not alone. "I found one!" the man shouts and laughter of a lot of men sounds through the cupboard.

"P.Please." Regina whispers.

No one hears her and they all let their hands go over her body, grinning and totally drunk.

"No. No, please. No." Regina keeps whispering and begging. "Please. Let go of me. I don't want this."

Everyone ignores Regina. Some men even start touching Regina under her dress.

"Please." Regina whispers again.

"Regina you're not here for fun, get out of that cupboard and get me some wine!" Fiona says in Regina's mind. A man grabs her by her leg under her dress.

"I... I have to go. Please, let me go." Regina begs.

The men ignore her.  
"Regina come!" Fiona says.

"I... I can't." Regina thinks back to The Black Fairy.

"You have to," she says back.   
One of the men now has both his hands on Regina's waist, while another strokes her cheeks.

"I have to go." Regina says again, louder this time.

"We don't want you to go," the man says and he squeezes her skin very hard.

Regina moans of pain. "Please. I'll be punished if I don't go. Please."

"Don't you like this?"   
Three men are now around her, blocking her way.

"Please. Just let me go." Regina whispers.

"Push through them, really Regina..." Fiona sends.

"I can't!" Regina snaps in her mind at Fiona.  
"No, don't do that!" she suddenly shouts at one of the men when he pulls the zipper of her dress down.

The men help each other to push down the sleeves of her stress, and with that undressing the top of her body. Some other hands are now touching her naked skin.

Regina can't help but to lean into their touches.

Someone is kissing her neck, while another three men undress her completely and touch her almost everywhere.   
"Regina!" Fiona shouts.

"H.Help me." Regina begs to Fiona, in panic now.

Fiona sighs but starts to walks in the direction of the cupboard.   
In the meantime, someone bites her in her shoulder and another man is getting his hands down there. Another man makes Regina move on his rhythm.

Regina tries to get away but they just won't let her. "She'll be so angry with me. Please. She'll punish my daughter. Please, just... Please." Regina whispers, begs.

The men don't stop. Fiona comes in.  
She waves the men away from Regina. She sighs. "Get dressed," she snaps, "we're leaving."

Regina crawls away from everyone. She quickly puts her dress back on. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

Fiona lets out an annoyed sigh and lets Regina get out. "This won't be without consequences."

"I.. I know. I'm sorry." Regina whispers. She walks behind Fiona towards Leopold. She tries to be as silent as she can be, not wanting to be noticed by anyone right now.

Everyone stares at them. "You made a fool of us," Leopold snaps very softly.

"It wasn't my fault!" Regina snaps back.

You can hear a lot if people gasp. Fiona stops walking and turns to the crowd, taking Regina with her.

Regina stumbles next to Fiona.

"We want to see her burn!" the crowd bursts out.

Regina startles and looks up at Fiona, terror in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"This is your own fault," Fiona says, "you let them take you and you just snapped at a king. You're a servant, but not acting like one. Something like that deserves punishment." The crowd cheers.

"P.Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Apologies not accepted," Fiona says and two guard pick Regina up. They tie up her hands and push her through the cheering crowd to the dungeons.

Regina stumbles into a cell in the dungeons. She makes herself small in one of the corners. "P.Please. Just... Just let me die. I'm so tired of this life. Please." she begs to no one in particular.

"I know someone who told you the exact same thing. You promised her a better life, you promised to take her in. Oh..." Fiona sighs, "you let her down so much." She shows Aurora in a mirror that just appeared. She lies in a bed, crying. Her hands and feet are tied up and she is surrounded by machines that keep her alive, while the only thing she wants is to die. "I'll do the same to you," Fiona says, "I'll make sure you stay alive. I'll make sure you suffer, just like you did to this girl."

Regina screams of frustration. "Please! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry for what? That you abandoned her? Or sorry that your behavior was not in place," Fiona grins.

"Both. I'm sorry for both!"

"Sad she can't hear it," Fiona says, "she looks miserable..."

Regina screams again. "I love you, Emma. Never forget that." she whispers in front of her. With one last very loud scream Regina sets herself on fire. She smiles when she feels the darkness taking over.

"Don't be ridiculous, Regina," Fiona says with a sigh.

"Please." Regina whispers. "Let me go. I can't do this anymore. I'm so tired. Please... Please, have mercy." Regina cries. "At least give me my baby back. Please."

"I won't let you go, but there is something I can do," Fiona says, "giving you your baby back." She hands over a potion.

Regina quickly drinks the potion.

Fiona grins, "ow sorry," she laughs, "that was the wrong one." She has given Regina a potion that makes her inside burn.

Regina screams out of anger. "I hate you!"

"I know you do," Fiona laughs.

"Give me back my baby!"

"I'll think about it."

Regina shoots a fireball towards Fiona without hesitation.

"I love it when your angry," Fiona says, making the fireball disappear. "Darkness makes you beautiful."

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes right away. "Give me back my baby!"

Fiona only smiles at Regina.

Regina poofs at Fiona and slams her in the face. "Give my baby back!"

"That hurts so much," Fiona laughs, "am I supposed to fall down and cry now."

Regina now sinks down into a corner of her cell and retreats completely away in her mind. She doesn't respond to anything any longer.

"Very well," Fiona says, "see you tomorrow then. They will burn you alive tomorrow." She poofs away, but gives Regina her baby back.

Regina doesn't react and keeps staring in front of her. She doesn't sleep.

The next day some guards come and get her for her punishment.

Regina doesn't get up out of her corner.

The guards get her up and drag her out of her dungeon.

Regina doesn't protest. She weakly hangs in the arms of the guards.

The guards drag her outside. Where a whole crowd of people is waiting for her, to see her being punished.

Regina closes her eyes and just lets them lead her.

People start to throw stuff at her, rotten food and even stones. They're shouting too.

Regina doesn't react.

The guards tie her up at a wooden pole. Not long after that a hooded figure sets it on fire.

Regina screams.

Fiona looks at Regina from a distance, making sure the fire will burn her skin.

Regina starts to enjoy the darkness that's closing in on her.

When Regina's skin is red from the burns and when Regina finally seems to embrace her death, Fiona stops the fire and poofs the two of them away to the dungeons at her place.

Regina sinks down on the ground, not reacting to Fiona.

Fiona leaves behind Regina in the dungeon for another month. She only makes sure Regina keeps alive...

Regina keeps living in her own little world, inside of her head. She doesn't eat, unless being forced to, and she doesn't talk.

Then on one day Fiona comes in, but she gets blinded by a big light that fills the whole dungeon.

Regina just sits in her corner, not noticing what's happening around her.

In a flash the Black Fairy is covered in ice. "Do it!" a girl's voice says, in her words you can hear that she uses all of her strength.   
"I will," Emma says, trying to make out Fiona's body through the light.

Regina retreats further away in her mind. She doesn't know what's happening and that makes her scared.

"You can't get to me!" Fiona shouts, but Emma is already there. She places the cuff around Fiona's wrist and the light fades.   
"What did you do!" Fiona shouts. She tries her magic, but fails.

Regina still doesn't react.

Elsa, the girl who is with Emma, pins Fiona to the wall with her ice. Emma screams out of excitement and she and Elsa hug very tightly. Emma has tears in her eyes. "We did it." she whispers.

Regina whispers softly in front of her. "I promise I'll be home one day, sweetheart. I promise."

Emma now runs to her mother kneeling down beside her. "Mom, we're here to get you home," she whispers through her tears. Elsa comes closer too.

"I'll be home one day." Regina whispers, not noticing Emma.

"Mom, look at me," Emma says, "I'm right here." She lays a hand on her mother's cheek.

Regina startles. No one has touched her in the past month and she leans into this warm touch.

Emma smiles, "do you know who I am?" she whispers, taking her mother's hand in hers now.

"I'll be a good girl." Regina just whispers.

"Please mom, I'm just Emma," she says, "I'm your daughter remember. I love you."

"Emma." Regina repeats, very softly.

"Yes, Emma," she says, "you remember Emma?"

"You're tricking me. I hate you. I hate you!" Regina starts to scream.

Emma startles and quickly stands up. Her body is shaking. Elsa takes her hand, while Emma bursts into tears on Elsa's shoulder.

"You're not real. Emma's not really here. You are Fiona. You are tricking me to hurt me. Emma would know what to say to make me believe it's really her."

"Would I?" Emma says. Her mother broke something in her.   
Elsa whispers something in Emma's ear.

"Emma would. Real Emma would." Regina whispers, before retreating back into her own mind.

"You tell me stories, about you and Rocinante. You made me believe in myself when I was a piece of shit and now I'll do the same for you. You bought me a dress, which I'm wearing right now, because you thought I was beautiful. And I saw that you saw yourself in the mirror when I held my breath to look thinner. You let me scream at you, not thinking about yourself, to make me let everything go. You knew me, you knew when I needed to shout, when I needed a story or a hug and you still know it. You always come back to me, always. So please do it again. Just one more time. After all you promised not to leave me again."

Very slowly Regina turns around to face Emma. Her eyes narrow a bit as if she's thinking about what this girl in front of her just said. Her eyes dart over to the dress. "I still think you're beautiful in that dress." she whispers.

Emma let out a small laugh. She is so relieved and still her heart beats so fast. She laughs and cries at the same time. Emma looks at her dress, which is now covered in dirt. "You do?" she smiles.

"I do." Regina whispers. She looks at her daughter. "You saved me."

"I'm still saving you," Emma whispers. She stands up. She and Elsa help Regina to stand up too.

For the first time in the last month Regina feels the pain of her burn wounds. She moans of pain.

Emma looks at Elsa. They both let Regina sit down again, knowing movement will cause her pain. "We should try to heal her together," Elsa says, "alone we surely will be too weak."   
Emma nods. She and Elsa had practiced a lot of magic together when Regina was away.  
They start trying to heal her, hoping it works...

With every passing second Regina feels a little bit better. When the two girls in front of her stop using their magic to heal her, a couple of burn wounds still remain but most of them are gone.

"I'm sorry mom, we can't produce more magic..." Emma whispers, "do you think you can stand now?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure." Regina whispers. She's very impressed about the magic of her daughter and the girl who seems to be her friend. "You... You must be Elsa?" Regina asks softly. "Emma mentioned you, a... a while ago."

"Well yes, hi," Elsa says with a smile, "yes I'm Elsa."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Regina. Thank... Thank you for helping my daughter." she adds softly.

"Nice to meet you too," Elsa says, "and... It was a pleasure." She finally looks Regina into her eyes.

Regina softly smiles and nodds her appreciation to the girl. "How... How did you girls get here? Does anyone know you're here?"

"Robin does... Kind of," Emma says, "and your mother probably..." She and Elsa start to giggle a little. "We got two beans, one for the trip to you and one for the trip home."

Regina looks over at The Black Fairy. "You're never hurting anyone ever again." she whispers, slowly walking over to Fiona.

Fiona looks at Regina with disgust in her eyes. She tries to break out of the ice.

Regina shakes her head. "No. You're done." Regina waves with her hand and poofs The Black Fairy into her own dungeon and a cell. She makes sure Fiona has been tied up to the wall.

"You didn't kill her, did you?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head. "I didn't. I made sure she'll stay in a cell in her own dungeon. One of her people will bring her food and give it to her but she's never coming down from that wall."

"Never is a long time."

"It's what she deserves. Doesn't she?" Regina asks softly.

"I don't think anyone deserves that," Emma says, "at least make it so she can move around a bit in her cel okay?"

Regina nodds. "I will. I promise." Regina waves with her hand again and does what Emma asked of her.

Emma smiles and opens her palm where a glittering bean is laying. "Ready?" she asks.

Regina just nodds again. "Yes. Yes, I am. Please, take me home." A tear runs down her face.

"What about that man?" Elsa says, "don't you want to lock him up too? Emma told me about him and he seems nasty..."

"Leopold is harmless when he doesn't have Fiona." Regina whispers. "I... I just want to go home."

"Right," Emma says and she drops the bean. They take each others hands and jump...

The minute they land back in Storybrooke Regina sinks down to the ground. Her legs just can't hold her any longer.

Elsa and Emma help her to the livingroom. When Robin sees them he lifts Regina up in his arms and he carries her to the couch. "You two! You did it?" he says surprised, "are you hurt?"

Regina's body stiffens when a man, Robin, but still a man, touches her, but she holds Robin close to her. She softly cries. She's so relieved to be back but also so scared.

Robin just holds Regina close, when Elsa and Emma take the time to say goodbye to each other, promising they will talk about it tomorrow. Elsa says goodbye to Regina too.

"Goodbye, Elsa. Again.. Thank you so much for helping Emma. For helping me." Regina whispers.

Elsa smiles, "you're welcome, I'm so glad I could help."

Regina nodds with a soft smile on her face. She then turns around to her other side on the couch, not facing anyone.

Elsa leaves and Robin and Emma keep quiet. Robin takes Regina in his arms again and Emma looks at them from a chair on the opposite of the couch. She smiles.

Regina allows Robin this close to her body. She feels safe with him. She just looks at Emma though. "How did you do it? How did you manage to save me?" Regina softly asks, really wanting to know.

"We did a lot of things. Cora helped us understand the spells and we made a plan, practiced our magic and everything. It's a very long story..."

"If you want to tell me, I would love to hear it. I... I could use a nice story before I fall asleep. I'm so tired, Emma. I'm so tired." Regina whispers, stroking over her belly a bit stressed. Is everything alright with her baby? The past month she hasn't really been living in the here and now and she hasn't been feeling her baby move around. She really doesn't know and that makes her scared.

Robin lays his hand on Regina's belly and kisses her cheek. Emma looks at her mother. "Okay if you want it," Emma says, "our real operation started with some kind of accident. Of course I had done a lot of research with Belle already before you went. Well... I went to school two days after you left. I was quite angry, because you left and I didn't know what to do. Then Anna got to me and started to says stupid things, she even hit me. So I got even angrier... I used my magic to push her away. I didn't want to, but it just happened. She really flew really far away from me and hit the ground so hard she broke her arm. That's when Elsa noticed me. I got detention after the accident with Anna, even though I really didn't do it on purpose. I had to clean the canteen for a month after school... you really want to hear more, or do you want to sleep?"

"Please, go on. I like hearing your voice." Regina whispers. She craves this human contact, this story and Robin's touch. She felt so alone when she was away.

"Elsa came to me because she saw that I had magic. She had not found someone her age who had magic before and we started to chat about it in the lunch breaks. It was much fun and we started to meet more often than only the breaks. After I while I told her about what I wanted to do and what happened to you. She said she wanted to be in and we went on together." Emma smiles. "We made a plan to create the cuff. We got help from Cora, who explained the spells to us, even though she couldn't do magic herself... We also got a lot of help from the fairies who told us about people with light magic."

Regina smiles. She likes this story. "I would love to have light magic." Regina whispers. She closes her eyes but keeps listening. "Please, go on." She also keeps stroking her belly, really worried.

"We will let a doctor look at it tomorrow, okay?" Robin whispers. He lays his hand on Regina's so she stops moving it. Emma continues: "We made a deal with mr. Gold to get the beans so we could go to you. We also got the Blue Fairies wand from Gold. She created portals to travel to other fairies and stuff. We made sure people could trust us and got the magic. It took more than three months all together, but we made it." Emma looks at her mom, "and I'm happy you're back."

Regina's eyes flash open. "What deal did you make with Gold?" she wants to know.

Emma startles, "nothing to worry about," Emma says. She already regrets that she told her.

"What deal, Emma?"

"My heart," Emma says, "but just for a little while, and I have it back already. And... Cora's heart. He still has it. And..." Emma stops.

"You did what?!" Regina almost shouts. "What did he want with your heart? Did he hurt you? Gold! He's going to pay for this! What more did he want?" Regina rambles.

"I don't know what he wanted, maybe he just wanted to look at the differences or something... but... It was the only way and worth it. Please, just let it be."

"What more did he want, Emma? I'm not resting until I know the whole story!" Regina rambles now.

"You're just back and I don't want to upset you immediately..." Emma sighs.

"You don't upset me, sweetheart. I promise."

"Well, Gold wanted Elsa's heart too, he gave it back already. And... He... He wanted your heart, and... I said yes." She looks at her hands. "I'm sorry."

Regina sighs with relief. "That's alright. That's not important. The most important thing is that you're alright." she whispers. She closes her eyes again. "Do you want to tell me the rest of the story?"

"There is not much left to tell," Emma says, "we collected all the magic and ingredients. We made some deals and when we got everything we needed, no one wanted me and Elsa to go, because it was to dangerous." Emma sighs and looks at Robin. He is indeed a bit angry. "But Elsa and I went in secret, using the beans. And the rest of the story you have seen yourself."

Regina sighs with content now. "I always knew you are a very special girl, sweetheart."

"I'm not special," Emma grins, "I didn't do this alone."

"You are special and I don't want to hear anything else." Regina whispers.

Emma nods, because she doesn't want to argue, and looks out of the window.

Regina smiles softly.

The room is completely silent for a while.

Regina keeps stroking, not really aware of it, her belly. "I don't feel my little bean." she whispers.

"Since when can't you feel it?" Robin whispers.

"I don't really know." Regina whispers back. "I don't remember much of my time there. Especially not of the last days. Or weeks. I don't know." She sighs. "Since she took my baby out of me and put it back, I guess." Regina shrugs, starting to disappear in her mind again.

"You want a doctor to look at it?" Robin whispers.

"Yes. Please."

Robin carefully stands up and walks to the phone to call a doctor. 

"Dr. Whale says he can see you in half an hour." Robin says when he walks back into the livingroom. Emma looks a bit worried.

"Will you both come with me?"

"I will," Robin says and Emma nods too, "I'll come too."   
"Let's clean you up a bit before we go," Robin whispers, "I'll get you some fresh clothes."

Just now Regina realises she's still in her prison clothes and hasn't had a shower in weeks. Months, maybe.

Robin is gone and Emma just waits. "What did she do to you?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head. "Nothing." she just whispers. "I don't really remember."

"I would have liked it better if you just told me you don't want me to know it or something..." Emma says. She looks away from her mother, "instead of lying to me."

"It hurts. To remember." A tear rolls down Regina's face.

"Okay," Emma says, she didn't expect that reaction from her mother, "sorry I... I didn't know." She looks at her lap.

"Maybe later. I promise I'll tell you later." Regina whispers.

Emma smiles. "Okay," she whispers again.   
Robin comes back and helps Regina into her fresh clothes.

Regina softly smiles back to her youngest daughter. "No." Regina flinches away when Robin wants to help her. "I want to take a shower first. Please. I... I... They... Please?" Regina almost begs.

"All right," Robin says and he hands over the clothes instead of helping her to put them on.

"Will you... Will you help me?" Regina whispers to Robin.

"Yes of course," Robin says. He smiles, "I though you didn't want that... but of course I want that."

"Emma? Will you be here when I'm ready? Please?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

"Yes I'll be here," Emma says, running upstairs to grab her book.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. Regina nodds at Robin. "I'm ready."

Robin winks and they walk upstairs to the bathroom.

Regina slowly follows Robin to the bathroom. She watches him starting the shower.

"Are you ready," he said softly, while he pulls out his own shirt and sees Regina staring at him when he turns on the shower.

"Are you... Are you coming with me in the shower?" Regina whispers.

"I thought you needed help," Robin says, "you want me to come?"

"I'm not sure. Is that a bad thing?" Regina whispers softly. She slowly undresses herself. Robin can clearly see the blood and injuries on her body.

"I guess it's not," Robin says, but then he looks up at her. "Did she... Burn you?" he says while he carefully lets his fingers go over the skin around the wounds, looking at them.

Regina just nodds softly.

"We need a doctor to look at those too then," he says, now looking Regina in her eyes.

Regina just nodds again. "Alright." she whispers.

"I won't make the shower that hot, I think warm water will hurt a bit." He undresses himself and makes the shower the right temperature. He reaches out his hand for Regina

Regina slowly undresses herself as well and steps into the shower with Robin. She keeps her distance.

Robin lets her. "you want me to wash your hair?" he asks. He waits for her to move, giving her the time.

"Yes. That's alright." Regina whispers and turns her back towards Robin. The bite mark of one of the men is still visible on her shoulder.

Robin carefully puts the shampoo in Regina's hair. In the meantime he looks at her wounds, imagining what had happened. One wound even looks like teeth marks...

Regina slowly relaxes under his touch. "I like this." she whispers.

"Me too," he whispers and he washes out the shampoo with the quote cold water. "I'll clean your body too, is that okay?" he asks, "there is a lot of blood on your back here."

"Yes. Go on. I like this." Regina smiles.

"Right," Robin says with a smile and he cleans up Regina's whole body, so all the dried blood is gone.

Regina keeps being relaxed and lets Robin wash her completely. She then puts on fresh clothes and walks with Emma and Robin to the clinic for her appointment with Dr. Whale. "Is... Is Dr. Anderson in Boston?" she softly asks to the both of them.

"She is," Robin says.  
"She comes here a few times a week to talk to me," Emma says, "and she calls... a lot, to hear if you're home already." She smiles.

"She's sweet, isn't she?" Regina smiles back, holding Emma's hand closely in her own.

"She really is," Emma says, "she helped me a lot." She smiles, while she holds her mother's warm hand.

Regina smiles again. "I'm glad." Her body tenses when she sees the clinic in the distance.

"It's okay," Robin whispers.

Regina keeps her hand on her belly. "It's dead." she whispers.

"You can't be sure," Robin says, laying his hand on her belly. He knows there is a big chance she is right, but he doesn't want to lose hope yet...

Regina flinches away. "No. Don't touch it." she whispers.

"Why not," Robin whispers. He looks Regina into her eyes.

"Bad memories." Regina just whispers, walking into the clinic.

Dr. Whale greets them and lets them in his room. "So you're here, so I can check things," he says, "can you describe why you're here more precisely?"

"I can't feel my baby any longer." Regina just whispers.

"Okay," dr. Whale says, "then I think the best thing to do is look at your baby through ultrasound."

Regina nodds. She lies down on the examination table and pulls up her shirt.

Dr. Whale starts with the ultrasound and when he looks for a while he is sure, the child is no longer alive. There is no heart in it's chest beating. It even looks like there is no heart at all.   
"I'm very sorry," he says, while he stops and looks Regina into her eyes.

"Get it out of me."

Dr. Whale gives a small nod. "We will plan a surgery for that, later this week," he says in a calm and soft way. Robin is in shock. He feels tears coming up. Emma is already crying and Robin takes her in his arms.

"Now! Get it out of me NOW!" Regina screams.

"This is not something we can do immediately," dr. Whale says calmly. "We need to plan this surgery carefully."

"NOW!" Regina screams again, starting to hit Dr. Whale who is standing closest to her.

"I'm very sorry, I understand you want your child out of your belly, but it's not possible right now."

Regina starts to hit her belly now. "Get out of me! Get out of me!" She cries big tears now. "I don't want you any more! Get out!"

Emma looks at her mom. She is crying and not able to move. Her hands are shaking.  
Dr. Whale has grabbed Regina's arms so she stops hitting him or herself. Robin goes to Regina now and takes her hands over from him. "Regina," he says, "you heard dr. Whale. They can't do it right now."

Regina flinches and freezes then. "Let go of me." she whispers softly. "I don't like being held like this. Let go of me. Let go of me."

"I can't let you hurt yourself," Robin says, but he does let go of Regina's arms.

Regina slowly comes down from the examination table. "Call me when you can get it out of me." she whispers before leaving Dr. Whale's office and immediately after the clinic.

"You need to after her," Emma whispers to Robin.  
"Will you go home then," Robin says, "and call dr. Anderson, you can talk to her." Emma nods and walks home. Robin thanks dr. Whale and goes after Regina. "I'll come back tomorrow for the appointment," Robin says when he leaves.

In the meantime Regina has managed to walk a couple of feet before falling down onto the ground in front of the clinic.

Robin walks to her and kneels downs beside her. He keeps quiet.

Regina flinches.

"We'll get through this too," Robin whispers, drying his own tears.

Regina shakes her head in denial. "No. I don't want to anymore. I'm done." she whispers.

"You're not done," Robin whispers. He takes her in his arms.

Regina sighs. "Maybe not. We still have each other. And Emma and Snow." she whispers. "I can't give up for all of you. I don't want to give up." she whispers. And in that moment she realizes she indeed doesn't want to give up this life.

Robin smiles, "I'm so happy to hear that," he whispers and he kisses her on her cheek, "Because we can't live without you Regina. And you're right, you can't give up."

"I won't. I promise." she whispers.

"Let's go home," Robin whispers.

Regina nodds. She tries to get up but her legs won't carry her tiny and fragile body. She has lost a lot of weight during her time with The Black Fairy.

"Come here," Robin says with a smile and he lifts Regina up. He carries her all the way home.

Regina lies her head down on his shoulder and puts her arms around his neck. "I'm cold." she whispers when they are almost home. The sun is shining bright but she still feels very cold.

"You feel quite hot," Robin says, "but I'll get some extra blankets for you, don't worry."

"Thank you." Regina whispers. When they arrive back home, her home, Regina lets Robin put her down on the couch. She crawls into the corner of the couch and curls up.

"Try to relax a bit okay?" he says and he gets some blankets for her. He lays them around her.

"Thank you." Regina whispers again, starting to retreat in her own mind. "Where is Emma?"

"I think she is upstairs," he says.

"Thinking is not enough. I need to be sure." Regina whispers softly.

"I'll look," Robin says, "will you try to relax then?"

Regina doesn't answer. She disappears in her own mind now.

"I won't look if you're not here," Robin whispers, taking Regina's hand in her, "there really is no reason to hide right now."

Regina flinches and pulls her hand away. "Please, I want to be sure she's safe with us. At home. Please." Her heart starts to beat faster and panic rises in her eyes.

Robin runs upstairs and finds Emma in her bedroom. She is on the phone with dr. Anderson. He stays for a while and then returns. "She is safe." he says to Regina and he smiles.

Regina nodds and disappears in her mind. She doesn't want to be here any longer, not while that thing is still inside her belly.

"Regina, don't go away," Robin says, "you don't have to."

"Good girl." Regina just whispers.

"Please Regina," Robin says, "please don't do this now." He feels so sad inside and he actually really wants to cry.

Regina hears the sadness and pain in Robin's voice. She looks up at him, tears in her own eyes. "I'm sorry I lost your baby." Her heart really aches and she can't hold back the tears any longer. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Robin whispers, now holding her close, "it just hurts so much."

"It is. It is my fault. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Regina keeps crying and apologizing.

"Regina it's not, it really isn't," Robin says. He is still crying. "I will never blame you for this, I'll never think you were the reason this happened."

"I did want to have a child with you. Our child. I really did want that." Regina cries.

"We both did," Robin says, "it would have been wonderful."

Regina just nodds. She can't stop crying and feels really exhausted. She doesn't remember the last time she ate or drank something.

Robin dries his tears, but keeps holding Regina close to him. He missed her and it feels so good to have her with him again.

"I don't want to ever leave you or Emma or Snow again." Regina whispers now, her eyes heavy from exhaustion.

"You won't have to," Robin says, "Fiona can't get to you anymore."

"She can't, can she?" Regina asks, just to be sure. She doubts this was the last they've ever seen of The Black Fairy but she doesn't want to think about that right now. Unconsciencely her hand strokes her belly again.

"She can't, so don't worry about that righ..." Robin can't finish his sentence, because Regina stroking her belly breaks him in some way. He has to fight the tears again.

"I'm sorry." Regina quickly apologizes. "I... I 'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"It's okay, it's just... Hard," Robin whispers.

Regina nodds. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"Please don't be sorry," Robin says.

"I'll try." Regina whispers. Her stomach rumbles. "I'm not hungry." she quickly adds.

Robin raises his eyebrows. "You can also eat when you're not hungry," he says, knowing Regina is lying.

"Not hungry." Regina whispers now.

"I know you are," Robin whispers back, looking in her eyes.

Regina just looks away.

Robin sighs, but smiles, "your hunger will come back," he says then, "just try to eat okay? And if it doesn't work, you just skip the food. Then you've at least tried it."

"Alright." Regina softly agrees.

Robin makes some soup and places the cup in front of Regina.

Regina takes the cup in her hand. She stares at it for a long time, as if she doesn't know what to do with it.

Robin says nothing and just drinks some soup.

Regina drinks a little bit of her soup after a long time. She then puts the cup down. "Emma. Where is Emma?"

"She is upstairs," Robin answers.

"I need to be sure."

"All right, shall I check? Or do you want to go?"

"I'll go. Thank you." Regina whispers. She quickly walks upstairs and knocks on Emma's door.

Emma pretends to be asleep.

Regina softly strokes through Emma's hair. "You're not sleeping." she notices. "Why are you pretending?"

Emma has her back towards her mom. She shrugs, while tears stream over her cheeks.

Regina keeps stroking Emma's hair. "You can tell me. You can tell me anything."

"It's nothing," she whispers.

"You don't cry over nothing, sweetheart. Just... Just tell me. Please? I can't help if I don't know why you're crying, why you're upset."

"I don't need help and I'm not upset," Emma says and she moves away from her mother.

Regina startles just a bit. "Al... Alright." she whispers softly. She doesn't move.

"You... You..." Emma whispers, but she can't find the right words.

Regina waits patiently.

"Nothing."

"Do you want me to leave or can I stay with you for a bit?"

"Stay," Emma says, she is crying very hard now.

Regina stays. She lies down next to Emma and takes her close against her own fragile body. "I'm here, sweetheart. Mommy is right here." she whispers.

Emma cries, while her mother holds her close. Soon Regina's clothes are very wet.

"It's alright. Let it go. It's no good holding it all inside." Regina whispers.

"I don't want to tell it," Emma says. She holds it in, because she doesn't want to upset her mother immediately.

"Do you want to tell Robin?"

"I already told dr. Anderson," Emma whispers.

"That's good. That's really good, dear. Was she able to help you?"

Emma nods, "yes," she whispers.

Regina softly smiles. "That's good, Emma. It really is. But just know you can tell me anything as well, alright? You won't upset me or make me angry."

"I know," Emma says.

"Alright." Regina stays silent now and just holds Emma in her arms.

"You frightened me," Emma whispers.

"I can imagine that. What exactly frightened you?"

Emma thinks of dr. Anderson's words that she had to talk about it with Regina. "You... Hitting the doctor and...," she hesitates, "hitting yourself." It still scares her when she thinks of it. This isn't the only thing, but she won't tell the other thing.

Regina slowly nodds. "I'm sorry you had to see that, sweetheart. I was... I'm just... So sad." A tear rolls down her face when Regina whispers those words. "I'm sorry I reacted like that in front of you."

"I know," Emma whispers, "but I'm still scared when I think about it."

"I understand. I really do." Regina whispers. "But that's not all, is it?"

Emma shakes her head, but doesn't speak. She turns around and hugs her mother tightly. She doesn't want to talk, she just wants her mother with her.

Regina holds Emma close to her body. She softly strokes her hair and her back.

"You love me don't you?" Emma whispers.

"I love you very, very much. I love you as if you're my own, Emma." Regina whispers in Emma's ear.

Emma nods and keeps hugging her mother.

"What's another thing that makes you upset, sweetheart?"

"Nothing," Emma says, "I don't want to talk about it."

"That's alright." Regina whispers. "Just know you can always tell me everything, alright?"

"Yes." Emma says, "can you tell me that story about you one more time? About you when you stopped eating and couldn't ride Rocinante anymore. And then how you got better?"

Regina softly tells the story again. "I was so sad when I couldn't ride Rocinante anymore." she whispers. "I loved her so very much." Regina smiles.

"Go on," Emma whispers, she tries to remember every detail.

"But then Robin came along." Regina whispers. "And when I started to eat better again, I could ride Rocinante and that made me feel better as well."

Emma takes in all the new details, she will write everything down in her diary tomorrow.  
"I wrote your story down in my diary I got from dr. Anderson," Emma says.

"You did?" Regina whispers. "Does it help you?"

"When you were away. I read it everytime I looked at myself in the mirror, because I always felt so fat and ugly when I did. It helped me remember that I had to eat to stay alive," Emma whispers.

"You do. You do have to eat to stay alive. If you didn't, you weren't able to help me, Emma. And I'm so proud of you for getting through those hard months. I'm so incredibly proud of you."

Emma smiles through her tears and wipes them from her cheeks. "You kept me going," Emma whispers, "be proud of yourself, not of me."

"You may have thought of me, sweetie, but you still pushed through. We both get to be proud of ourself, alright?"

"Okay," Emma whispers.

Regina softly smiles. She strokes her belly. "Robin made some delicious soup. Do you want some?"

"Robin helped me too, a lot," Emma says, not answering her mother's question.

"He did?"

"Yes, I wish he was my real dad," Emma says. She looks away as if she has just said something very wrong.

Regina softly smiles. "It's alright to feel that way, sweetheart. I'm really glad you and Robin get along that well. How... How are Snow and David doing? Do you still see them?"

"Sometimes," Emma says, "but I don't really dare to go."

"You don't? Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I let them down so much," Emma says, "she is my real mom and she took me in when you were away, but still I.... Rejected her and David."

"You didn't let her down, Emma. A child can never let her parents, biological or not, down. Do you hear me? It's our job to take care of you, not the other way around." Regina sighs. "And from now on I don't want it to be anything else. Robin, Snow, David and I are going to take care of you. Wherever you choose to live. Do you understand me, Emma?"

Emma looks away. "I do," she whispers after some hesitation, but she isn't convinced.

"I mean it. I'm going to take care of you, starting now. We're going to eat something, together."

Emma nods and follows her mother downstairs.

Regina invites Robin to join them in the kitchen. "I really like your soup." she smiles at him when the three of them are sitting at the kitchen table.

Robin smiles, because he knows Regina is saying this for Emma. "Thank you," he says.   
Emma finishes her soup without saying a word.

Regina does the same. She really does like his soup. After she finishes eating, Regina feels a bit stronger and less weak in her body. "What... What day is it?" she wants to know

"Monday," Robin answers, "the 12th of June."

Regina nodds. "How... How is school, Emma?"

"Fine," Emma says, "it better now when Elsa is there."

"You two are really good friends, aren't you?" Regina smiles. "I'm so happy for you, to have found such a nice friend. I can imagine that makes school a lot more fun."

"Yes it really does. We have a lot of fun together," Emma says, "I wonder how it will be when our mission is over... We really spend every minute of our spare time on it."

"I think you two will find something really awesome to do." Regina winks. "Maybe a trip to The Enchanted Forest?" she then softly whispers.

"I don't think we will get another bean from Gold," Emma says with a smile, "but the enchanted forest sounds really amazing."

"I don't need a bean to go home." Regina whispers.

"What do you mean?" Emma says, "what do you want?"

"I'm not sure. I just... I just... Know that my magic has been the strongest back in The Enchanted Forest. I.. I want to practice it again, to be able to protect myself. To protect you." Regina slowly tries to explain.

"But there is no one who can hurt us now, or is there?" Emma asks.

Regina smiles. "There isn't. You made sure of that." She winks.

Emma smiles back. "And what's your plan then?" she asks curiously.

"Maybe... Maybe I just want you to see The Enchanted Forest. To show you were I grew up." Regina looks down. "I... I don't really know. Maybe I just want to show you those things."

"I would love that," Emma says trying to catch her mother's eye. "I would love to see it there."

"You... You do?" Regina looks over at Robin. "What do you think? Do you want to come? Please?"

"Yes all right," Robin says, "but for how long?"   
He just found a new job and he doesn't want to loose it like last time...

"A couple of days? Is that.. Will that be alright with your boss?"

"Yes I can take a week off," Robin smiles. He is very happy that Regina doesn't want to stay there for long. "You two can stay longer if you want," he adds.

Regina smiles. "But first I need to get this out of me." She points at her belly. "It's too hard. It's just too hard."

"I understand," Robin says, "I'll call dr. Whale right now if you want."   
Emma only looks away.

"Yes. I want an appointment as soon as possible."

"The day after tomorrow, eleven o'clock in the morning," says Robin after he called. "Tomorrow we have an appointment at 7 o'clock in the evening, to talk everything through."

Regina just nodds. After eating 2 cups of soup she stops. "I'm really done now." She looks at Robin with uncertainty in her eyes. Did she eat enough?

"I understand," Robin says with a smile. He winks, as to say, you've done great.

Regina softly smiles. "When we're back from The Enchanted Forest, I will go back to work."

"I think that's a good idea," Robin says, "but how will we get there?"

Regina just winks. "Let me handle that, love." She looks at Emma then. "Do you want to go with just Robin and I or do you want to invite Snow and David as well?"

"I'll think about it," Emma says, but she already knows.  
"No deals," Robin says, "promise me."

"I promise, no deals. Just my magic. I promise." Regina answers and she means it.

"Okay, I believe you," Robin says, "just don't get yourself I'm danger okay."

"I really promise. I won't do that." Regina softly answers, still meaning it. She's just going to use her own magic to go back home.

"Okay," Robin says with a smile.

Regina smiles now. "Are you ready? I'll clean up before I go to bed. It's getting pretty late. Emma, you're going to school tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I am," Emma says, "and ehh... Mom," she looks up, "I'd rather go with just you and Robin." She turns her eyes to the ground now.

"That's alright, dear." Regina softly smiles, not making a big deal out of it. She makes a mental note to go talk to Snow tomorrow. "The three of us it is then." She strokes Emma's hand and squeezes it gently.

Emma just nods, "sleep well," she then says and she walks away to brush her teeth.

"Good night, honey." Regina smiles. She looks up at Robin when Emma has gone upstairs. "Do you really like the idea of the three of us going on this trip?" she asks softly.

"I like it if we are together, so yes," Robin says.

Regina smiles brightly and gives Robin a small kiss on his lips.

Robin kisses her back with something more than just a little kiss. "Let's go and sleep for a bit, " he says.

Regina nodds slowly. She knows what a man expects from his woman in the bedroom so her body tenses when they both arrive in that room.

Robin looks at Regina when he enters the room. "I don't want that, Regina, I just want to sleep. Don't worry, I won't ever force you to do this okay? I'm not them."

Regina nodds. "I... I know. I'm sorry." she whispers. "I know you're not like them. Like... Like those..." Regina shakes her head as if to will the bad memories away. She slowly undresses herself, making Robin able to look at her wounds again.

"Oh," Robin says, "I almost forgot about these, I'm sorry. We will tell Whale about those too tomorrow."

"Not necessary." Regina whispers, trying to hide the wounds between her thighs.

"It is necessary," Robin says, "we can't risk an infection."

"No. Not necessary." Regina whispers again, turning away now. "I said no."

Robin sighs, not answering. He lies down in the bed and looks at Regina.

Regina puts on her pyjamas and then lies down next to him. She curls up closely against him. "You'll go with me tomorrow, will you?"

"Of course I will," Robin whispers, kissing her softly in her neck.

Regina smiles. "I like that." she whispers. She kisses him again.

"You do?" Robin says, "I didn't know." He grins and gives her another kiss.

With a sigh of content Regina falls asleep, curled up against Robin. The next morning she wakes up and makes breakfast for the three of them. Regina eats a couple slices of bread and then stops. She looks, again, to Robin with uncertainty in her eyes.

Robin nods. He doesn't want to push her and he is already happy that she eats something.

Regina walks Emma to school and hugs her goodbye, a couple of streets before school because she doesn't want to embarrass her daughter.

"I'll go to Elsa's place after school okay?" Emma asks, "I'll be back before dinner."

"That's alright, sweetheart. If you want to, you can stay at Elsa's and we'll pick you up after my appointment with Dr. Whale? Or do you want to come with us?"

"Pick me up after it," Emma says, still a bit scared because of what happened.

Regina nodds. "That's alright." She gives Emma another hug and then starts to walk back to her home where she will be alone because Robin is off to his work.

After a few hours dr. Anderson rings the bell.

Regina slowly opens the door, carefully looking through the crack who is ringing the doorbell. She sighs with relief and lets Dr. Anderson come inside.

"Hey," she says, while she walks in.

"Hello." Regina whispers, keeping her distance but at the same time feeling really happy to see her.

"How are things going?" she asks.

Regina strokes her belly and shakes her head.

"Emma told me," dr. Anderson says, "I'm so sorry. You want me to come in?"

"Yes, please." Regina whispers. She lets dr. Anderson come inside the house and leads the both of them to the living room. Regina makes herself small in a corner of the couch.

"So you're home since yesterday?" dr. Anderson says.

"I guess I am. I don't remember exactly. Everything is such a blur." Regina mumbles.

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "but it's nice Fiona is gone now. It will give you time to get everything back together."

Regina just remains silent.

"Nodding or shaking your head is enough," dr. Anderson says calmly.

Regina closes her eyes. She starts to breath fast and her heart beats fast. "She will never be gone. What happened..." Regina whispers before her words die out.

Dr. Anderson nods, "I know," she whispers.

"No, you don't know!" Regina snaps. "You have no idea what happened!"

"I can see what you've been through, even though I wasn't there and even though I don't know what happened," dr. Anderson says.

Regina keeps stroking her belly and feels really stressed out at the moment. Her head is filled with flashes of memories and she doesn't remember everything as cleary, which makes her scared. She feels hands crawling over her body. She very softly moans out of fear.

Dr. Anderson gives her some time.

Regina looks up, fear in her eyes.

"You're safe," dr. Anderson whispers.

"Am I?" Regina whispers. "Then why doesn't it feel that way?"

"Because you haven't been safe for a very long time," dr. Anderson says, "you don't realize it yet."

Regina slowly nodds. "So what do I do now?" she whispers.

"Try to get back to how it was," dr. Anderson says, "have dinner with Robin and Emma, visit Snow, walk around in the forest and maybe you can pick up your job again."

"I... I need to see Snow today." Regina realizes. "I.. I completely forget. I'm a bad mother! Bad mother, Regina!" she mumbles now.

"Regina, you're not a bad mother," dr. Anderson says, "you just got home, you need some time."

Regina strokes her belly again.

"It's not your fault," dr. Anderson says, "that has nothing to do with you."

"I've lost my baby." Regina whispers, tears showing up in her eyes.

"Yes," dr. Anderson whispers, not saying anything more.

"Don't you understand me? I've lost my baby! Robin's baby!"

"I know you lost your baby," dr. Anderson says, "and I know it's very very hard. But whatever you may think, this is not your fault."

"That doesn't matter! I lost it!"

"You lost it," dr. Anderson says, "and we can't do anything about it. All you can do now is honor it, show your kid you love him or her, show it that you will never forget."

Regina screams out of anger and sadness now. She starts to hit herself again, herself and her belly. "I want it out of me! NOW!"

"Regina," dr. Anderson says and she walks to her. She lays her hand on Regina's to stop her from hitting herself. She makes herself the same hight as Regina and looks her into her eyes. "It's still your baby," she says, "there's no use in hitting it."

"Let go of me! Let go of me! I want it out of me, now! NOW!" Regina screams, bordering to getting completely hysterical.

"Stop hitting and try to calm down," dr. Anderson says, "have you already planned the surgery?"

"T.T.Tomorrow." Regina mumbles.

"All right," dr. Anderson says, "and do you know how everything goes then?"

"We'll see dr. Whale tonight to talk everything through." Regina starts to stroke her belly again.

"That's good," dr. Anderson says, "you go together with Robin?"

"Yes. Do you... Do you want to come as well? Please?" Regina asks, very softly.

Dr. Anderson nods, "yes, sure," she answers.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. Her eyes are heavy with sleep already. "I... I need to talk to Snow." she mumbles, while trying to get up from the couch.

"Are you sure you want this right now?" dr. Anderson says, "It's useless to go to her when you already have problems with standing up and walking."

"Didn't you hear me? I NEED TO GO!" Regina screams now.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, but she keep her eyes focussed on Regina. "Can you walk?"

"Of course I can." Regina snaps. She slowly gets up. "Do you want to come with me? I... I'm not sure if I can handle angry Snow right now. Not... Not alone."

"All right," dr. Anderson says. She offers Regina her hand. "If you want to do this now, we will."

Regina takes Dr. Anderson's hand and together they walk over to Snow's apartment. Regina knocks on the door.

Snow opens the door, not knowing who this could be. When she sees Regina standing there, her eyes grow big. "Regina!" Snow says and she hugs her tightly, almost knocking her down.

"Snow." Regina whispers, tears running down her face now. "I'm so happy to see you." she whispers.

"Me too," Snow says, "I missed you so much!" She doesn't let go of Regina and now softly starts to cry too.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you again." Regina whispers.

"It's okay," Snow says, "you didn't really have a choice, did you?"

"I didn't." Regina whispers. She nervously strokes her belly. "Snow, I..." she whispers.

Snow looks at Regina with an confused expression on her face. "Yes?" she whispers.

Regina keeps stroking her belly, very nervous now.

Snow looks at her, a bit scared now. "You're not going to say..."

"Yes. It's dead." Regina whispers, a tear running down her face again.

"No," Snow whispers, "No that's not true." Her tears of happiness turn to tears of absolute sadness. She hugs Regina even tighter, "I'm so sorry," she whispers, crying.

Regina remains silent. She just cries, big tears. "I... I can't..." she mumbles before sinking down on the ground. Her legs just can't hold her tiny body any longer.

Dr. Anderson gets her just before she hits the stone floor and manages to let her sit down gently. Snow immediately kneels down and holds her mother's hand.

Regina curls up against Snow. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"No no," Snow says, laying her arms around her mother, "don't be sorry, this is not your fault."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's gone." Regina whispers.

"I know," Snow says, "nothing can change that." She now softly leans against her mother's shoulder and closes her eyes for a moment.

"I'm taking Robin and Emma back." Regina whispers. "To show Emma The Enchanted Forest. I... I could really use a break like that. Is... Is that alright?"

"Yes sure," Snow says softly. She doesn't dare to asks if she can come with them. She really can use a break too.

"Thank you." Regina sighs. She looks at the time. "It's almost time for my appointment with dr. Whale." she whispers.

Snow nods, "all right," she says and she helps Regina up. She decides to tell her own bad news later.   
"Good luck, and..." Snow smiles, "I love you."

"I love you too. I love you so very much." Regina whispers. She hugs Snow as if she's never letting her go again.

Snow hugs her mother back and for one moment she doesn't feel so lonely anymore. She wishes this moment would last forever.

"I love you." Regina whispers again before letting go. She then walks with dr. Anderson towards the clinic, where Robin is waiting for her at the entrance. Regina strokes her belly nervously.

Robin and dr. Anderson greet each other and when they go inside, dr. Whale greets them all.

Regina doesn't speak. She's too nervous.

"Well about tomorrow..." Dr. Whale starts. After that he tells a lot of things. Ending with some kind of summary: "so tomorrow morning you shouldn't eat. We meet here at 11 o'clock. You need to stay in the hospital for a minimum of two days. After that it depends on your condition if you can go home."

Regina just nodds. She didn't hear a single thing of what dr. Whale said to her. She's lost in her own mind, thinking about what could have been but what never will be.

Robin and dr. Anderson take everything in for Regina.   
After about an hour of talking they say goodbye again.

Regina startles when Robin and dr. Anderson get up. She follows their movement and follows them home.

"You didn't listen, did you?" Robin asks, while holding Regina's hand.

"I know the both of you did listen, so there's no point in me listening as well." Regina mumbles, looking up at the blue sky.

"You are the one who should know," he says. He feels so incredibly sad and he stands still to look at the sky together.

"I trust you. You wouldn't let Whale do that surgery if something could go wrong. So... No point in me listening." Regina whispers again. Her eyes follow the movement of a bird flying in the sky. "The sky is so blue." Regina whispers.

"It is," Robin whispers.

Regina nodds. The three of them pick up Emma and Regina stays silent for the rest of the night.

In the middle of the night Emma wakes up with a loud scream. She hears her mother's voice in het head screaming, "I hate you! I hate you!" louder and louder. She covers her ears.

Within seconds Regina sits next to Emma and tries to wake her up. "Emma? Emma? Wake up, sweetheart."

"No... NO!" Emma shouts. She breathes heavily and tears stream over her cheeks.

"Emma!" Regina shakes Emma awake now. "Sweetheart! Were you have a bad dream?"

Emma wakes up, but her mother's voice remains. She isn't able to talk yet. She breaths very heavily and her heart beats fast.

Regina holds her youngest daughter close to her body. "It's alright, dear. Mommy is right here. It's alright." she whispers.

"I'm okay," she whispers then ghe voice fades away. "I'm sorry I woke you up."   
She closes her eyes and lets her mother hold her, hoping she won't pull away because her body is all sweaty.

Regina keeps holding her daughter close against her own tiny body. She lies down next to Emma in her bed. "It's going to be alright." she whispers. "I'm going to stay right here with you."

"That's not necessary, you need to rest for tomorrow," Emma whispers, "I'm okay."

"I can rest just fine with you." Regina just says. "I want to stay with you. Please?"

Emma nods and lies back down. She soon falls asleep again. That's when the screaming starts again. 

"I HATE YOU."

Regina feels Emma's body tense in her arms. "It's alright, sweetie. You're safe with me. I love you. I love you, Emma." Regina whispers softly.

"Nooo," Emma says in her sleep as her mother's voice keeps shouting. "Why w..hy..." She starts to cry again.

Regina doesn't let go of Emma, not even for a second. "I love you, sweetheart. You're safe with me." she keeps whispering.

"You hate me," Emma whispers to the voice in her head, "stop, stop..."  
She doesn't wake up.

Regina softly starts to cry now. She can't handle this alone. "Please, Emma." she whispers.

"I'll go yes," Emma says in her sleep, please stop shouting." She covers her ears again. "STOP!"

"Emma, please. Please, wake up. I'm not angry at you. I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much." Regina keeps holding Emma into her arms but she's losing her strength by the minute. She starts to see black in front of her eyes and doesn't breath as she should be.

Emma doesn't wake up, caught by the voice in her head which keeps on screaming. When she doesn't feel her mother's arms around her anymore, it even becomes worse.

"R.Robin." Regina whispers before she loses conscienceness.

When Robin still hears Emma screaming, knowing Regina is there, he walks to Emma's room. He finds Emma still sleeping restlessly and Regina doesn't move. He tries to wake them up...

"E.Emma." Regina whispers when she starts to regain conscienceness. "E.Emma. Emma."

"What happened?" Robin asks Regina, when she wakes up.  
Emma doesn't scream anymore but her hands are still covering her ears.

"Nightmare. She's not waking up from it." Regina's body trembles from exhaustion

"Okay," Robin says, "are you all right?"   
He takes Emma in his arms and tries to wake her up by shaking her shoulder... It doesn't work.

"Emma is not alright!" Regina snaps now.

"I know," Robin says, "I'm trying to help."   
Robin hits Emma on her cheek, not very soft, but she does wake up. She almost immediately collapses in his arms. Robin holds her upright.

Regina startled very much when Robin used that technique to wake Emma up. In the blink of an eye she crawls away in a corner in Emma's room.

Emma starts to come to her senses. She leans against Robin chest with her head, while he softly strokes her hair.

With suspicion in her eyes Regina watches Robin and Emma. She relaxes a bit when she sees Emma is calming down in his arms.

Emma still can't stop crying, but she gets her breath under control by following Robin's breathing. She squeezes his arm.

Regina stays silent. She doesn't want to disturb Robin in calming Emma down.

"Are you fully here," Robin whispers. Emma nods and closes her eyes. She lies in his arms for a long time.

Regina slowly starts to crawl out of Emma's bedroom. She wants to go lock herself up in her closet. She manages to get out of the room without being noticed by Emma or Robin but dr. Anderson is still somewhere in the house.

Dr. Anderson opens the door. "What's going on?" she whispers when she hears Regina walking back to her room.

Regina didn't anticipate that and her body freezes while her mind takes a trip of it's own.

"I'm sorry," she says when she sees she frightened Regina.

"Emma is upset and I can't help her." Regina whispers, more to herself than to dr. Anderson. "Bad mother. Bad mother, Regina. You couldn't keep the bean inside of you and now you can't calm down Emma. Bad mother. Bad mother, Regina."

"Regina don't say that, it's not true," dr. Anderson says, "Emma wants to stay here with you, because she loves you, because she thinks you are a good mother for her."

A fireball appears in Regina's hand. "Bad mother." she whispers again. Slowly Regina starts to burn herself on her arm. "Bad mother. Bad mother, Regina." she mumbles.

"Regina stop it," dr. Anderson says. She pulls Regina's arm away from herself. It gives her a few burns, but at least she is aiming at something different from herself.

The fireball dies out. Regina looks up to dr. Anderson. She doesn't speak but her eyes tell enough.

"You'll get through this," dr. Anderson whispers, "I promise you will." She takes Regina's hand in hers.

Regina pulls away. She doesn't like it when someone holds her hands.

Robin comes out of the room with Emma now. She leans against him, while he has his strong arm around her to keep her upright. "She wanted to see you," Robin says.

Regina quickly hides her burned arm. She looks at Emma. "Are you.. Are you alright?"

Emma nods. "You hurt yourself," she only says.

"It's nothing. How... How are you? Are you alright?"

"And you told yourself and me lies," she whispers.

"What... What do you mean?"

"You told yourself you were a bad mother and you told me you hated me." Emma says, she avoids her mother's eyes.

"Sweetheart, I... I would never hate you. I hate Fiona. I thought she was tricking me, I thought you weren't real when you came to save me. I... I'm so sorry I said that to you." Regina cries now. "But I do am a bad mother. Good mothers don't say things like that."

"Bad mothers don't even try to make it up to their children and you did."

"I will always do that." Regina whispers now.

"Will you stop telling yourself you're a bad mother then too?" Emma says, "if you're a good mother you'd say yes now."

Regina slowly nodds. "Y.Yes." she whispers. "I..I'll try."

Emma nods and she walks back inside her room without another word.

Regina looks up at Robin. She doesn't know what to do now. Her arm hurts from the self inflicted burn wounds.

"Try to get some more sleep," Robin says. "I'll stay here to watch over Emma, maybe dr. Anderson can stay with you?"

Regina nodds. "That's alright. If... If she wants that of course." Regina walks into her bedroom and lies back down in bed. She quickly falls asleep.

Dr. Anderson keeps an eye on Regina, but it doesn't seem to be necessary, so she soon falls asleep in her chair.   
Robin has to wake Emma up a few more times, so they don't really get much sleep. Very early in the morning they decide to get up already.

Regina gets up when it's almost time to leave for the clinic. She doesn't speak much, just holds her hands on her belly and strokes softly.

Robin lets her and doesn't talk much either. He just lays an arm around her.

Regina leans into his touch. "Is it time already?"

"Almost," Robin says.

"I want to go now."

"Right," Robin says, "are you ready?"   
Emma makes her lunchbox. She looks and is very tired.

"Am I ready to get my little bean out of me because it's dead 'cause I couldn't keep it alive? Yes, I'm ready." Regina snaps. "Emma? You don't have to go to school today if you don't feel like it. You must be very tired."

Robin lays his hand under her chin, "you know that's not true," he says in a strict voice, "and no that's not what I meant." 

"I will go anyway," Emma says. She really needs distraction right now.

Regina nodds. She pulls away from Robin. "Alright sweetheart. We will drop you at school then. Do you... want to visit me after?"

"Yes of course," Emma says. She gives her mother a hug. "Will you say goodbye for me?" she says, laying her hand on her mother's belly and looking her mother in her eyes.

"I will. I will." Regina whispers. She holds Emma's hand on her belly. "You would have been such a great big sister."

"Thanks," Emma says with a tiny smile, "you would have been a wonderful mother. You are a wonderful mother."   
She hugs Robin and walks to the car.

Regina softly smiles back at Emma. She follows the others to the car. They drop off Emma at school and then go to the clinic.

Dr. Whale greets them as usual.

Regina keeps her head low. She doesn't look at anybody.

Dr. Whale talks for a little bit more and then Regina is ready to go. Dr. Whale leads her to a room and says her to lay down on the bed.

Regina slowly lies down. She still doesn't look up.

Robin sits down next to her and grabs her hand. He is very nervous. The doctor stings the needle of Regina's infusion in her wrists. She will be asleep soon.

Slowly Regina slips away in a deep sleep. The last thing she saw was Robin.

The nurses guide the bed to another room for the surgery. Robin has to stay in the waiting room.  
When the surgery is finished, the doctors also take care of the many burns on Regina's body and bandage them carefully.

The first thing Regina remembers after waking up is pain. Pain in her heart. Pain for the loss of her baby.

When Robin sees Regina, he almost starts to cry. He sits next to her bed and has watched her for a long time already.

Regina looks at him before falling back asleep. She's so tired.

Robin smiles and lets her sleep.

Regina's sleep doesn't give her much rest. She visits Fiona in her cell.

"So Regina," Fiona says with a grin, "you finally received my last gift?"

"Why? Why take my baby's life?" Regina wants to know.

"Just fun," Fiona laughs, "you should be thanking me, that thing inside you wouldn't have loved you anyway.

"It would have loved Robin and Emma." Regina whispers.

"Well then I get the chance to punish them too."

"Are we done now? For good?"

"How can we know?" Fiona grins.

"Please. It's been enough."

"Maybe it is," Fiona says. "Maybe..."

Regina sighs. She starts to wake up again. Fiona is getting more and more blurry and Robin more and more clearer.

Robin looks at her when she wakes up, Emma is sitting next to him, holding Robin's hand.

Regina softsly smiles when she sees the both of them. "You're both here." she whispers.

"We are," Robin says and when he says it, Snow enters the room. She stays at the back of the room, but smiles when she sees her mother awake.

"Snow." Regina smiles. She noticed her eldest daughter coming into the room as well. "I'm so glad the three people I love most are here with me now."

All three of them smile. "We are glad to be with you now too," Robin says. Emma moves her hand from Robin's to her mother's.

Regina smiles and takes Emma's hand in hers. "I'm coming home with you tonight, right?" Regina asks Robin softly.

"Two days here, dr. Whale said that yesterday," Robin says.

"No." Regina shakes her head. "I'm coming home with you."

"You won't, you agreed to this yesterday," Robin says, "just accept it."

"I didn't agree to anything!" Regina snaps now. "I'm coming home with you. Now."

"You told me that if we heard it it was enough," Robin says, "so take a deep breath and calm down."

Regina tries to calm down but panic is taking over quickly. "I don't want to stay here. I want to go home. With you. Please. Please, don't leave me here." she starts to beg.

"We will stay here with you, if you want that. We won't leave you," Robin says, "but you can't go home."

"Watch me." Regina mumbles with danger in her voice. She looks up when dr. Whale walks into the room, after knocking on the door. "I can go home, right?"

"Two days of rest here," dr. Whale says to Regina, "just to check and to rest."

"No. I don't want to. I'm going home."

"We can't change that," dr. Whale says, "we need the time to do tests to look if everything has gone all right and so we are near you if something happens." Robin squeezes Regina's hand now, "let it go!" he says,

Regina just nodds. "I... You don't have to stay with me." she whispers. Regina knows she's going to lose her calm and she doesn't want Emma around when that happens. "You should all go home and rest. I'll be fine."

"We will stay," Robin says, "at least I will stay."

"No. You didn't get much sleep tonight. You should really go home and rest. I promise I'll be fine." Regina manages to smile.

"I'm staying," Robin says, feeling that Regina is up to something.

"Can't you just trust me?" Regina snaps now.

"No I can't," Robin states, "not now."

Regina looks at Emma. "You're going home, right? You need to sleep, because you didn't get much last night." she smiles at her daughter.

Emma looks at her mother, confused. "Ehh... yes. If you want that."

"What I want is to go home with you but since that's not an option, I want the three of you to get some rest. Robin, you can't let Emma go home alone. Please, I'll be just fine here."

"I'll go with her," Snow says, leading Emma out of the room. She smiles at Regina and Robin and Emma waves them goodbye.

Regina waves and the minute Emma and Snow has left the room, darkness appears in her eyes. "You know I'm not going to keep my calm. Why do you insist on staying?" she snaps at Robin.

"I know indeed, but five minutes ago you didn't want us to leave you and now you say you're fine and we can go. I don't get that at all, so I stay."

Regina looks at him. "I'm scared." she whispers after some time.

"For what?" he says.

"For staying in a clinic. What stops them from restraining me? From torturing me?" Regina looks down. "Like with her?"

"They're not like her," Robin says, "this is a hospital, not a prison. And besides that, I'm here with you and I won't let anything happen to you."

Regina slowly nodds. "They won't restraint me? They won't do experiments on me?" she whispers.

"They won't," Robin says, "they will only check if everything went all right."

Regina nodds again. "I'm going to sleep now for a bit. Please be here when I wake up." Regina then falls asleep and sleeps for the rest of the day and the night.

Robin stays with her all the time, just watching her and stroking the top of her hand.

When Regina wakes up she notices Robin is sleeping in the chair next to her bed. She looks up when Dr. Whale knocks on the door and walks in.

"You're awake," dr. Whale says with a smile. Robin wakes up too now.

"Yes." Regina just whispers.

"Is it all right that we do a few tests now?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. That's alright. I can go home when everything is alright?"

"You can," dr. Whale says, "some of the results will come tomorrow, so if there is something wrong with those, we'll ask you to come back."

Regina nodds. "Let's get this over with then."

Dr. Whale and another doctor do the necessary tests. Then a nurse comes in with a wheelchair. "It's better you take this one, because walking will be painful and it risks the wounds to open."

Regina just nodds and sits down in the wheelchair. "Where are we going?" she asks the nurse when they leave the room. Robin needs to wait for her in her room.

"You're going through a scan," the nurse says, while she leads her to another room.

Regina nodds. "Alright." she whispers. She nervously strokes her belly again.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the nurse says, while she makes Regina ready.

"No. It's still inside of me. He... He didn't get it out already, did he?"

The nurse looks at Regina with confusion in her eyes. "He did," she says carefully, "it just happened, you know that, don't you."

"N.oo." Regina whispers. "No, I didn't want it out of me! My baby! My little baby!" Regina shouts out now. "Where is she? Where is my little baby?"

The nurse gets even more confused, "but you wanted it out of you, miss, I don't understand what you're saying."

"Where is she?!" Regina screams.

"I don't know, miss," the nurse says, "you want me to call a doctor?"

"I want my baby! She took it from me!"

"I'm sorry I don't understand," the nurse says and she calls dr. Whale.

"She killed my baby!"

"Who killed your baby," the woman tries, she is very frightened. Robin and dr. Whale come in and the nurse flees from the room.

"Where is my baby?" Regina snaps. "I didn't want to lose it!"

"Regina, your baby is no longer alive," dr. Whale says.

"She is! Don't say that!" Regina jumps out of the wheelchair and attacks Dr. Whale.

"Regina no, stop," Robin says and he pushes his body between them.

"It's gone! She's gone!" Regina sinks down in Robin's arms. She can't stop crying.

Robin holds her up and strokes her back. He doesn't speak.

"She's gone." Regina keeps whispering. "She's gone."

"It was a girl?" Robin whispers in her ear.

"It was. I felt it." Regina whispers.

Robin smiles and takes Regina close, "I'm sure she is in a better place now," he whispers, trying to convince himself too...

"I do hope she is." Regina whispers now.

"We have to believe that," Robin says. He gives Regina a kiss on her cheek.

Regina clings to Robin. "Scan now." she whispers, exhausted.

"Yes," Robin says and he lead her to the table on which she has to lie down. He doesn't want to let her go, but he does.

Regina lies still and lets Whale do his work.

After the scan, dr. Whale places some new stitches in the wound that just started bleeding because of the attack. He and Robin help Regina in the wheelchair and Robin rides her out of the room.

Regina remains silent. "What now?" she wants to know.

"You can go home," dr. Whale says, "I'll call you tomorrow to tell you about the results."

Regina nodds. "Thank you. The day after tomorrow we can go to The Enchanted Forest, right?"

"If you want to," dr. Whale says, "and of the results are good, then yes. I won't say it will be comfortable and your wound will hurt for another few days, so be careful."

Regina nodds again. "Thank you."

"No problem," dr. Whale says, "good luck." He smiles and lets them out.

Regina holds on to Robin. She smiles at Dr. Anderson when they meet each other in the hallway.

Dr. Anderson smiles back, "how did it go?" she asks.

"My baby is gone." Regina just whispers.

"I know," dr. Anderson says softly, "it feels empty doesn't it?" She knows how Regina is feeling, she lost a child too.

"How do you know that?" Regina's eyes flash up to those of Dr. Anderson.

"I lost a child too," she says softly, doing a great effort not to look at her hands, but to keep looking Regina in her eyes.

"You... You did?" Regina whispers. "How? When? Why?"

"Yes I did," dr. Anderson says, "eight years ago." She takes a deep breath, "she only lived for three days..." She now does look away.


	21. Back To The Enchanted Forest

Regina looks down as well. "I'm so sorry to hear that." she whispers. "I don't even wish something like this on my worst enemy." A tear rolls down Regina's face.

"You will never get over it, but it will get better, I promise." She smiles, "her name was Deirdre and she will always be in my heart." She is lost in her thoughts for a moment. Then she looks at Regina again.

 

Regina nodds. "Rose. Her name would have been Rose." she whispers.

 

Robin smiles and gives Regina a kiss.   
"That's beautiful," dr. Anderson says with tears in her eyes.

 

"For Rocinante." Regina whispers.

 

"Who is Rocinante," dr. Anderson kindly. She looks at Regina.

 

"She was my horse. Back in The Enchanted Forest." Regina smiles now. "I loved riding when I was younger."

 

Dr. Anderson smiles, "lovely," she whispers and she squeezes Regina's hand a little.

 

Regina just nodds. "I want to go home now. Please?"

 

"Yes let's go," dr. Anderson says. She pushes the wheelchair forwards towards Regina, "you want a ride, I don't know if you can walk."

 

Regina shrugs and gets into the wheelchair. "Thank you."

 

"No problem," dr. Anderson says and she rides Regina home.

 

During the ride Regina remains silent. She looks out of the window and thinks of Rocinante. "Would she still be in The Enchanted Forest?" Regina wonders our loud. "Rocinante?"

 

"I don't know," Robin says, "it has been many years since you saw her."

 

Regina nodds. "Can we go to The Enchanted Forest? Right now?"

 

"Shouldn't we wait for the results?" Robin asks.

 

"Those results will still be there when we get back. Please?"

 

"I'll take care of the results," dr. Anderson says, "but if something is wrong, is there a way to contact you?"

 

Regina looks up. "Don't... Don't you want to come with us? I mean, if it's alright with Emma and Robin of course." She looks down, afraid to be disappointed.

 

"Well yes," dr. Anderson says, "but I thought you wanted to go with the three of you. And I have to ask a week off from work..."

 

Regina nodds. "I understand." She softly smiles now. "I will ask Emma. Robin, is it alright with you if Emma says it's okay?" Regina now looks up at Robin.

 

"Of course," Robin says. "No problem."   
He looks back and smiles. "Shall we leave this evening? After dinner or so?"

 

Regina nodds. "Lets pick up Emma from Snow." Regina gets out of the wheelchair and starts walking in the direction of Snow's apartment.

 

Robin and dr. Anderson let her go.

 

Regina knocks on Snow's door.

 

Snow opens the door, "Hey," she says with a smile and she Lets Regina come in. Emma sits on the couch.

 

Regina smiles and sits down next to Emma. She softly asks what Emma thinks about Dr. Anderson tagging along.

 

"Just the four of us then? You, I, Robin and dr. Anderson," Emma asks. Robin and dr. Anderson are in a conversation with Snow.

 

"Yes. Only if that's alright with you. I won't be angry if you don't want to, I promise."

 

"The four of us is fine," Emma smiles. "How will we get there."

 

Regina winks. She waves with her hand and 2 magic beans appear in it. "I happened to have 2 in my vault. I don't know how they got there or who put them there but they were still there, so...." Regina smiles.

 

"You had those beans in your vault!" Emma exclaims. "I made so many deals to get them..." She sighs.

 

"I didn't had them. I don't know how they got there but I don't care. We can go to The Enchanted Forest."

 

Emma shrugs, "all right then," she stands up so she can go home to pack her things.

 

Regina smiles. "Lets go pack our things and go." Regina starts to get really excited.

 

Emma smiles when she sees her mother happy and she runs to the door. While Emma, Robin and dr. Anderson walk out of the door, Snow grabs Regina's arm.

 

Regina looks up. "Snow?"

 

"I... I just wanted to ask if... Well you're going to the enchanted forest together and... I was wondering if I could come with you." Snow says and she looks up at her mother.

 

Regina looks over her shoulder to Emma. "I... I would love to take you with us, but... Emma... She..."

 

"You do?" Snow says more confident now and she smiles, "what's it with Emma?"

 

"Emma wants to go with just Robin and me. She doesn't mind Dr. Anderson tagging along but when I asked her if you could come as well, she hesitated." Regina looks down.

 

"Oh," Snow says, now looking at the ground. "Oh all right, she doesn't want me to come?"

 

"She doesn't." Regina whispers.

 

"Okay," Snow says, trying to keep her tears inside. "Then... You should go," she whispers and she walks away, "have fun," she whispers with a forced smile "and take good care of Emma. She runs upstairs and bursts into tears on her bed.

 

Regina nodds. "Next time you're coming with us. I promise." she whispers before leaving Snow's apartment. Regina, Robin, Emma and Dr. Anderson leave for Regina's home. They pack some bags and Regina puts one of the beans on the ground and a portal to The Enchanted Forest opens. They all jump in and end up on the other side, inside of Regina's old castle.

 

Emma looks around. "Is this the dark castle?"she asks excitingly. "It's much more beautiful than in the book."

 

Regina nodds. "It is." She smiles when she looks around her old living room.

 

Dr. Anderson is surprised too. "It's a really... Interesting choice," she says with a small laugh.

 

Regina shrugs. "I married into this castle, so it's not exactly my own choice but I made it as much a home as I could."

 

"I see," dr. Anderson smiles. Emma looks around and finds some of her mother's dresses in the closet in the corner of the room.

 

Regina flinches when she sees Emma looking at her old, very tiny, dresses. "I never liked to wear them." she whispers softly.

 

"Why not?" Emma says, "they look stunning." She takes one of the dresses in her hands.

 

Regina watches Emma's eyes grow wide when she notices how tiny the dresses are.

 

"Did you fit in those dresses," Emma says. She looks at the dress again, "did your waist fit in this?"

 

"With a corset, I did." Regina whispers, looking away now. She hates those dresses.

 

"Do you still have those corsets?" Emma asks, holding the dress in front of her and looking in the mirror.

 

"They must be here somewhere. Why?" Regina whispers.

 

"I want to try this one on," Emma says.

 

"You... You want what? No, sweetheart, they're really not nice to wear."

 

"Don't you think it will look good on me?" Emma says, "it makes me look less fat."

 

"It will look amazing on you, but I'm warning you. They are very heavy to wear."

 

"I want to try it," Emma says.

 

Regina nodds. "We will give you some privacy." she smiles, leading Robin and Dr. Anderson outside of the room. They walk into The Great Hall.

 

"Mom," Emma says from the room after a while, "can you help me?"

 

"Yes, dear?" Regina asks when she steps into the room again.

 

"Can you pull it tighter?" Emma says pointing at her corset, "it won't fit yet..."

 

Regina flinches. "Emma... I... I can't." she whispers, thinking back to her time with Leopold when someone always found a reason to pull the corset tighter.

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because I can't. I'm so sorry." Regina whispers. She then runs away, out of the room, past Robin and Dr. Anderson. She eventually ends up at the stables of her Castle.

 

"I see you're back," Daniel says when he has watched Regina for a while from behind the stables. There are no horses in there.  
"You look different," he says with a small smile.

 

Regina flinches again. "Daniel? What... What are you doing here?"

 

"I'm just wandering around the place I experienced the best days of my life," Daniel says, "I come here a lot so the real question is, what are you doing here?"

 

"This is my Castle. I come whenever I want to." Regina snaps.

 

"I've never seen you around here, or in your castle," Daniel says, untouched by Regina's angry voice.

 

"Well, now I'm here." Regina snaps again. "And I don't want you here."

 

"Too bad, because I am here," Daniel says.

 

"Go." Regina just says. She turns around and wants to walk back to the Castle.

 

"I don't think you want me to go," Daniel says.

 

"Go!"

 

"So you don't want to know where your lovely horse is?" Daniel says, "fine." He smiles and walks away.

 

"Rocinante?" Regina whispers, while turning around. "Where is she?"

 

Daniel just walks away.

 

"Daniel! Please! What do you want for Rocinante?" Regina shouts, desperation in her voice.

 

"You only talk to people when you get something out of it, don't you?" Daniel says, "I thought you wanted me to go."

 

"I only talk to people like you when I need something. Now, what do you want? Tell me!"

 

"Why are you so angry?" Daniel just asks.

 

A fireball appears in Regina's hand. "Tell me!"

 

"I don't care if you hurt me," Daniel says, "I'm not telling you anything when you act like this."

 

Regina sighs and calms down. "Did you take care of Rocinante?" she wants to know.

 

"Yes I did," Daniel says. "And you see, we can have a normal conversation."

 

"Why would you do that? Taking care of her?" Regina whispers.

 

"I took care of her in the past, when you weren't at the stables, I was, remember?" Daniel says, "she didn't deserve to be left alone."

 

Regina nodds. "That's true. Thank you. Can I... Can I have her back?"

 

"Have her back?" Daniel says, "you think this is just that simple?"   
He starts to walk away again.

 

"What do you want?" Regina asks, soft but Daniel can still hear it.

 

"Regina, I don't want anything," Daniel says, "I just can't give you that horse back. It's Glinda's favorite."

 

"It's my horse!"

 

"Which you abandoned. Besides that, I thought you were mine all those years ago," Daniel says, "but I lost you, so... sometimes we just don't get what we want."

 

"Can I at least see her?"

 

"Of course you can," Daniel says.

 

Regina softly smiles. "Thank you. Can you bring her here? Please?"

 

"I can," Daniel says, "I'll be back in an hour."

 

"Thank you." Regina softly smiles and nodds in acceptment. She walks back to the Castle and startles when she sees Emma walking around in one of her old corsets and dresses.

 

Emma looks at herself in the mirror, when she sees her mother coming from behind. She pretends not to see her mother.

 

"Emma. You.. You look beautiful." Regina whispers.

 

"I do?" Emma says, "was that why you ran away?"

 

"I ran because bad memories were flashing before my eyes. I'm sorry, Emma." Regina whispers.

 

Emma shrugs, "it's okay," she says, still not looking her mother in her eyes. She felt really stupid when her mother ran away from her.

 

Regina nodds. "Do you want to see Rocinante?"

 

"Is she alive?" Emma says softly, still looking at herself

 

"She is. Daniel... Daniel is here as well. He's getting her right now." Regina smiles softly.

 

"So you ran away and found him?" Emma asks

 

"He was at the stables." Regina whispers. "He'll be back in an hour with Rocinante."

 

Emma nods, "okay, I would love to see her," she says and she forces a smile.

 

Regina softly smiles back. She feels the tension hanging in the air but Emma asking her earlier to tighten the corset really set off some memories Regina didn't want to remember exactly.

 

Emma softly lets her feet slide in some high black heels and looks in the mirror again. She straightens her shoulders.

 

"What do you see when you look into the mirror, Emma?"

 

"A person," Emma only says.

 

Regina nodds. She looks down.

 

Emma looks away from the mirror and then starts to walk away from it too. She tries to get the zipper down herself.

 

"Shall I help you, dear?" Regina softly smiles now, glad Emma wants to take off the dress.

 

"If you won't run away," Emma says.

 

Regina shakes her head. "I won't." She helps getting the zipper down and the dress and corset off of Emma's body

 

Emma gets her own dress on again and places Regina's dress, corset and shoes back in the closet. She doesn't say a thing.

 

"That dress looks so much better on you." Regina smiles. "Doesn't it feel much more comfortable?"

 

"I liked your dress better," Emma says. Regina's dress had made her feel more confident.

 

Regina just nodds. Emma won't ever understand how those dresses made her feel.

 

"But I don't care if you think otherwise," Emma says and without saying anything else she runs out of the room.

 

Regina sighs and walks back to Robin and Dr. Anderson. "Liking my Palace?" she giggles.

 

"Yeah," dr. Anderson says, "I really have never seen a place like this." She smiles.

 

"You do. In storybooks back home." Regina winks.

 

Dr. Anderson laughs, "That's not the same, really," she says, "it's so much bigger than I imagined, and so much... well... darker."

 

Regina nodds. "It is. I wish it wasn't."

 

"It doesn't matter," dr. Anderson says, "it's just different than I imagined. Was this your living room?"

 

"Yes. Yes, it was." Regina nodds. "I didn't spend much time here tough."

 

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "where did you spend the most of your time then?" She looks around one more time, and she understands why no one wants to be here for a long time. It looks like a dark and lonely place.

 

"In my room." Regina answers. "And with Rocinante."

 

"Can I see your room?" dr. Anderson says, "or do you want to keep it private." Robin sits on a giant black couch, the only thing he has done is look around. It has been a long time since he has been here.

 

"Yes, you can. Daniel will be here with Rocinante in half an hour now, so we have time." Regina nodds and leads Dr. Anderson to her room in The Black Castle.

 

Dr. Anderson walks inside and looks around it. It's a very dark room, just like the living room, but she sees some attempts to make the place look a bit more cheerful. They don't help a lot...

 

"I never liked it here." Regina whispers.

 

Dr. Anderson smiles a little, "I can understand," she says, "was this your own bedroom? Or did you sleep here with the king?"

 

"This is my own bedroom. The King's chamber is right over here. Do... Do you want to see it?"

 

"Yeah," dr. Anderson says, "I would love to."

When they walk up there someone is waiting for them in the corner.

 

Regina looks up.

 

"Welcome back in my castle," Leopold says and he steps into the light. "Welcome back in my room." A grin appears on his face and he looks into Regina's eyes.

 

Regina flinches. "This is not your Castle. It's mine." she whispers.

 

"Is it?" Leopold says, "I don't agree." He walks closer.

 

Regina stands in front of Dr. Anderson. "Go away, Leopold. We don't want you here."

 

"I don't want you here either," Leopold reacts, "so maybe you should go away." He walks to the door and locks it. "Ow no, sorry, maybe you can better stay here." He laughs.

 

"Let us go!"

 

"Or what?"

 

Regina forms a fireball in her hand.

 

Leopold grins.

 

"Go. Away!"

 

"Calm down," dr. Anderson whispers from behind Regina. "this is exactly what he wants."

 

Regina makes the fireball disappear and looks at Leopold. "What do you want?"

 

"Nothing actually," Leopold says, "I'm just enjoying this moment with you. I missed you." He laughs, "who did you bring with you?"

 

"No one. Leave her alone." Regina snaps.

 

"I didn't say I would do something to her," Leopold says and he walks closer to Regina.

 

Regina keeps standing in front of dr. Anderson.

 

Leopold places his hand on Regina's waist. "I won't touch her," he grins.

 

"Good." Regina whispers.

 

Leopold brings his lips to Regina's, "I know," he whispers, "but I will touch you." He now kisses Regina.

 

"Please." Regina whispers softly.

 

"Please what," Leopold whispers.

 

"Stop it. I don't like this."

 

"Of course you don't, but I do," Leopold says, bringing his hands under Regina's shirt.

 

Regina flinches. "Please."

 

Leopold now pushes Regina's shirt out and kisses her again. Dr. Anderson is silently walking away from them in the direction of a hard, metal stick standing against the wall.

 

Regina keeps whispering she doesn't want this, she doesn't like this.

 

Leopold has now undressed Regina completely, but before he can touch her again, there is a loud noise and Leopold falls on the ground. Dr. Anderson takes a deep breath and drops the stick she just hit Leopold with.

 

Regina crawls away from Leopold, grabbing a blanket to put around her. She disappears into a corner.

 

Dr. Anderson sits down next to Regina, "You need to learn how to protect yourself," she whispers. She has brought Regina's clothes and hands them over to her.

 

"I can't. I just... can't. I want to see Rocinante now." Regina whispers.

 

"Yeah, I understand that you think that, but you are stronger than you think." dr. Anderson says, "we can go to Rocinante now," she adds, will you dress yourself?"

 

Regina slowly nodds and puts on the clothes that were given to her. She calls Robin and Emma and the four of them walk over to the stables.

 

Emma is still disappointed and a bit angry, but she goes with them. Daniel is already there, brushing Rocinante and feeding her an apple.

 

Regina almost runs towards Rocinante. She embraces her horse around her neck. "Rocinante." Regina cries softly now.

 

The horse softly moves his head up and down and makes some sounds as if she like being hugged. Everyone leaves Regina for a while, so she can have her moment.

 

"I've missed you so much, little girl." Regina whispers. She keeps stroking Rocinante softly, keeps hugging her. "Why don't we go for a little ride?" she smiles at the horse.

 

Rocinante lets Regina climb on her back. She just stands still, waiting for orders.

 

Regina lets Rocinante walk around for a little while before she gallops away through the woods. Tears of joy and happiness stream down Regina's face. She has never felt more free than on Rocinante's back. After a short period of time Regina returns back to the stables, crying now because she doesn't want to say goodbye to Rocinante again.

 

"You can keep her for a week," Daniel says, when he sees Regina. He can't see her so sad, maybe... after all... he still cares for her a little bit more than he should. "Zelena and Glinda are visiting King George this week, so that's not a problem." He smiles.

 

Regina nodds. "Thank you, Daniel. Thank you." She looks up at him, feeling the spark of love she felt so many years ago. She smiles softly before turning around to Emma. "Do you want to take a ride with me?"

 

"Yes," Emma says and she can't help but smile. She hoped her mother would ask that.

 

Regina smiles back and helps Emma to sit behind her on Rocinante's back. Together they take off to the woods, mother and daughter.

 

Emma holds her arms tightly around het mother's waist while they go faster and faster. It's the best thing Emma ever felt: freedom. She closes her eyes and lets the wind blow through her hair,

 

After a while Regina stops at a small river so Rocinante can drink. Regina looks at Emma. "Do you like this?" she smiles.

 

Emma can only nod, not able to find her words. She is shining.

 

Regina giggles. "I had that same look on my face the first time I rode Rocinante."

 

"It's a wonderful horse," Emma says, "with whom did you ride Rocinante your first time?"

 

"With my father." Regina smiles.

 

Emma smiles and sits down by the lake, letting her toes touch the water. She looks down at her dress. "You know mom," she says, "I think I like my own dress better than yours too."

 

"You do?" Regina asks softly, sitting down next to Emma.

 

"Yeah," Emma says, "you can't ride horses in your dresses."

 

"No, you can't." Regina giggles. "They are highly uncomfortable."

 

"I wouldn't say that," Emma says with a grin, "but highly uncomfortable if you want to move, yes."

 

Regina giggles again. She looks down over the water and sighs with content.

 

Emma lies down with her head in her mother's lap. "Were there any nice people in the castle when you lived there?" she asks

 

"Yes. Some of them were nice." Regina whispers. "My dance teacher. And John. They were nice."

 

"You got dancing lessons!" Emma exclaims, "the person who was your partner was very lucky then! and who is John?"

 

"John was one of my servants. He was too nice to me so The King locked him up." Regina whispers. "But I managed to free him and go get him back to his family."

 

"That's kind of you," Emma whispers, "do you have more stories?"

 

"I made a lot of effort to gain the trust of the people here in The Enchanted Forest."

 

Emma smiles, "alone?"

 

"Snow and Robin helped me."

 

Emma closes her eyes, wanting her mother to talk on.

 

"They got the people to give me a chance." Regina smiles. "It wasn't easy. They were so angry with me at first."

 

"I understand they were angry," Emma says, "they didn't know you, they only knew what you did."

 

Regina nodds. "I know. I understand that now."

 

Emma stays silent.

 

"I really did my best. I really tried." Regina whispers now. "And in the end they trusted me again. I was a good Queen. I took care of my people."

 

"I'm so upset the real you is not in my book," Emma says, letting her hand go through the grass.

 

Regina softly smiles now. "A part of me is in your book, Emma. I was The Evil Queen and I really did those terrible things."

 

"But that's a part of you, not you."

 

Regina smiles again. "Some think I am. But that's alright. The people who mean the most to me know the real me."

 

Emma smiles, "yes," she whispers.

 

Regina puts her arm around her youngest daughter and keeps her close. "Are you ready to go back?"

 

"No," Emma whispers.

 

"Then we'll stay here for a little while longer. We don't need to be anywhere." Regina smiles.

 

Emma nods and closes her eyes. Soon she has fallen asleep.

 

Regina softly strokes Emma's back.

 

Emma has the best bit of sleep she had in a long time.

 

After a couple of hours Regina slowly wakes up Emma. "Emma? It's time to go home now." she softly whispers.

 

Emma moans a little, "you can go," she whispers.

 

"You're coming with me, sweetheart. It's too dangerous to be out here alone."

 

Emma sighs and rubs her eyes. "Fine," she whispers and she gets up.

 

Regina smiles. "Do you want to ride Rocinante back home?"

 

"Just like we did it when we came here," Emma says, "that was great."

 

"That was me riding. If you want you can ride her back and I'll sit behind you. Only if you want to."

 

"I don't dare to ride," Emma says, "I've never rode a horse before."

 

"Do you want me to teach you this week?"

 

"Yes, I would love that," Emma says, looking at her mother with joy in her eyes. She smiles very brightly.

 

Regina smiles back. "Let's do that. Come on, I'll ride back to the Castle because Robin and Dr. Anderson will be waiting." Regina does exactly that. After putting Rocinante in the stables the both of them walk back to The Castle.

 

Dr. Anderson and Robin are sitting on the balcony, drinking a glass of wine. "You have been away for a long time," Robin says with a smile.

 

"Someone fell asleep at the little river." Regina winks at Emma. "But we had time, hadn't we?" She looks up at Robin with uncertainty in her eyes.

 

"Of course, don't worry," Robin says. He grins at Emma and she smiles back.

 

Regina sits down between Robin and Dr. Anderson. "Enjoying my wine?" she giggles.

 

"To be honest," dr. Anderson says, "yes, its a very good one. Where did you get it?" She laughs.

 

"It's probably one of Leopold's. For all the mistakes he made, he was good at one thing. Collecting wine." Regina laughs now.

 

"He had a good taste," dr. Anderson says and she takes a bit of her wine, "yeah," she adds after tasting it again, "a very good taste."

 

Regina smiles. "The only thing he was good at." Regina laughs again.

 

"You're probably right," dr. Anderson winks as she takes another sip. "How was your ride?"

 

"I loved it. Emma loved it too, didn't you, sweetheart?" Regina looks at Emma.

 

Emma's eyes had been fixed on the bottle of wine at Robin's feet, so she startles when her mother says her name. She looks up immediately, "I really loved it," Emma says with a smile and she really means it. "It was amazing."

 

Regina smiles back. "One glass of wine. Deal?" She had noticed Emma staring at the bottle.

 

"R- Really?" Emma says, looking at her mother in shock. She then looks away and gets a glass for herself in the kitchen. She fills it and takes a sip. "You want some too?" dr. Anderson asks Regina.

 

"No, thank you." Regina smiles. She needs to keep her head clear if she wants to set the right example for Emma. One glass of wine can't hurt but one doesn't need to get drunk.

 

Emma empties her glass very fast, because she doesn't want her mother to change her mind about it. She really wants another glass after this... Just to get the free feeling...

 

Regina just looks at Emma.

 

Emma places her empty glass back on the table and looks away.

 

"Did you like the wine, Emma?" Regina asks softly.

 

"You know I did," Emma says back, not looking at her mother.

 

Regina smiles. "Tomorrow another one? I think it's time to go to sleep now."

 

"Yeah," Emma says and she stands up. She knows where to find the wine cellar if her mother has gone.

 

"Where do you want to sleep?" Regina smiles.

 

"It doesn't matter," Emma says with a smile. "Is there a guest room or something?"

 

"Take your pick. I have over 20 guest rooms here." Regina giggles.

 

"I want room 7," Emma says, grinning.

 

Regina laughs. "Excellent choice."

 

Emma follows her mother to room 7.

 

Regina shows Emma the room and the bathroom. "Will you be alright, sweetheart?"

 

"Yes Yes, of course," Emma says, she remembers te way to the wine cellar. To the right, around the corner, down the stairs twice and then to the right again.

 

Regina smiles. "You know where to find my room, right? I love you, sweetheart. Tomorrow we'll start with riding Rocinante." Regina gives Emma a kiss on her forehead and then leaves the room.

 

"Yeah I think so," Emma smiles and she lies down "I'm looking forward to it," she adds when her mother leaves the room. After about half an hour she walks out of her room, being sure her mother must have been gone by now.

 

After leaving Emma's room, Regina walked back to Robin and dr. Anderson. "Where do you want to sleep tonight?" she asks the both of them.

 

"I really don't mind," Dr. Anderson says. Robin nods, "as long as it's with you I don't mind either," he grins and he winks at Regina.

 

Regina giggles. "Let me show you your rooms then." She smiles when she leads dr. Anderson to one of the most beautiful guest rooms in her Castle.

 

"No way," dr. Anderson says as she sees the chamber Regina is showing her. "This is huge and... beautiful."

 

"I know it is. It's actually one of my favorite rooms." Regina smiles, feeling happy and content that dr. Anderson sees the side of young Regina for once.

 

"Did you decorate it?" dr. Anderson ask, feeling that this room is far less dark then for example the living room.

 

"I did, actually." Regina smiles.

 

"It's looks lovely," dr. Anderson says, wiping some dust from some of the bookshelves. Then she sits down on the big bed.

 

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She feels much more confident here, in a room she loves and feels like herself.

 

"You don't want to sleep here with Robin?" dr. Anderson says, "it looks like you like this room as much as I do." She smiles.

 

"I will sleep with Robin in our own room." Regina winks. "We do have a room of our own in this Castle."

 

Dr. Anderson smiles. "All right," she says, "good night then. And you know where to find me."

 

Regina nodds. "Thank you. I do hope Leopold has left my Castle because he won't be living long enough to say he's sorry." Regina turns around and heads over to her room, her's and Robin's.

 

Robin is already there and smiles when Regina comes in. He lies the bedsheets right and rubs in his eyes. "Did you have a good trip with Emma?" he asks, "I mean, tell me the details."

 

Regina smiles brightly and tells all about her riding trip with Emma and Rocinante. "She loved it, Robin. She really loved it. And I loved the fact that she loved it." Regina giggles and lies close to Robin now.

 

"That's great," he says, feeling very happy for her. He smiles and strokes her hair. "And she will take riding lessons from now on."

 

"With me." Regina nodds. Her smile couldn't be brighter.

 

Robin smiles with her. "That's one of the best things I've ever heard," he smiles. "I'm happy for the both of you."

 

Regina lies closer to Robin now and nestles her head on his chest. "I like this. I wish we'd never have to get back to Storybrooke. I would love to bring Snow and David over and just live here, with my family."

 

"That would be wonderful indeed," Robin says. He really loves this too. Regina seems relaxed and Emma looks happy, so he can't wish for more. "But then... just with Snow." Robin says and he looks Regina in her eyes, "you know... I'm sorry you have to hear this from me...They are no longer together."

 

"What?" Regina mumbles. "How did I miss that?"

 

"You just came back and... Well you had other things on you mind," Robin says.

 

"I'm such a bad mother." Regina whispers.

 

"You're not a bad mother," Robin whispers back.

 

Regina doesn't answer and just closes her eyes. "I want to sleep now. Just for a bit." she whispers, hoping that Leopold has let himself out of her Castle.

 

"All right," Robin whispers and he takes her in his arms. "Good night."

 

"Hmm." Regina mumbles, right before she falls asleep.

 

Robin falls asleep to, feeling happy and sad at the same time.

 

Regina makes herself small throughout the night, without really realising it.

 

Robin wakes up in the morning. Regina is still sleeping in his arms, now curled up against his chest.

 

Regina doesn't let go of Robin. She keeps lieing closely against him.

 

Robin softly strokes her arm and gives her a small kiss in her neck.

 

Regina smiles. "Good morning." she whispers.

 

"Good morning," Robin smiles, "had a good night of sleep?'

 

"Yes, I did. You?"

 

"Yes, me too," he says, sitting up and yawning.

 

Regina smiles when the sun shines on their faces.

 

Robin opens the window and fresh air blows into the room. He looks at Regina, who as always, looks perfect in the golden light.

 

"Lets get dressed and find out how Emma and Dr. Anderson slept. Alright?" Regina suggests.

 

"Excellent plan," Robin says, looking at Regina one more time. He dresses himself.

 

Regina puts on one of her favourite light dresses. "I've always loved to wear this one." she smiles at Robin.

 

"I understand why, you look stunning in that dress," Robin says with a smile. "That one reminds me of the happy you, you know. When we were together, without the king and stuff."

 

Regina nodds. "I know. That's why I like it so much."

 

Robin smiles and takes her hand. He softly kisses her.

 

Regina softly kisses him back. "I really like this."

 

"I love you," Robin whispers back and he kisses her again. Not soft, but careful.

 

Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "I love you too." she whispers.

 

Robin smiles and kisses her one more time. "Time to check on Emma," he whispers and he lets Regina go.

 

Regina nodds and walks with Robin towards Emma's room. "Emma? Honey, time to get up."

 

There is no answer or any other sound, because Emma is not in the room.

 

"Emma?" Regina asks one more time, before entering the room. "Emma?!" Regina's voice panicks now.

 

Still no answer.

 

Regina looks at Robin, panic and worries now clearly visible on her face. "Where is she? Where is Emma? EMMA?!"

 

"I don't know," Robin says, "did she say something to you yesterday?"

 

"No, she didn't! She didn't!"

 

"Calm down, Regina," Robin says, "panic won't help you now."

 

Regina tries to stay calm and starts to search through every room.

Dr. Anderson joins them. "What's going on?" she asks

 

"Emma is gone." Regina whispers, while entering the wine cellar.

 

There is Emma, sitting in a corner. Her eyes are focused on the empty space in front of her.

"Emma?" Regina whispers.

"Mom, hi," Emma says, "you're just missing a very nice conversation." She giggles. "Mr. Tremble is just telling me an awesome story," she says dreamily and she points at an empty spot in front of her to a figure only she sees.

Regina just looks at Emma, not being able to respond or do something.

"Come and join us," Emma giggles.

Regina takes a step back, wanting to flee this situation. She slowly shakes her head.

 

"Why not?" Emma says, looking at her mother with empty eyes, "you're ruining the fun."

 

"You're drunk." Regina whispers. Disappointed.

 

"So what?"

"Why?" Regina just wants to know

Emma doesn't answer. "If you're not joining, then leave us."

"Fine." Regina whispers. She walks up the stairs and doesn't stop walking until she's with Rocinante in the stables. Tears run down her face.

Robin follows Regina, while dr. Anderson stays with Emma. "Regina!" he shouts and he catches up with her at the stables.

"I want to be alone." Regina whispers.

Robin sighs, "all right," he says, "be safe, okay?"

Regina just jumps on Rocinante's back, without a saddle, and takes off. She rides for a very long time before stopping in a small village.

 

Only a few of the villagers see Regina coming. "the queen," they whisper to each other, "she is back."

 

Regina descends from Rocinante and leads her into the village. Regina keeps her head down and just walks no nowhere in particular.

No one speaks to her.

Regina sees a small, old building she recognizes. She walks into the little school where she once walked with Snow White.

The bell just rings and all the kids storm out of the classrooms. The teachers after them. "Hi," says a woman from behind Regina.

Regina turns around. She recognizes the older woman as the kind teacher who accepted not only Snow but also Regina into her little school. Regina nodds and looks down again.

"It's really you isn't it. Regina." the old lady says with a surprised smile.

 

"Yes." Regina whispers, looking up now. "Yes, it's me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here, should I?"

 

"Why shouldn't you?" the woman asks, "you're always welcome here". She waves to some children that leave the school.

"I am? Why?"

"You don't look like you'll do my students harm or something," the woman says, "every one I trust is allowed to enter the school. Tea?"

"No, thank you." Regina whispers. She looks around and noticed some of the artwork Snow made, once upon a time.

"Alright," she says, "how are you and Snow?"

Regina shakes her head. She doesn't really know and doesn't want to answer that question.

"I'm sorry," the woman says, "I didn't mean anything with that question." She sees Regina looking at Snows painting.

 

"No, please, it's alright." Regina softly smiles and starts to feel a bit more comfortable. She relaxes a bit.

 

The woman smiles back, "okay," she says with a small laugh, "her painting is still here, I never removed it... It has something special don't you think?"

"Snow was always good at this." Regina smiles now. "Emma is more of a reader."

"Emma? You have another daughter then?" the woman says with a smile and she looks at Regina.

Regina nodds. "I do. I'm not doing a great job, but I've never been a good mother, right?" She looks down.

"You- you a bad mother?" The woman says. She cant believe what Regina just said. "The woman I know is far from a bad mother. You gave Snow everything she wished, you gave her the live she wanted. You should have heard her talk about you, she was so proud," she laughs, "I'll never forget that."

"Then why don't neither of them trust me? Why don't they talk to me?"

 

"Why do you think they don't trust you?" the woman asks, "how do you know they don't?"

 

"Emma doesn't trust me. She rather drinks and gets high than talk to me."

"I don't think that's true," she says, "how old is she if I may ask."

"She's twelve." Regina whispers.

"Teenagers love risk, they just try things out. It's what they do," the woman says, "and the more their mother or parents disagree, the more fun it is. Big chance she only wants attention. Attention from the one who cares about her, you. So she doesn't rather drink or get high than talk to you, she probably drinks and gets high, so she gets your attention and so you talk to her." She smiles. "I've seen a lot of teenagers, kind of know how their minds work now."

"But she gets all of my attention. I don't understand."

"She knows that, but there are different kinds of attention," the woman says.

"I don't understand."

 

"Attention like, you are alone with her and talk to her, or you are in her company with others," she says, "and with that when you go to her if she does something stupid, she knows you still care about her."

 

"But I ran away."

"But you won't stay away forever, will you?" she says.

"No. I will go back to The Castle, just not right away. She really hurts me when she drinks instead of talking to me." Regina looks down again. "Bad mother, Regina." she whispers, echoing the voice inside her head.

"You're not a bad mother Regina, I know that," the woman smiles. "And you don't have to go right away. She knows you will come back."

"Bad mother. Bad mother, Regina." Regina echoes the voice inside her head. A voice she knows all too well by now.

"No no," the woman says, "sit down for a bit, I'll get you some water." He leads Regina to her office.

 

Regina follows the woman obediently.

 

The woman gives Regina a glass of water and takes one for herself too. "I want you to know you're NOT a bad mother," she says, "What makes you think you are...? Because she rather drinks than to talk to me is not a reason that you are a bad mother."

Regina seems to listen to voices inside her head.

"You're telling yourself you're bad, which is not necessary."

"Bad mother." Regina whispers again. "Yes, Fiona. I'll come."

The woman sees something is not right... "what's it?" she asks.

"Fiona is calling me. I.. I need to go." Regina whispers. She stands up but fear shines through her eyes. She strokes her belly unconsciously.

"Regina I don't know if it's safe," the woman says, "you look frightened."

 

"I'm not weak!" Regina shouts out now. She keeps stroking her belly. "Maybe she can give me my baby back." she whispers.

 

"What are you talking about?" the woman asks, startled by Regina's sudden outburst, "I think you should rest a bit."

"No." Regina whispers. "My baby. I lost my baby." Tears run down her face now.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," the woman says and she looks down.

"Fiona can get her back. The Black Fairy. I know she can help me."

"The Black Fairy?" she says, "that's a very dangerous woman... I think you should take some rest." She really doesn't know what to say or do anymore.

Regina sinks back down on the bench. "A little rest sounds good." She sounds exhausted. She leans her head against the wall behind her and closes her eyes.

The woman smiles, "take your time," she says and she lets Regina rest in her office.

 

Regina falls asleep and rests for a little while. When she wakes up, she startles when she noticed someone sitting next to her.

 

"Ow I'm so sorry I frightened you," the woman says, "how are you feeling?"

"I need to go back to Emma." Regina whispers. She gets up. "Thank you for being so nice to me."

"No problem at all," she says, happy to see Regina in a better state than before, "you need company on your ride home?"

Regina shakes her head in denial. "No, thank you. Rocinante will take me right home." She smiles and then walks outside to her horse, who is waiting for her.

"Be safe and good luck," the woman says, "and you're always welcome here." 

Rocinante lets Regina climb on her back and then rides away, out of sight.

Regina rides back to The Castle. She puts Rocinante back in the stables and gives her some food. "I'll be back. I won't be long." she whispers. Regina then heads back to The Castle and walks inside.

 

"Hey," Robin says softly when he sees Regina come in, "feeling better now?"

 

Regina nodds. "Yes, I do. How is Emma?"

"She has slept for a while and now dr. Anderson is with her," Robin says, "so she will be fine."

Regina nodds again. She looks at the closet that's inside the room. "I want to sleep a bit as well." she whispers, slowly walking towards the closet.

"Sleep in a bed I guess," Robin says, looking at Regina. He knows exactly what she is planning to do.

"Yes. Yes, that's what I mean." Regina whispers. She looks up at him. "I want to see Emma first. She needs to know I came back and I'm not angry with her."

"Alright. She is in room 7," Robin says. He smiles a little, "are you really not angry with her? Because it's not bad if you are."

"I'm not angry. I'm hurt." Regina just shrugs. She then walks over to the appointed room. She knocks and walks inside. "Emma?"

 

Emma quickly looks away, while de. Anderson turns to Regina. They sit together on the bed, where they had been talking until Regina came in.

 

"Are you alright?" Regina wants to know.

"Sorry," Emma only says. Not because she really means it, but because dr. Anderson told her to.

"I didn't ask for an apology. I asked if you are alright."

"What does it matter," she says.

Regina sighs with frustration. "Look, Emma, I try to be a good mother, I really am trying, but you're not making it easy for me. I don't know what I did wrong for you to drink like that last night. But I've had enough. No riding Rocinante today. I'm too tired." Regina turns around and walks away. She slams the door shut and runs to one of the empty rooms. She lies down on the bed, not realizing it's the old bedroom of King Leopold.

Leopold is in the room too. "Lovely to see you here, Regina," he says and she lies down next to her, "got homesick of this room? I can imagine."

 

Regina freezes. "What are you doing here?" she whispers, not being able to defend herself while frozen.

 

"Just being home," Leopold says, "in my castle."   
He sees Regina freeze and a grin appears on his face. He winks.

"I want to be alone."

"I don't want you to be alone," Leopold says and he lays his hands on Regina's waist. "You're not aware of the dangers in this castle," he whispers.

Regina just nodds.

"Good," Leopold whispers. "Are you enjoying your stay here?"

"Yes. Yes, I am." Regina whispers.

"I'm happy for you," Leopold says, the grin doesn't fade from his face. He moves his hands under her shirt. "I saw you have your horse back."

 

"Y.Yes. Rocinante."

 

"Lovely animal," Leopold says, "and what makes you come here in this room alone?"

"I'm tired. I didn't realize which room I entered." Regina whispers. There's no point in lying.

"Well, lucky you then," Leopold smiles. "Let's have some fun."

"Please." Regina tries to crawl away.

"Please," Leopold says, imitating Regina, "I take please as a yes, all right?" Before Regina can say a thing he has pushed out her shirt.

Regina flinches. She crawls out of bed and into a corner. "Please, go."

"Go already?" Leopold says, "I don't think so." He walks towards her and takes her in his arms, lifting her up.

Regina wants to jump out of his arms.

 

Leopold is holding her tightly so she can't escape and carries Regina back to the bed.

 

"Let go of me!"

Leopold doesn't respond. He sees Regina will keep fighting back and he sees no other option... He grabs robes from inside the closet and ties Regina up to the bed. "If you won't do it the easy way, I'll do it the hard way," he snaps, tightening the robes around Regina's wrists.

Regina moans of pain and fear. "No!"

"Yes," he states as he undresses her. When he has undressed her completely, he ties up her legs too to prevent her from kicking him.

"Please!"

"Stop talking," Leopold says and he kisses her... Very violently. His hands so tightly around her arms that his nails make her bleed.

Regina moans of pain. "Leopold." she whispers

 

"Regina," he whispers back and he looks into her eyes.

 

"I beg you."

"Why would I let you go?" Leopold whispers, pushing his nails deeper into Regina's skin.

Regina freezes again. She hears Fiona in her head again.

"So you can hear her again," Leopold says, knowing his mission has been completed.

"P.lease." Regina whispers and begs. "I'm tired. Please, let go of me."

"Well... No," Leopold says and he starts to undress himself too. "I'm not letting you go, never."

Regina's eyes reflect the panic she feels is taking over. She pulls at the ropes. She's too frightened to use her magic right now.

Leopold now lies down beside her so that their bodies touch. he holds his hands on her hips and softly strokes them.

 

Regina just looks him in the eyes.

 

Leopold kisses her again, so often that he makes it impossible for Regina to breathe properly.

Regina's body shakes from not getting enough air into her system. "P.le.ase." she whispers, in between his kisses.

"You want something else then?" Leopold whispers while he doesn't stop kissing her.

Regina nodds.

He doesn't even hesitate and slips inside her, pushing her arms to the bed.

Regina softly cries now. There is no way escaping from this and she hates herself for it. She wants to retreat in her mind but even that isn't a safe space any longer, now The Black Fairy is back.

"Regina," the Black Fairy whispers with a high voice, "frightened aren't you?"

 

"Y.Yes." Regina thinks back.

 

"Good," she whispers, while Leopold just goes on. He makes sure he hurts her, so she keeps her mind with him, not blocking him out.

"Please! Please, you're hurting me!" Regina shouts out now.

Robin knocks on the door, but it's locked. He shouts her name. 

"Say him you're fine, that you just had a nightmare and that he can go away again," Leopold whispers, not stopping to hurt Regina.

"I'm not fine!" Regina screams.

Leopold immediately grabs his knife and makes a deep cut in Regina's flesh. 

Robin runs away to get something to open the door.

Regina screams again. "Leopold, please! I beg you!"

"To late for that," Leopold laughs and he makes a big wound on Regina's stomach. Then he goes on to her legs and makes deep cuts so her body is covered in circles of blood.

 

Regina cries out in pain.

 

The door bursts open and Robin and dr. Anderson walk inside. Leopold backs away from Regina, when he sees the two of then with weapons.

Regina pulls on the ropes again. "Please!" she screams.

Robin makes sure Leopold gets away from Regina by pointing the found sword at him. Dr. Anderson immediately runs to Regina and cuts through her robes, "it's okay," she whispers, looking into Regina's eyes.

Regina curls up and makes herself as small as possible. "Please, go away. Don't be in my head." she thinks to Fiona.

"You think I'll go just because you want it?" Fiona says to Regina's mind. "Not going to happen, sweetheart."

Dr. Anderson stays by Regina's side while Robin locks Leopold up.

Regina keeps being curled up and doesn't allow anyone to touch her. "Please. What do you want?" she asks Fiona.

"Nothing actually," Fiona says, "but... taking this cuff of me would be nice."

 

"Never."

 

"I thought that would be your answer," Fiona says, "but what if I say you will get your Emma in return."

"E.Emma? Emma is here, with me, in my Castle." Regina thinks back.

"I'm in her mind too, right now," Fiona says, "but not like I'm in yours, I'm torturing her."

"Please, stop! STOP! I'll let you go, but leave my daughter alone!"

"Let me go?" Fiona laughs, "Leopold let me out ages ago!"

"I will take your cuff off. I promise, I promise!"

"You can't take my cuff off," Fiona says, "only the one who placed it around my wrist can: Emma, but she won't give in!"

 

"Emma, please! Go take it off of her!" Regina screams to Emma now.

 

"Nev- Never!" Emma shouts back. The pain is almost unbearable.

"PLEASE!"

"NO!"

Regina poofs herself into some clothing. She doesn't care about the wounds Leopold inflicted on her. She then poofs to Emma and begs her to let Fiona go, to get the cuff off of her.

"N- NO" Emma says. She is hiding her face in her pillow, so Regina doesn't hear her screams.

"Emma, please, just let her go!"

"Then she will take you and I'll lose you again. I won't let that happen!" Emma screams and she throws herself in her mothers arms. She cries on her shoulder.

 

Regina holds Emma very close to her. "I won't go away with her again, I promise, sweetheart. But she needs to stop torturing you. Please, make the cuff go away. I know you can do this." Regina whispers.

 

"You told me that before," Emma whispers, "but she will take you away when she has her magic back, nothing can stop her except for that cuff."

"Then we keep the cuff with us, just to be sure. Please, Emma, you don't have to suffer like this."

"You don't know what I had to do to make that cuff work, it took months and then it will all be for nothing and she will have al the power." She screams again. Fiona is really hurting her.

"Fiona, please, STOP! What do you want besides the cuff off?" Regina cries out now.

"Only that," Fiona says, "I have everything when I have my magic back. YOU need to convince her!"

"Do you promise us to leave us alone? Please? To not take me away again?"

 

"No mom," Emma shouts, "she will hurt other people instead, I can't let that happen."

 

"Emma, please. She's hurting you so much!"

Emma can't get a word out anymore. Her body is starting to give up, but her mind will not...

Regina screams and poofs away to The Black Fairy. She rips her heart out.

"Oh Oh," Fiona grins and before Regina can say something to her heart, she lets out her last hit and Emma falls unconscious on the bed.

"STOP IT!" Regina screams.

Fiona stops the torturing.

Regina squeezes her heart. Darkness appears in her eyes.

Fiona's body collapses a little, but she doesn't show her pain.

 

"You never met The Evil Queen, now did you?" Regina speaks with a low and dangerous voice.

 

"No," Fiona says, looking amused, "you were to weak to become her again."

"Do you still think I'm weak now?" Regina asks, while squeezing the heart just a little bit more.

"Yes, you will always be weak."

"I'm not weak!" Regina screams, almost crushing the heart to dust.

"You are," Fiona says calmly. "You'll never be strong."

"What do I need to do to prove I'm not weak?" Regina's voice keeps being dangerously low.

"You can't prove it," Fiona says, "Oh well maybe there is a way. Let me torture your Emma, while you watch and do nothing."

"NEVER!" Regina screams, almost crushing the heart again.

 

"You see, WEAK," Fiona laughs.

 

Regina uses her magic to tie Fiona up to the bed that's standing in the room. "You're never getting free, ever again!"

"We will see about that," Fiona grins.

"No, we won't. You won't ever get free from that bed again. And this..." Regina says, while looking at Fiona's heart, "is mine to keep. For ever." Regina poofs away and ends back besides Emma.

Emma is not moving, you can only see her hands tremble. She is still unconscious.

Regina slowly strokes Emma's hair and waits until she wakes up again.

After a while Emma gets back into consciousness. She tries to open her eyes. It goes very slowly and her body is still shaking. "Mom," she whispers very softly when she gets her eyes open far enough to recognize her mother's black hair and the shape of her face.

 

"Sweetheart." Regina whispers. "It's alright. I'm right here." She softly strokes Emma's hair and face. The darkness in her own eyes is completely gone and Fiona's heart is safely locked away. "She won't hurt anyone any longer. I promise."

 

Tears stream over Emma's face, but she doesn't make a sound. She breathes deeply and tries to sit up. It doesn't work so she grabs her mothers hand. "Will you stay?" Emma whispers, while she tries to focus on her mother's eyes.

Regina nodds. "I stay. I will stay for good. She won't hurt anyone any longer. I promise." Regina takes Emma closely against her.

Emma lays her hands around her mother's waist and clings to it. She lets her head rest on Regina's shoulder, while her tears make her shirt wet. "You're hurt," Emma whispers, when her eyes fall on the red places if Regina's shirt.

"It's nothing. I'm just glad you are alright. That she's gone." Regina whispers. She notices Robin and Dr. Anderson walking inside of Emma's room but she doesn't look up. She just keeps looking at Emma.

"You're bleeding," Emma whispers. She is breathing normally again and she is able to sit on her own without leaning against her mother. She looks her mom in her eyes and a small smile appears on her face.

 

"Why are you laughing?" Regina looks up at Emma.

 

Emma's smile disappears immediately, "I'm sorry, I- I didn't know you didn't like that," she whispers.

"No, no, sweetheart, I love to see you smile." Regina smiles now as well. "The Black Fairy is gone. She won't hurt us any   
longer."

"Yes, you told me that. What did you do to her?" Emma says, a little smile appears again.

"I have her heart. And she's tied up. She's done playing with us." Regina smiles when Emma smiles again.

"You're cruel," Emma says, "but... Alright, maybe we have no choice."

"I don't like to be cruel, dear, but this is the only way to stop her. I don't want to kill her, so this is the best option we have." Regina tries to explain softly.

"Don't you think this, what you did to her now, is worse than death?"

 

"Maybe. But she doesn't deserve anything less, Emma. She will never stop hurting us if she has her heart back."

 

"Then kill her," Emma says and she looks her mother in her eyes. "Don't let her suffer, and don't do to her what she did to us."

Regina looks surprised. "You... You want me to kill her? Emma, I... I don't know if I can resist the darkness after that." Regina whispers those last words.

"I don't want her to suffer this much," Emma says, "let me kill her, that won't make you dark." she holds her hand up so Regina can lay the heart in it. Her heart is beating very fast in her chest, why did she just say that...

Regina shakes her head. "No. I won't let you do that." she whispers. "She can live without her heart. How does that sound?"

 

"You'll free her?" Emma says, "and you keep her heart?"

 

"Yes. How much damage can she do?"

"Not much I think," Emma says, not really sure. "Let's do that then."

"Really? Because if you want me to, I'll kill her."

"No no," Emma says immediately. "It's good like this." She looks at Regina's clothes now, which are completely red. "You should look at your wounds mom."

"I need to take care of you first." Regina whispers, not letting Emma show in how much pain she actually is.

"I'll take care of myself," Emma says, "I'm not stupid. I can see you're in pain."

"But I'm your mother." Regina whispers. She breathes faster and her heart starts to pound.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't take care if yourself," Emma whispers, "do it for me." She sees the blood drip of her mother's clothes...

 

Regina nodds. "I will." She looks up at Dr. Anderson and Robin now.

 

"We need to fix that," Robin says when he sees Regina and Emma are done talking. He walks to the bed and helps Regina up, "you've lost a lot of blood already."

Regina flinches. She looks at Dr. Anderson.

"What's it?" Dr. Anderson says while she walks to Regina.

Regina shakes her head. She doesn't want a man looking at her wounds. But she doesn't say this, she doesn't want to hurt Robin.

"Let me do it," dr. Anderson says. She has seen this behavior before and she knows what it means. 

Robin looks at dr. Anderson and back at Regina. "Yeah," he says and dr. Anderson takes over Regina's arm. Emma stands up and leaves the room with Robin.

Regina remains silent when she lets Dr. Anderson look at her wounds.

"They're deep..." Dr. Anderson says more to herself than to Regina. She gets some medical stuff from the bathroom and starts dripping some cleaning medicine into the cuts.

 

Regina doesn't move and doesn't make a sound.

It takes a lot of time before all the wounds are cleaned, because there already is a lot if dried blood. Dr. Anderson manages to give Regina some stitches and then starts bandaging the wounds.

Regina still doesn't speak.

"Done," dr. Anderson says after a while, "how do you feel?"

"Leopold?" Regina wants to know.

"Robin has locked him up in the dungeons," dr. Anderson says.

Regina nodds and slowly walks to the closet in the room. Her eyes scan Dr. Anderson, to see if she's going to stop her or not.

 

Dr. Anderson sits down on the bed, her eyes focussed on Regina. "You know you don't have to do that," she says, but she doesn't stop her.

 

Regina quickly hides into the closet. "Just for a little while. Just... A little while." she whispers. She leaves the door of the closet a bit open so she can see the door of the bedroom to see if someone comes in.

Dr. Anderson leans against the wall and lets Regina take her time. She just waits and says nothing.

After a short amount of time Regina very slowly comes out of the closet again. "Safe?" she asks with a tiny voice.

"Yes, Regina," dr. Anderson says, "safe."

Regina just nodds. She looks at Dr. Anderson because she doesn't really know what to do next.

"You can sit here if you want," dr. Anderson says, she lays her hand on the place beside her, "we can talk for a bit."

Cautiosly Regina sits down next to Dr. Anderson. She mumbles the word 'safe' again.

 

"You want to talk about it?" Dr. Anderson asks.

 

Regina's body stiffens. "Safe." she mumbles again.

"Yes, safe," dr. Anderson says again.

Regina keeps being frozen for a little while until she realises Dr. Anderson isn't going to touch her without her consent. She relaxes a bit.

Dr. Anderson smiles. "How do your wounds feel? Do they hurt a lot?"

Regina shrughs and doesn't really answer.

"Alright," dr. Anderson says. "And your mind? Whats going on in it right now?"

"Leopold." Regina whispers now.

"He is locked up," dr. Anderson says calmly, "what did he do to you?"

 

"You know what he did."

 

"Pretend that I don't know," dr. Anderson says, "I want to hear you say it."

Regina flinches. She walks over to the closet again, very slowly. "Safe?" she whispers again.

Dr. Anderson looks at Regina, "you know you are safe," she says, "no need to hide."

Regina nodds and stands still now. "He touched me." she whispers.

"He did that before, didn't he?" dr. Anderson says, "was it the same this time?"

Regina nodds again. She remains silent.

"He hurt you too," dr. Anderson says, "why?"

"Because he likes it!" Regina suddenly snaps.

 

"How do you know he likes it?" dr. Anderson says untouched.

 

"Why else would he do that?"

"Maybe he was forced, maybe he seeks revenge, maybe he is in love with you... maybe he doesn't know what he is doing," dr. Anderson says.

"Why are you defending him?" Regina spats out.

"I'm not defending him. I'm just show you that he is a human being too. You searched for acceptance when you were the... Evil Queen. What if he is no different."

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes before she retreats back into her closet. "Not safe." she whispers now. And she really doesn't feel safe at that moment in time. Why would anyone try to justify Leopold's actions?

Dr. Anderson doesn't move and let's Regina sit in her closet. She lets her think.

Regina doesn't move and doesn't speak for a long time.

 

Dr. Anderson just stays and when Robin comes to look if they are alright. She tells him that she will be alright and that he can go.

 

"Robin?"

"I'll see you soon," Robin says, "I'll be waiting for you in the living room with Emma."

"Why are you leaving me?"

"I'm not leaving, I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for you."

"I'm right here." Regina poofs out of her closet and right in front of Robin. She takes his hands and puts them on her hips. "I'm right here." she whispers now.

Robin smiles, but doesn't move. "I'm glad you are," he says.

 

Regina nodds. "Go on." she whispers. "I need to feel you. Not him."

 

"I don't want that," Robin says, "I don't want to frighten you."

Regina looks up at him. "Slowly then? Please?"

"I'm sorry, Regina," Robin says, "but... I can't do this."

Regina takes a step away. "You think I'm dirty, don't you?"

"I don't," Robin says, "You know I don't think that."

"Then why won't you touch me?"

"Because I don't want you to slip away again," Robin says clearly.

"But I am slipping away, because you won't touch me!"

 

Robin lays his hands on Regina's hips again, "nonsense," he whispers.

 

Regina just looks at him in his eyes.

"So?" he whispers.

"Go on. Slowly."

Robin doesn't want this, but he slowly moves Regina's body closer to his. Dr. Anderson walks out of the room.

Regina keeps breathing steady and doesn't feel afraid. "She thinks Leopold has his reasons for doing this to me." Regina whispers in Robin's ear.

"You don't agree?" Robin asks.

"He's a monster." Regina just whispers.

Robin doesn't say a thing.

"Isn't he?"

 

"He is," Robin says, "but monsters can have reasons too."

 

"I don't care!" she suddenly snaps.

"I noticed, and you have all right to not care," Robin says back.

Regina just nodds now. "Safe now?"

Robin nods.

Regina softly smiles now. She looks Robin deep into his eyes. "Go on."

Robin slowly bows towards her and kisses her softly on her lips.

Regina smiles against his lips and kisses him back. "More now."

"Why?" Robin whispers.

 

"Because I want to."

 

"I'm not your servant," Robin says.

Regina flinches away immediately.

Robin just looks at her, now only holding her hand.

"I'm tired, I guess." Regina whispers softly.

Robin nods, while holding his breath.

Regina slowly walks towards the bed, holding onto Robin's hand. "Will you sleep with me? Just for a little while?"

"Yeah, that's alright," Robin says and he lies down next to Regina.

Regina curls up next to him and lays her head on his chest. It doesn't take long for her to fall into a deep sleep. Such a deep sleep where Fiona, even without her magic, can get to her.

"You finally got what you deserve," Fiona grins in Regina's head.

 

"What do you mean?" Regina whispers.

 

"I see Leopold found you again," Fiona laughs, "you look great by the way. Bit fat, but yeah... fine."

"Leopold is locked up now. He can't get to me any longer." Regina whispers.

"He did what he had to do," Fiona says, "so that's perfectly fine."

"Break me? Is that what he had to do?"

"Maybe," Fiona laughs, "did you like it? Ow and how is Emma?"

"Leave her alone!" Regina shouts out now.

"I won't," Fiona says. 

In the meantime Robin tries to wake Regina up, because she is shouting in her sleep.

"Please! She has done nothing wrong! Take me! Torture me!"

 

"No no no," Fiona laughs, "this is much more fun!"

 

"You seem to have forgotten who I am. The Evil Queen. I can be a far greater nightmare than you can ever imagine." Darkness appears in Regina's eyes, not wanting to go away so easily.

"Do you?" Fiona says still grinning, "I'll be prepared then." Her voice sounds very sarcastically.

"You better be." Regina's voice sounds very low and dangerous.

"Is this supposed to frighten me, queenie," Fiona says, "you can't hurt me, you know."

Regina remains silent now. She feels Robin waking her up. She looks him into his eyes, darkness overclouding her own brown eyes now.

"You're awake," Robin says with a sigh of relief, "what happened?"

 

"She happened." Regina almost jumps out of bed and starts to go through her potions and spellbooks.

 

"The Black Fairy? What are you going to do?"

"Stop her." Regina mumbles.

"But... How??"

"She needs to stop torturing Emma in her mind!" Regina snaps, the darkness still growing in her eyes.

"How will you do that?" Robin says louder now and he walks closer to Regina. A scream comes from upstairs... Emma's scream.

"She needs to stop!" Regina screams now. She mixes some potions, keeping her head clear of Emma's screaming now. After a short amount of time Regina runs upstairs with a potion she made especially for Emma. "Emma? Sweetheart, here. You need to drink this. It stops her from seeping into your head, I promise. Here, sweetheart, you need to drink it."

"Don't trick me," Emma screams, "I won't take her cuff off!" She makes herself small in dr. Anderson's arms. She screams again and closes her eyes. She hides her face.

 

"Sweetheart, I'm not tricking you. It's me, Regina, your mother. You don't have to do anything but to drink this potion I made for you. She won't be able to get into your head ever again." Regina strokes Emma's hair. "Emma, please. I want to help you. Let me help you."

 

"What will it do!" Emma screams, she squeezes dr. Anderson's hand to ease the pain. "Don't make me pull it off, promise me!" She can't move, the pain almost becomes too much.

"I promise, Emma, I promise!" Regina says very clearly. "She won't ever be without her cuff and she will never get her magic back. But she needs to stop being able to get inside your head. Please, Emma, take the potion, I know what I'm doing." The darkness in Regina's eyes is gone now. She just wants to help her little girl.

"Okay," Emma whispers followed by a loud moan of pain, but when she tries to hold the bottle she almost drops it again. Her hands are shaking too much. Dr. Anderson helps her to hold it steady and slowly she lets the potion drip into Emma's mouth. When she swallowed it whole, her body relaxes. She closes her eyes and lies in dr. Anderson's arms, to weak to move. Her breathing is the right rhythm again and she stops biting her tongue. Some blood escapes from her mouth.

 

Regina wipes away the blood and doesn't leave Emma's side. Not until she wakes up and Regina knows she's alright and Fiona is out of her head. Regina doesn't doubt Fiona is gone out of Emma's head. She knows her potions and spells and she knows Fiona doesn't have magic any longer. She hears Fiona screaming in her own head but she doesn't care. As long as Emma is safe.

 

"You will pay for this," Fiona grins and she disappears from Regina's head. Emma is able to sit up again. She rubs her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Thank you, mom," she whispers.

Regina takes Emma closely against her own body. "You needed to be alright. I'm your mother and I take care of you. You don't have to thank me, Emma." Regina whispers, softly stroking Emma's hair.

"What will she do now?" Emma whispers.

"She won't be able to hurt you any longer, sweetheart. She won't be able to get inside your head again and she won't get near you again. I promise you that. I promise you I will do whatever it takes to prevent her from that."

"What about you then?" Emma says. A small smile appears on her face while she leans against her mother, laying her head on her shoulder.

 

"I will be alright as well. You don't have to worry about me, that's not your job." Regina winks at her little girl.

 

Emma sighs. "I don't want to lose you," Emma says, "so I do need to worry about you."

"You will never lose me, Emma. No matter what happens." Regina smiles.

"How do you know?"

"Because I am your mother and I will never leave you. Even if we're not together, I will always be with you. Right here." Regina points at Emma's heart.

Emma lays her hand on her mother's and nods. "And I will always be in yours," she whispers.

Regina smiles and nodds softly. "I know. But I will do everything for us to stay together, I promise you that. But even when you're just at school, I'm with you. Never forget that."

"I won't," Emma smiles. "Even if I'm drunk?" she softly adds, looking at her lap.

"Even if you're drunk." Regina whispers, still stroking Emma's hair.

 

Emma relaxes even more, "okay," she says, while she feels safe in her mother's arms.

 

Regina smiles again. She keeps her daughter close to her until she falls asleep in her arms.

Emma sleeps a sweet sleep. No nightmares come up, because she knows her mother is with her.

Regina keeps holding her daughter while she sleeps. She's exhausted herself, so she rests her head against the top of the bed and sleeps for a little while.

When Emma wakes up, she sees her mother is still asleep. She smiles and keep lying close to her, so she feels her mother's warmth.

Regina wakes up after a short time of sleep, but she feels well rested for now. She looks at Emma and smiles when she sees she's awake as well. "Did you sleep well, sweetheart?" she wants to know.

"Yes I really did," Emma smiles, "I feel much better now, and you?"

 

"Me too. I think we both needed that, didn't we?" Regina smiles. She slowly gets up and stretches her muscles. She tries not to show her pain to her daughter, the pain because of the wounds inflicted by Leopold.

 

"Yeah, but how are your wounds?" Emma asks, when she sees Regina walking a bit limp.

"They're fine, really. They hurt, but they will heal."

"Shall I heal them for you?" Emma asks carefully, not knowing why her mother didn't ask her that already.

Regina shakes her head. "No, thank you, dear. You don't need to do that. I know you can and I know you want to, but I don't want you to use magic this much." Regina looks up at Emma. "I do know you have a great power inside of you. I can feel it."

"Why don't you want that?" Emma says, "you know I can do it, you know I can ease your pain, like you did for me too with that potion."

"Because I don't like it when you use magic. Magic only causes problems." Regina whispers softly.

"N- Not if it can heal you," Emma whispers, "please..."

 

Regina looks up at Emma and thinks for a little while. She then nodds. "Alright."

 

Emma smiles and removes the bandages. She starts to heal the wounds, immediately feeling the pleasure of using magic again.

Regina sighs with relief when the wounds are completely healed. "Thank you, Emma." she softly smiles.

"No problem," Emma says. She waits a while before she speaks again. "Magic is just like alcohol you know... tempting." She looks up at her mom.

Regina nodds. "I know. Which is why I don't want you to use it for no reason. I do want to teach you magic, if that's what you want, but at a slow rate, alright?"

Emma nods. "Elsa learned me a lot too," she says, "and... this was a good reason."

Regina smiles. "It was." She hugs her daughter. "Thank you, Emma."

Emma hugs her mother back. "How much longer will we stay here in the enchanted forest?"

 

"How much longer do you want to stay, dear?"

 

"I asked you," Emma says.

"A couple more days?" Regina suggests.

"Alright," Emma reacts.

"Really?"

"Of course".

Regina smiles. "What do you want to do now?"

"Take... a ride?" Emma says carefully, "you still want to learn me how to ride Rocinante after what happened in the cellar?"

"Sure I do. But is it alright if we do that in the morning? It's already late and it will go dark soon outside."

"Yes, okay," Emma says

 

Regina smiles again. "I will ask the chef to make us some food. Do you want to explore the Castle a bit more until then?"

 

"Sounds good," Emma says, "with Robin and dr. Anderson?"

Regina nodds. "I'd like that." she smiles. The two of them call dr. Anderson and Robin inside and tell them the plan for the rest of the day.

"Sounds good," Robin says. Dr. Anderson nods too. When Robin and Emma go already, dr. Anderson looks at Regina. "We really should talk about this. I don't care when, but we can't just ignore it."

"Talk about what?"

"You know what," dr. Anderson says, "about what happened to you today. You were hiding in the closet again, slipping away again and I know it feels all alright for you now, but when you lose your distraction... I don't want you to slip away again."

Regina flinches away. "I can't talk about it."

 

"So you're holding everything in," dr. Anderson says, "you can't hold everything in."

 

"Watch me." Regina's eyes turn almost black. "You can't make me talk about it. I hate talking about it!"

"That's exactly why you should talk about it," she says, "to make the subject less difficult for yourself."

"I don't know how!" Regina snaps, frustrated now.

"We can work on that," dr. Anderson says, "like we did before."

"Now then? Please?"

"Now?" dr. Anderson says, "that's okay with me."

Regina nodds. She calls Robin and Emma back and tells them she wants to talk to dr. Anderson for a bit. "Is that alright? We'll join you shortly."

"Okay," they both say. "See you soon then," Emma adds.

 

Regina nodds and smiles softly, before sitting down on the bed in the room. She looks up at dr. Anderson.

 

"So," dr. Anderson says, while she does sit down on the bed, "what made you go hiding again?"

"I like it. I feel safe."

"Safe from what?"

"Safe from life. From pain."

"But... do you really think that closet will safe you from that?" dr. Anderson says, "or is it just in your mind?"

Regina shrugs but doesn't answer the question.

"If Emma starts to ask about Leopold... how will you react?"

Regina's eyes go dark again. "What's that for a question?"

 

"There will come a day that someone will say something to you that triggers you," dr. Anderson says, "and I don't think you want to hide from that person then."

 

"What do I need to do so I won't hide?" Regina asks, with a soft voice.

"That's for us to figure out," dr. Anderson says, "but first of all, just talk about it, get everything straight in your mind. What happened, who was there, what makes me want to hide."

"You know what happened and you know who did it." Regina whispers.

"But you need to accept what happened. It doesn't matter if I know and what I know," dr. Anderson says. "You need to get the facts straight."

Regina slowly nodds. "How?" she whispers.

"First tell me about it," dr. Anderson says, "and every time you think you will slip away, you take a deep breath."

 

Regina takes a deep breath before she starts to talk. "I didn't really know which room I walked into. I was so tired." she whispers. "When I laid down on the bed, he was there already."

 

"I see," dr. Anderson says, "and can you tell me who was there?"

"He. Leopold."

"Okay, go on."

Regina shakes her head.

"Take your time," dr. Anderson says.

"He hurt me." Regina whispers. "Like he always does."

"What does he always do?"

"Hurt me! Aren't you listening?"

"How does he hurt you?" dr. Anderson says. She just asks on, calmly.

 

"Knife. He uses a knife." Regina whispers now, not ready to admit the other thing.

 

Dr. Anderson nods, "okay," she says, "now take a deep breath and try to tell more."

Regina takes a deep breath. She just looks at Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson smiles and lets Regina take her time again.

"He touched me." Regina whispers very, very softly.

Dr. Anderson keeps quiet.

Regina doesn't speak as well. She waits for questions because she can't talk about it herself.

"What did he say when he touched you? Can you remember that?" Dr. Anderson asks after a while.

"I don't really remember." Regina whispers.

 

“You're still cropping things up, Regina," dr. Anderson says, "let it go. And if you don't want me to hear it, I just won't listen, then tell it to your own reflection, but you have to accept that this happened to you."

 

"He... He... I don't know. He seemed content when I started to hear Fiona again."

"You think they have contact?" dr. Anderson asks.

"I guess so." Regina mumbles.

Dr. Anderson nods. "Do you see a link between them? Why do they have contact?"

"To torture me. To break me."

Dr. Anderson stays silent for a while.

"Do you know why that want that?" she then says softly.

"I don't know!" Regina snaps. "I know why Leopold hates me, but I have no idea why Fiona does."

"I was just wondering," dr. Anderson says, "are they together?" She just asks random questions to make Regina talk

 

Regina laughs now. "They aren't. I know they aren't."

 

"Alright," dr. Anderson smiles, "and do you think Fiona is controlling him somehow?"

"Maybe. I don't know and I don't care. He doesn't deserve any better."

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "and do you know anyone who does care about him?"

"Eva. Eva, maybe. I don't know. I don't know if she still cares." Regina whispers.

"Who is she?" Dr. Anderson says, "and is she in Storybrooke?"

Regina nodds. "She is. She's Snow White's mother."

"She is Snow White's mother," dr. Anderson says surprised, "you never told me about her before. Maybe I can talk with her about him, he is a very damaged man...”. 

"Eva is Snow White's birth mother." Regina whispers. "Talk to her all you want. She's a nice woman. I doubt she will be able to fix Leopold. He's beyond repair."

 

"I won't ask her to fix him, that's too though, but maybe she can help. No one is beyond repair in my eyes," she says, "but that doesn't matter now. Is there something else you want to tell me?"

Regina remains silent. She, unconsciencely, strokes her belly.

"It hurts doesn't it?" Dr. Anderson says and she swears that she sees some hope in Regina's eyes. Could there be?

Regina doesn't answer. She retreats back into her own mind, a safe space. Or so she hopes.

"Regina," dr. Anderson says, "you think there is still hope for your child?" She looks Regina into her eyes.

"No!" Regina snaps. "It's dead!"

"Yeah," dr. Anderson says calmly. "But that's no need to return to your own world."

 

"I won't go back to Storybrooke. There's only pain for me. I want to bring Snow over here and be happy here. With my family."

 

"I understand," dr. Anderson says, "you can. That plan needs to be liked from all side, so you have to talk about this with everyone."

"I will." Regina whispers. "I'm tired. She... She can get in my head so easily when I'm tired."

"Then you should take some rest, and it's even better if you can sleep a bit," dr. Anderson says, "Robin and I will watch over you."

"No. I can't. She'll come visit me in my dreams. I can't."

"Can't you make that potion for yourself?" Dr. Anderson says, "the one you made for Emma to get Fiona out of her mind."

"I can't." Regina whispers.

"Why not?" Dr. Anderson asks, looking into Regina's eyes.

 

"Because then the potion won't work on Emma no more. It only works for one person at a time." Regina softly explains.

 

"I see," dr. Anderson says, "what do you think is best to do now?"

"I want to explore the Castle with you and Emma and Robin. Can we do that now? I promised Emma. Please?"

"Yes alright," she says, "let's do that."

Regina nodds. Together with Dr. Anderson she catches up with Emma and Robin.

"What's this room?" Emma asks, pointing at a closed door.

Regina shakes her head. "I don't remember."

"It's locked," Emma says, "are you sure you don't remember?"

"I'm sure. I didn't lock this one."

 

Emma opens the lock with her magic. She immediately feels the great feeling of using magic. She enters the room.

 

Regina slowly follows Emma into the room. She really didn't lock this one off. She doesn't know what to expect.

Around Emma are a lot of boxes. They are placed on shelves, what makes the place look like a library. On the front of the boxes are hearts that glow on the rhythm of a heartbeat.

Regina freezes when she hears the sound she remembers all too well.

Emma touches one of the boxes. It opens and in there lies a red, glowing heart. She lets out a small scream.

"Don't touch it, Emma." Regina just whispers.

Emma drops the box on the ground and breathes fast. "Why are there so many here?" she whispers.

"Cora collected them." Regina just whispers. She closes her eyes but all she hears now are the beating of the hearts. She wants to crush them. She feels the darkness almost taking over.

 

Emma picks up the heart she just dropped and holds it in her hand now. She carefully places it back on its shelf. She walks on, while Robin grabs Regina's arm. He spotted the darkness in her eyes, the darkness he has seen before. "You have to get out of here," Robin says.

 

"Yes. Yes, I do." Regina whispers. She quickly steps out of the room and waits for Emma to be done as well. She leans against the wall and takes a couple of deep breaths. She looks up at Robin, the darkness completely gone now. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...".

"Don't worry about it," Robin says, "just... Stay out of there." He smiles and squeezes her hand a little.

Regina nodds and smiles back. Her little talk with dr. Anderson did actually really good. She holds Robin's hand and waits for Emma to come out of the room as well.

"I'm sorry mom, I didn't know..." Emma says when she comes out. "I- I was just curious."

Regina softly smiles. "That's alright, sweetheart. You have the right to be curious. What do you say we explore the Castle a bit more?"

"Yeah," Emma says and she follows her mother. Dr. Anderson smiles at Regina, knowing she did something very good.

 

"What are you smiling at?" Regina asks dr. Anderson, with a soft smile of her own on her face.

 

"What you did was really good," dr. Anderson says, her smile doesn't fade, "it was good to go out with Robin and take some deep breaths."

Regina nodds. "I don't want to be The Evil Queen again." she whispers, following Robin and Emma.

Dr. Anderson nods and walks behind them. Not wanting to interrupt more time they spend with the three of them.

Regina just follows Emma throughout the Castle.

After a while Emma stops and turns around. "Are there any more rooms left? Any special places?"

"There is... There is one room. In the dungeons. A... A sacred place." Regina whispers.

Emma looks at her mom. Little twinkles float in her eyes. "Can I see it?"

 

Regina looks at Robin. She hesitates. She hasn't been there herself since... well, since she killed him. "I.. I guess so." she whispers.

 

Robin nods and takes her hand in his. "It will be good for her to see it," he whispers to Regina, "and maybe good for you too."

"I'm not going. You both can go, but I'm not." Regina whispers. She leads them to the place, deep down in the dungeons underneath the Castle.

"Why aren't you coming mom?" Emma asks, but the look in Robin's eyes tell her not to ask it and she walks inside with him.

Regina waits patiently outside of the door that leads to the place where she keeps her father's coffin.

Robin and Emma stay in there for a while. When they come out Emma looks at her mother with tears in her eyes.

Regina lowers down so she's at Emma's height. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asks softly.

 

Emma nods, her lips pressed together. "It's a beautiful place for him," Emma whispers and she looks away, out if the window.

 

"Really? You really think so?"

"Yes," Emma says, "I really think so. It looks like you loved him very much." She smiles a little.

"I did. I loved my father very, very much. He was the only one who believed in me back then, even when I was The Evil Queen." Regina whispers softly. She looks at the door that is still a little bit open.

Emma follows Regina's gaze to the door and pulls a little on her mother's arm, so they move an inch towards the door.

"I... I can't. I haven't been in there since... Well, since... Since then."

"Why is that a reason not to go in?" Emma says, "are you afraid?"

"No. I guess I'm not." Regina slowly walks towards the door and opens it.

 

"You see," Emma says, "beautiful, isn't it?"

 

Regina just nodds. She, very slowly, walks inside of her father's resting place. She softly strokes the coffin she chose herself so many years ago.

Emma remains silent.

A tear escapes Regina's eye and before she knows it she's crying like a little girl. "Daddy." she whispers. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Emma slowly walks to her mother and strokes her back, just like her mom does when she is crying. Robin comes in too.

"I'm so sorry." Regina whispers again, before her knees can't hold her any longer. She sinks down to the ground, but keeps her hand on her father's coffin.

Robin leads Emma out of the room, telling her Regina needs some time alone. He himself enters the room again and looks at Regina.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry. I didn't see another way out of this life." Regina softly cries now.

 

Robin now sits down besides Regina and holds her close.

 

After a long period of time Regina sighs deep and crawls against Robin.

Robin softly strokes her hair, not interrupting their silence

"Emma is waiting for us." Regina whispers after a couple of minutes.

"She is," Robin says and he helps Regina up. He looks into her eyes and wipes away her tears. "You're alright again?"

"I think I am." Regina whispers. She leans against Robin when they walk out of the room, back to Emma and dr. Anderson.

Emma looks a bit frightened and her eyes show tears again. "I'm sorry," she says to her mom and she hopes her mother can hear it. Robin holds his arm around her.

 

Regina lowers to Emma's height again and takes her into her arms. "You have nothing to apologize for, sweetheart. You asked if you could see this room and I allowed that. So no apologizing, do you hear me?" Regina softly strokes Emma's hair and lets her go after quite some time.

 

"Yes, but I pulled you in," Emma says.

Regina suddenly giggles. "You didn't pull me in, sweetie. I decided to go in. You just gave me a little push... The one I needed. Thank you, Emma." Regina whispers in Emma's ear.

Emma now wraps her arms around her mother's neck and smiles when her mother makes it sound like a secret between only them. She hugs her and then lets go.

Regina winks at Emma before she gets up. "Did you see all of the Castle now, sweetheart?" Regina smiles, knowing that Emma didn't see everything just yet.

"I don't think so," Emma says, "but I think I've seen the most important and the best places."

"But did you see the most beautiful spot as well?" Regina softly asks, winking at Robin.

 

"If I see you two, I don't think so," Emma says, looking from Regina to Robin. Robin grins.

 

Regina winks again and takes Emma, followed by Robin and Dr. Anderson, to the gardens of her Castle. She smiles when she looks at her apple tree.

"Well, I have seen a glimpse of this before, but... wauw... this is big and beautiful," Emma says while they walk through the gardens. "Every time I came and come here, these gardens seem bigger than I remembered them." Robin says. He looks at Regina's apple tree. "After all those years," he adds, "it's still blooming. Kind of a miracle I think."

"It's the strongest apple tree. It can overcome any storm." Regina softly smiles.

"Can I climb it?" Emma asks.

"Sure you can. Just don't break any branches." Regina laughs.

"I hope I won't," Emma says and she sets her foot on the first branch. It doesn't take long to reach the highest branches and she look down at her mom. She feels the wind through her hair and for the second time here she feel truly free. She wishes she could stay here forever, live here with her mom and Robin.

 

Regina smiles and leans against Robin. "I like this. Can't we stay here, get Snow here as well?"

 

"You want that?" Robin asks a bit stunned, but not surprised, "I would love that."

"You would?" Regina asks, equally surprised.

"Yeah," Robin says with a smile, "this has been my home from the start and it feels good to be back."

Regina smiles brightly. "Let's do that. Please? Emma can take classes in the village where Snow when as well. What do you think?"

"It sounds like a great plan to me," Robin says, "You know... I wanted that from the moment I got here, but I didn't dare to mention it." He grins.

Regina smiles back. "Emma? Can you come down, please? We need to ask you something."

"Alright," Emma shouts from the top of the tree, "unless it's something bad, then I'll stay." She starts to climb down.

 

"I hope it's nothing bad." Regina giggles nervously. She looks at Emma when her youngest daughter lands safely back on the ground. "What would you say if we wouldn't go back to Storybrooke?" she then asks with a soft voice.

 

"Stay here?" Emma asks, "live here?"

Regina slowly nodds. She doesn't dare to look up at Emma, afraid of being rejected.

"Yes," Emma says looking at her mom.

"Yes? Yes, what?" Regina looks at Emma now. "Yes?" she repeats.

"Yes I want to stay here," Emma says.

"You do? Why?" Regina asks. She couldn't be more surprised.

Emma shrugs. "I don't know..." she says, "I like it here."

Regina smiles brightly now. "Me too!" she laughs. 

Emma laughs and she immediately sees her choice was worth it. "But can I have my stuff from home?" Emma asks, "my books and clothes. And I want to say goodbye to Elsa, can we do that?"

 

"Of course we can, sweetheart. We need to go back to get Snow as well. Maybe some of the other people in Storybrooke want to come back here? We need to ask them that, don't we?" Regina smiles, getting excited now. She looks at dr. Anderson. "Do you want to stay? As well?" Regina looks down again. She knows this isn't an easy question for dr. Anderson to answer.

"Me?" dr. Anderson says. She looks at the woods. "Well... I don't know if I can live here," she says, "I have to think about that."

Regina nodds. "I understand. I also understand if you want to go back to Boston, to the facility and to your work. You're very good at it."

Dr. Anderson smiles shyly. "I'll think about it, thank you."

Regina nodds and smiles softly. "What do you want to do now? I think dinner is almost ready. I asked the chef to make us something nice."

 

"Sounds good," Robin says and they walk back to the castle. "Is there a school out here?" Emma asks her mother while they walk home.

 

Regina nodds. "There is. There is a small school at one of the villages nearby. The one... The one where your mother used to go after Leopold... after Leopold was gone."

Emma smiles, "Did she like it there?" She looks at her mother to look if she is okay.

Regina nodds again. She softly smiles. "She did. She was happy there."

"I hope I'll be too," Emma says a bit insecure now, "do you think they will like a future-girl?"

"You're not a future-girl." Regina giggles. "You know as much from The Enchanted Forest as the people who still live here." Regina winks.

"Yes, but I'm sure they don't know about mobile phones, computers and movies."

"I guess they don't. I don't think things like that will work here. Is that a problem for you?" Regina wants to know.

 

"No," Emma says, "not at all, but what if they think I'm crazy or something, talking about such things."

 

Regina smiles again. "They won't think you're crazy. I promise. I think they know about the existence of those things. Remember I helped a bunch of people get back to The Enchanted Forest after The Dark Curse was broken."

"Yes you're right, you're absolutely right," Emma says, "I'm very excited to go. You really mean it, don't you? We are really staying."

Regina nodds again. "I really mean it. We go back to Storybrooke one last time. I bring all of our things, the things we want to bring with us, through a portal to the Castle and we'll have a town meeting. The last portal I'll open will require a lot of strength, especially when a lot of people want to come with us, but it's worth it, isn't it?" Regina smiles.

"Yes yes," Emma says, she gets exited now, "and I can help you open it," she adds.

Regina nodds. "You can, but you won't. I can do this on my own, Emma. I don't like it when you use magic when it's not completely necessary."

 

"I don't want you to use all your strength and collapse if it's not necessary," Emma says back.

 

Regina smiles softly. "Just like her mother." she whispers in front of her. "We'll do it together then. Alright?"

"Yes," Emma says and she grins.

Regina smiles. The four of them walk into the Great Dining Hall. Regina giggles when she realises they are underdressed for the meal that's in front of them on the large table.

"Wow," dr. Anderson and Emma say at the same time, when they enter the room. They really didn't expect this.

Regina giggles again. She looks at Robin.

Robin raises his eyebrows and grins, "you call this 'something nice'" he laughs.

"I guess the chef still sees me as The Evil Queen." Regina whispers, with a wink towards Emma.

"This is amazing," Emma giggles. They sit down and start with a delicious soup.

 

"Do you like it?" Regina asks softly, to both Emma and dr. Anderson.

 

"I love it," dr. Anderson says with a smile. "Me too," Emma says. She already feels guilty, so many food...

"It's delicious and above all... It's healthy." Regina winks at Emma.

Emma sighs and decides not to argue. She places some food on her plate.

"It really is healthy, Emma. I promise. When I... When I was The Evil Queen, I made the chef cook with healthy products only."

"I know, but they can still make me fat..." she whispers, looking down at her food.

"They won't make you fat. They will keep you healthy, Emma."

"Alright," Emma snaps and she puts some vegetables into her mouth.

 

Regina startles and looks down. She eats the rest of her plate in silence, not daring to disturb the conversation.

 

Emma eats up her whole plate of food and when she is finished, she dares to speak to her mom. "I ate all of it," she says softly.

"I like that very much, Emma." Regina whispers softly. "I won't stop worrying if you don't eat healthy."

Emma smiles, feeling happy that her mother likes it.

Regina smiles back. When diner is finished, she suggests for everyone to go to sleep, so tomorrow they can go back to Storybrooke and gather everyone.

They all agree and walk to their rooms

Regina lies closely against Robin. "Do you thinks she's happy?" she asks him softly.

"I think she is," Robin says, "I think she likes the idea of a something completely new. She is adventurous, just like you." He smiles, "and I think she is unhappy in Storybrooke, even now she has a friend."

 

Regina nodds. "I think so too." she softly smiles.

 

"Sleep well," Robin whispers, taking Regina in his arms.

"I love you." Regina mumbles softly, before she falls asleep. The next morning she wakes up with a big smile on her face.

Robin is still asleep and wakes up when Regina moves. "good morning," he says with a smile.

"Good morning." Regina smiles. She looks up at him, shy all of a sudden. "Is it really going to be like this every day? Waking up in your arms with the sound of The Enchanted Forest in the background?"

"I guess it is going to be like this," Robin says with a smile and he gives Regina a small kiss on her cheek. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too." Regina smiles. "Leopold is still in the dungeon, right?"

"He is," Robin says, "I asked dr. Anderson to check on him and she said he was there."

 

Regina nodds and gets out of bed. She puts on one of her most comfortable dresses and smiles at Robin. "Do you want to join me to find magic beans in one of the rooms in the dungeons? I know I have some lying there."

 

"Of course," Robin says. He takes her hand in his and walks with her to the dungeons.

Regina smiles. The both of them start to look for the beans in a room which is filled with magical things.

"All these things..." Robin says, "what can you do with all these stuff." He laughs and looks in every box for the beans.

"A lot of dangerous, dangerous things, Robin. They are all from my time as The Evil Queen. I... I miss some of these things though." Regina whispers those last words.

"You miss them?" Robin says, "like... you miss using them?"

Regina shakes her head. "I miss my power. I wasn't afraid of anyone. Everyone was afraid of me." She looks down now. "I miss not being afraid."

 

Robin smiles and takes Regina in his arms, "that's about to change," Robin whispers, "when we move here, we can have a peaceful life, one in which you don't have to be afraid." He kisses her on her cheek, "do you believe that?"

 

Regina thinks about those words for a little while but then slowly nodds. "I believe that. I want to believe that. I don't care about being Queen anymore. I don't know what the people of The Enchanted Forest want, but for all I care we have an election, like it's supposed to be. Not because I married The King in the past." Regina looks up at Robin, uncertain.

"Yes," Robin says, "an election sounds like the best plan indeed."

Regina smiles. "I think so too. Let's go wake dr. Anderson and Emma and make arrangements for the trip back." She smiles when she holds up a couple of magic beans.

"Good," Robin smiles and they walk upstairs.

Regina wakes up Emma. "Hi dear. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"I did," Emma says, yawning

 

Regina smiles. "Look at what we've found." She opens her hand and shows the magic beans.

 

"You had those here?" Emma says, immediately awake. She sits up straight.

"Apparently. I knew I must have something in my dungeon to travel through portals and I'm happy I found them. I didn't know for sure they were still here. Aren't you happy?"

"I'm extremely happy, mom," Emma says, "I just can't believe it! I'm so happy we don't have to make deals for them."

Regina smiles brightly. "Me too. I'm really, really happy. I will protect them with my life. Now... What do you say? A last time trip to Storybrooke and then... live happily ever after in here? In The Enchanted Forest?" Regina looks up at Emma, uncertainty in her eyes.

"I'm in," Emma says. She throws her arms around her mother's neck and hugs her.

Regina holds her daughter close for a while. She smiles when she lets her go. "Go get dressed. I'll tell dr. Anderson." Regina winks at Emma and then leaves her room and walks over to dr. Anderson.

 

Dr. Anderson has taken a shower already. She just dressed herself when Regina comes in. "Good morning."

 

"Good morning. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

"Yes, I slept well, what about you?" Dr. Anderson says.

"Me too." Regina smiles. She shows the magic beans to dr. Anderson now as well. "We can go back to Storybrooke with one of these." she explains.

"Great," dr. Anderson says, "how did you get those?"

"We found them in a room in my dungeon where I kept all of my magical things. I didn't know for sure I still had them, but apparently... I do."

"Well that's a good surprise then," dr. Anderson says and she takes one in her hand. "They are heavier than I thought," she says. She feels the weight of the magic in her hand, it feels weird.

"That's because they are magical beans." Regina winks, taking back the one in dr. Anderson's hand. "It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing." she winks again.

 

"Sorry," dr. Anderson grins. "It's not safe in my hands then."

 

Regina giggles. "It's actually not." She smiles brightly. "We want to go back to Storybrooke. To gather our things and ask Snow White if she wants to come live with us here in The Enchanted Forest. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yes please," dr. Anderson says, still not sure if she wants to move to this new realm.

Regina smiles. She and dr. Anderson walk to Emma and Robin. "When do we leave?" Regina giggles.

"We can go now," Robin says, "Emma and I already packed our things, how about you two?"

"I don't need anything. It won't be a long trip, will it?"

"I have my things ready," dr. Anderson says, "let's go."

Regina nodds. "Yes, let's go." She throws one of the magical beans on the ground and a portal appears.

 

They all jump in and land in Storybrooke, in Regina's house to be exact.

 

Regina looks around and smiles when she sees everyone landed safely.

Emma takes a deep breath, and dr. Anderson and Robin are a bit dizzy.

"It's normal if you feel a little bit dizzy." Regina softly explains.

"We're alright," Robin grins.

Regina smiles again. "What's next? What do we do now?"

"Your plan, your way," Robin says, "what do you want to do now?" He smiles and kisses her on her lips. Emma giggles from behind.

"I... I don't know. Talk to Snow?" Regina suggests.

"Yeah, let's see if she's home," Robin says. "You want us to come?"

 

Regina shakes her head. "Maybe it's better if I do this alone. Why don't you gather all the people of Storybrooke into the Town Hall? I will talk to them after my talk with Snow White." Regina smiles and walks over to Snow's home. She knocks on the door.

 

An old lady opens the door and looks at Regina. "Hello," she says leaning with her hand on her walking stick, "can I help you?"


	22. Henry

Regina looks at the old woman. "I... I'm looking for my daughter. Snow... Snow White."

"Snow White?" The woman says, "I've never heard of that name before, unless you mean the fairytale of course." She smiles, "maybe you mean the pervious inhabitant of this beautiful house?"

 

"Where is she? What happened? How long are you living here?"

"I'm living here for almost ten years now," the woman says, "I moved here after someone called Blanchard, if I remember it well."

"Ten... Ten years?" Regina mumbles. "Where.. Where did that Blanchard go? Do you know that?"

"New York, as far as I know," the woman says, "are you looking for her?"

"New... New York? Why would she go over there?"

"I don't know," the woman says, "I'm sorry. I don't know much about her, you see."

Regina slowly nodds. "Ten years." she whispers. She turns around and walks away, to the Town Hall.

Robin and Emma are surrounded by people, dr. Anderson isn't there at all. Emma talks to Elsa, who is now 23 already... Robin is talking to a group of people, who seem quite pleased with what he is telling them.

"Where is Dr. Anderson?" Regina softly asks Emma when she stands next to her and Robin.

"She is in your house," Emma says, "I think she needed a moment alone." She looks at her mom and then to Elsa.

Regina nodds. "We were gone 10 years. How is that even possible?" she mumbles.

"I don't know," Emma says, and she looks at her feet. "where is Snow?"

Regina shakes her head. "Snow wasn't there. An old woman opened the door. She said a woman named Blanchard moved out of that house to New York. I.... I should try her cellphone. I do hope she still has the same phone number." Regina takes a couple of steps back and tries calling Snow.

"Hello." Snow says through the phone when she picks up. Her tone isn't that friendly.

"Snow? Snow, it's me, your mother. Where are you? Why aren't you in Storybrooke? We came back for you. I.... We didn't know time would move so fast here." Regina rambles on.

"So it's really you," Snow says emotionless. "Something you want to tell me?"

"Where are you? Won't you come home with us?"

"After my mother and my daughter left me for ten years, you really think I'll come back to you like nothing happened?" Snow says, almost snapping. "Everyone is leaving me, my son is gone now too and I need to find him. So unless you've seen him, I really don't feel like talking to you now. Bye." She quits their conversation and throws her phone on her bed.

Regina stares at the phone in her hands. "Son? What son?" she mumbles. She looks up when the people of Storybrooke start to ask her some questions.

"Are there still people living there?" "Have you seen my family?" "Who is the leader now?" "Are the villages still there or are they destroyed?" All the people ask her questions at the same time.

Regina raises her hand and, just like old times, everyone gets silent and listens to her. "Yes, there are still people living in The Enchanted Fores and the villages are still there. I don't know if your families are there but I'm guessing they are." Regina looks at Robin while she continues. "As for a leader, if you like to call it that way, I suggest we have a democratic vote once everyone is settled. Everyone who wishes to become this... leader, can sign up and we'll have an honest vote. What do you think about that?" Regina looks back at the people now.

A lot of people nod in silence. No one is shouting or talking, everyone is listening to Regina, every eye is focussed on her.  
Robin looks at Regina too and smiles. He is very proud of her.

After a moment of silence Regina asks again how everyone feels about this.

Some people say they want to join her, others thank her for the offer, but tell her they want to stay, that everything here is fine.

Regina nodds. "That's alright. I understand." She smiles confidently. "Does anyone know about Snow's son?" she then asks softly.

The people in the townhall look at each other. "We don't," says Eva, "she left and we heard nothing from her ever since...".

Regina just nodds. "I need to find her in New York." she whispers. She looks up at Robin and Emma. "I can't just leave her behind all over again."

Emma takes a deep breath. "Yeah," she says. Robin looks at Regina, "you should go to her." At the moment he finishes his sentence Robins phone rings. He talks for a little while, then gives the phone to Regina. "It's dr. Anderson," he adds.

Regina takes over the phone. "Yes?" she asks softly.

"There is a boy here, who is looking for you," dr. Anderson says, "his name is Henry, do you know him?"

"Henry? Who is Henry?" Regina mumbles. "I'll be right over." Regina gives Robin back his phone and disappears into a purple cloud. She reappears at her mansion.

The boy is standing in the living room and looks at Regina. "Are you Regina Mills?" he asks.

Regina slowly nodds. "Yes. Yes, I am. Who are you?" she asks with a soft voice.

"I'm Henry, and I'm your son."

"Ex...Excuse me?"

"I know you are my mother," Henry says, "because you're in my book and I am in there too."

"Your book?" Regina asks, stunned and confused.

"My storybook," Henry says, "you were pregnant once, right? And the Black Fairy killed your baby?"

Regina slowly nodds. "Yes. Yes... But... How...?"

"She didn't kill your baby," Henry says, "she swapped it... Do you remember that she tools your baby out of your belly because of the party? It's all in my book." He smiles of excitement and hops from foot to foot.

"Swapped? I... I don't understand, Henry was it, right?" Regina mumbles and almost loses her balance. "Who are you? How are you here? I don't understand any of this."

"Yes Henry and I told you I'm your son," he says, "I came here by train to see you, so I don't have to stay with my adoptive mother any longer. Read the book, maybe you'll understand it then."

"Your adoptive mother? Who is she?" Regina wants to know.

"Snow White."

"And you... You are my child? Mine and Robin's?" Regina whispers softly.

"I am," Henry answers with a nervous smile.

"Why didn't you want to stay with your adoptive mother?"

"She... She won't let me do anything, afraid that I take the wrong path in life, I can't do anything... And it sucks," he says. He walks to the kitchen, helping himself to a drink.

Regina looks at dr. Anderson. "What do I do now?" she whispers.

"You need to bring him home," dr. Anderson says, but she isn't really sure what to do.

"Home? What is home to him?" Regina whispers. She takes out her cellphone and calls Snow White again.

"Didn't I tell you I was busy?" Snow says through the phone. Her voice is shaking, because she is crying.

"You told me. You're looking for Henry, aren't you?" Regina softly asks.

"How do you know that?" Snow says with a harsh voice.

"Because he's here." Regina softly whispers now.

"He... He is what?"

"He's here. In Storybrooke. I suggest you come as well. So we can talk. Please? Please, Snow?" Regina almost begs now.

"Ho- why? How can he be with you? You think I'm in the mood for jokes? You're just trying to get me to Storybrooke?!"

"Snow White, I promise you he's here. He's talking about me being his mother and some kind of storybook."

"You... No, no that cant be, tell me this is not true," Snow says, "can i talk to him?"

"Of course you can." Regina softly answers. She hands over the phone to Henry, who just walks back into the living room.

Dr. Anderson follows her. "You're alright?"

Regina nodds. She listens to Henry's side of his conversation with Snow White.

"I found her."  
...  
"No I won't."  
...   
"I won't come back!"  
...........  
Henry puts the phone down.

"Is Snow coming to Storybrooke?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes," Henry says, "but you won't let her take me, will you?"

Regina smiles. Her daughter is coming home.

"You won't, will you?" Henry asks again

"No... No, I won't." Regina whispers, distracted.

"Good," Henry says and he drinks his juice.

"Henry... I... I don't understand. Can you tell me the story again? Please?"

Henry sighs. "You know what happened, you just miss a little detail. You were pregnant, then the Black Fairy took your baby so you could go to the party. She swapped your baby with another one, but she kept me alive....".

"You know the story, you're just missing a detail. You were pregnant, then the black fairy took your baby, so you could go to the party. She swapped yours with another dead baby and kept me alive...".

"So the baby inside of me... Was already dead?" Regina whispers softly.

"The girl," Henry says, "yes she was, ever since the Black Fairy placed her into your belly the day after the party...".

"How did she keep you alive? When did you find Snow White? How did you find her?" Regina wants to know now. "I... I'm sorry. I just want to... understand." she whispers. Regina sits down on the couch.

"I was old enough to survive outside your stomach and she kept me in a special box until I was fully grown," Henry says, "and I didn't find Snow White, she adopted me when I was only one year old. She didn't know about any of this."

"Does she know now? Does she know you are my son?"

"She doesn't," Henry says. "She adopted a kid, but she didn't know I was your son. I was only one year old when she adopted me, so how could she know...".

Regina doesn't know what to say for a very long time.

Then Robin calls her from the town hall to ask her if everything is alright.

"Robin. You... You need to come to my house. Now. Please. Now." Regina mumbles.

"Now?" Robin says, "but the whole town is here..." He looks around, "wait a minute. I'm coming." He arranges a few things and then he goes home. Emma and Eva are in charge now.

"What's it?" he asks when Regina opens the door.

Regina walks out of the way so Robin can see Henry.

"Well hello," Robin says, surprised to see a boy.

"Our son." Regina whispers softly.

"What...? You mean...".  
He looks into the boys eyes, Regina's big brown eyes.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "The Black Fairy switched him and put an already dead child in me." A tear rolls down her face now. "I... I didn't lose him. It wasn't my fault." she whispers softly.

"Of course it wasn't," Robin whispers, "don't think that." He takes Regina's hand in his and holds her close. "How did you get here, boy? And what's your name."   
Henry explains.

Regina listens again, because she still doesn't understand everything completely.

"Alright, Henry," Robin says with a smile, "it's very nice to meet you."  
"You too, dad," Henry says.   
"You're going very fast boy," Robin reacts, "can I have a moment alone with Regina now?"   
Henry and dr. Anderson leave the room. Robin looks at Regina.

Regina just looks up at Robin. She doesn't say a word.

"Is it true?" Robin asks, "is what he says true?"

"I think so. I don't know. Snow is on her way though." Regina whispers.

"How long will it take for her to be here? Where does she live now?"

"New York." Regina whispers. "She will be here soon."

"We can't take this child away from her. What did she say on the phone?"

"I won't take him away. He wants to leave her himself. But I don't want to break them up." Regina sighs. "I don't know what to do, Robin."

"We need to talk to Snow, before we can do anything," Robin says.

Regina nodds. "I agree." The four of them wait until Snow arrives. Regina looks at Henry.

They just talk a little until Snow arrives. She rings the bell.

Regina opens the door. She looks at her eldest daughter.

Snow looks back at her mother with anger in her eyes. "Call Henry, we're leaving," she says.

"Snow... Can we... Can we talk for a bit?" Regina softly asks.

"No, absolutely not," Snow says, she doesn't even look at Regina. "Are you going to get Henry or do I have to get him myself?"

"Henry?" Regina calls his name throughout the house. "Henry, can you come, please?"

Henry comes running to them through the hallway. "Yes mom," he says. Snows whole body freezes, did he just say mom... She grabs Henry's arm and gives him a hug.   
"We are going. Now."

Regina looks at Henry's reaction to Snow White.

Henry pulls his arm back. "I want to stay here with my real mom," he yells. When he is free if her mother's grip, he hides behind Regina. "She promised me she wouldn't let you take me, so you can go home." he says.  
Snow looks at Regina, furious.

"We need to talk, Snow." Regina whispers now. "Please? Just for a little while."

Robin takes Henry by his arm and walks away with him. Henry doesn't protest and neither does Snow. Tears are streaming down her face now.

Regina takes Snow White in her arms and strokes her hair. "I had no idea time was still running different." Regina whispers. "I would have taken you with me, I promise. We're back to complete our family now." she whispers now. "Do you want to live with us in The Enchanted Forest?"

Snow White cries very hard now. "It hurt me, Regina, when you didn't want me to go with you.it really did," she whispers. "I will lose Henry for good if we go with you... I really tried to be a good parent, Regina." She sinks to the ground.

Regina sinks down with her to the ground. "You won't." she whispers. "We will be one family. I promise." Regina then sighs. "I wanted to take you with us. But Emma... She was in a bad place and didn't want it. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I let you down." Regina softly cries now.

"Why do all my kids want to leave me? Am I such a bad person, Regina?" Snow whispers. She hides her face in her hands. "You really wanted to take me, or are you just saying it because I want to hear that?"

"I really wanted to. You are my daughter, Snow, and that is something that will never change." Regina whispers now. "I love you. I love you, Snow White." A tear runs down Regina's face again. "You are not a bad mother and you are not a bad person. I promise you that."

"I am a bad mother, Regina, you don't have to lie to me," Snow says, "Emma rather stayed with you and now Henry wants you as his mother too..."

"I don't know why that is, Snow." Regina whispers. "We have different styles of raising our kids. But that's not a bad thing."

"Apparently it is a bad thing," Snow snaps. She looks away.

"It's not." Regina whispers softly. "Maybe if we live together as one family, everything will work out just fine." Regina looks at Snow with hope in her eyes.

"Yes because you're there to be the good parent, while I lose Henry! When you are there I don't have a chance." She still doesn't look at Regina.

"Then what do you want, Snow?" Regina asks softly.

"I want Henry, I love him," Snow says, "I just want to live with him in New York, like we did for the last ten years."

"Let us ask what Henry wants. Isn't that the best thing to do as a mother?" Regina whispers.

"O yes, do that," Snow snaps, "so I can watch how he chooses you over me. I think it's better to leave immediately then." She stands up.

"Snow, please." Regina whispers.

"It's true," Snow says, "he will choose you and I don't want to be there when he says it." She wipes the tears from her face.

Regina softly cries now. How can everything be so fucked up? She just wants to be happy with her children. Why can't that work out just for once?

"You're miserable too," Snow whispers, "I can see it. I'm sorry." Tears start to roll down her cheeks again when she sees her mother crying.

"I just want us to be happy." Regina whispers.

"I know," Snow whispers. "Let's move to the enchanted forest and try... Let's try to be happy."

Regina looks up. "You really mean that?" she whispers, hope apparent in her voice and eyes.

"Yes," Snow says and then she bursts into tears, "yes I really mean that."

Regina takes Snow close against her in her arms. "I would love that. I love you."

Snow leans her head on Regina's shoulder. "I love you too. I missed you all so much," she whispers, "do you think... Emma wants me to come? Do you think she still loves me?"

"Of course she does. You're her mother, Snow White. She will always love you. And she wants you to come. She came back with us to get you."

"I hope so," Snow says, "and Henry?"

"The same goes for him. Of course he wants you there."

"I'm so sorry he run away to you," Snow says, "I should have been a better parent."

"You are an excellent parent, Snow. You really are."

"Please stop lying," Snow says, "tell me why I am a good parent, when my kids keep leaving me."

"They are just having a hard time figuring out who they really are, I guess." Regina whispers. "That doesn't make you a bad parent or me a good one."

"I don't know," Snow says, "but that's a sweet thing to say, thanks." She doesn't believe a word of what Regina is saying.

"Are you ready to come with us?"

"I need to pack my stuff," Snow says, "and tell Henry...".

Regina nodds. "Don't hurry. We have all the time you need. I'll look after this boy while you pack your things, alright?" she suggests.

"He needs to pack his stuff too... In New York," Snow says, "and... No. Never mind." She turns her head away.

"And what?" Regina whispers.

"Nothing."

Regina sighs. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, Snow."

"Fine," Snow says, half snapping, "I don't want you to be near him." She tried to keep it in, not to hurt her mother, because she doesn't want that, but if she keeps asking...

Regina nodds. "I understand." she whispers. Regina gets up and walks to her room. She locks herself in it and lies down on the bed. She's so tired.

Snow follows her. "You can't just walk away like this," she snaps.

Regina doesn't react. She locks herself in her room and lies down. To sleep, just for a little while.

"Yes leave me too!" Snow shouts, "again!" She walks away.   
She walks down the stairs and pretends she is fully calm. 'We're leaving with Regina to the enchanted forest," she tells Henry. Everyone believes her and they get to the car. "See you soon," Henry shouts to Robin with a big smile, "tell mom I love her." Then they leave, but Snow knows they won't go back. They won't go to the enchanted forest. Regina ruined it by walking away from her...

Regina doesn't notice any of this. She has retreated into a safe space in her mind and doesn't know what's going on around her.

"Regina," Robin shouts upstairs, "shall we pick up Emma together?" He sounds happy, because Regina convinced Snow to come with them. He wants to talk about the trip on their way to the town hall.

Regina doesn't answer. She doesn't even hear Robin.

"Regina?" he shouts again.

Regina still doesn't answer him.

Robin looks in the room where Snow and Regina went, but it's empty. He knocks on the door of the bedroom and opens it. He sits down next to Regina on the bed when he sees her. "Are you all right?" he asks softly, stroking her hair.

Regina doesn't respond at all. She's lost in her own little world and doesn't notice a thing.

"What happened?" Robin asks, looking into Regina's eyes and shaking her shoulder to make her wake up.

Regina now flinches away from him. Someone touching her like that doesn't stroke with the safety of her little world inside her mind.

"Regina, come on," Robin whispers, "please don't do this."

Regina isn't able to come back on her own. She first needs to feel safe again.

"Regina it's me, Robin" Robin says, "please look at me and come back." He carefully touches her hand and holds it.

Regina doesn't flinch away this time. She very slowly looks at Robin.

"There you are," Robin whispers and he smiles.

"Snow and that boy are gone. She's not coming with us." Regina mumbles softly, before turning on her other side and closing into herself again.

"What?" Robin says, "but she told me she was getting her stuff and then come back..." He sees Regina is away again. He squeezes her hand and makes her look at him. "Stay here," he whispers.

Regina seems to stare right through him. "Snow is gone. Bad mother, Regina." she mumbles.

"You're not a bad mother, you know that," Robin says, he dates to stroke Regina's hair again. "Now come here," he whispers and reaches out his arms for her.

Regina doesn't flinch but she also doesn't move towards Robin. She just stares in front of her.

"We will figure something out," Robin says, now taking Regina in his arms, "we always do."

"Snow." Regina just whispers.

"She will be all right," Robin says, "we can call her or visit her, show her that we care about her."

Regina doesn't answer. In her head she's gone again.

"Regina," Robin says and he takes a deep breath. "Look at me."  
He lays his hand under her chin and lifts it up.   
"You're not alone. We will help you figure something out, okay?"

Regina just nodds. She gets up and starts doing laundry. There isn't much but she needs to do something. When the laundry is done, Regina starts to clean her house. The entire house.

"I'm going to pick up Emma, alright?" Robin says. He lets Regina do what she wants to do, hoping it will give her some distraction.

Regina nodds, not really understanding what Robin is saying. When she notices him leaving, she freezes. She slowly looks up at Dr. Anderson.

"He is going to pick up Emma," dr. Anderson repeats for Regina. She looks at her.

Regina narrows her eyes a bit but keeps looking at Dr. Anderson. She doesn't move or talk at all.

"Shall I help you?" Dr. Anderson ask, picking up one of the towels. She starts drying the table Regina just cleaned.

Regina follows Dr. Anderson with her eyes but still doesn't talk or move.

"What's bothering you?" Dr. Anderson asks.

Regina remains silent and follows the movements of Dr. Anderson.

"They're not coming with us, are they?" Dr. Anderson says, now cleaning the sink. She smiles a little.

"Shut up." Regina whispers. "Shut up!" she then snaps. But her words aren't directed to Dr. Anderson.

"Who are you talking to," dr. Anderson says, her voice is quite loud, "me? Or someone else?"

Regina startles when she hears Dr. Anderson talking to her that loud. She remains silent again.

"Regina," dr. Anderson says, "who are you talking to?"

"Him."

"Leopold?"

Regina's eyes narrow. She softly nodds.

Dr. Anderson looks back at the sink she is cleaning. "You're afraid?"

Regina doesn't answer.

Dr. Anderson now stops cleaning and she looks at Regina. "Please tell me what's bothering you. What happened?"

Regina flinches away. She slowly starts to make her way upstairs, away from the world she doesn't want to be a part of right now.

Dr. Anderson runs after her and stops her from going. "Stop running away, Regina. It won't help you."

Regina startles again. "Snow hates me. Bad mother, Regina, bad mother." she now mumbles, trying to reach out to Dr. Anderson but almost not being able.

Dr. Anderson grabs Regina's arm. "Let's sit down," she says softly.

Regina sits down on the stairs. She rests her head against the wall.

Dr. Anderson takes a deep breath ad doesn't let go of Regina's arm. "She doesn't hate you," she just states.

"She does!" Regina snaps. She turns away.

"Then make it up to her."

"She doesn't let me." Regina whispers before she turns inwards again. Her face pales when she hears his voice again.

"How do you know?" Dr. Anderson says, making Regina look in her eyes.

"No. Please." Regina mumbles.

Leopold is now taking over her mind, whispering all kinds of threads.

"I'll be a good girl." Regina whispers softly. She doesn't let go of Dr. Anderson's hand though, really wanting to stay with her but finding it incredibly hard.

Dr. Anderson squeezes her hand a little. "Stay with me," she whispers, "focus and stay."

"Stay." Regina repeats, a soft whisper.

"Stay." Dr. Anderson repeats clearly too.

Regina almost sinks down to Dr. Anderson. She's exhausted and really struggling to stay with her now.

"You can do this, Regina," dr. Anderson whispers. She holds Regina close to her, so she doesn't collapse. "You can rest after you came back."

"Rest. Please." Regina looks up. "Tired. I'm... tired." And Regina really is. Exhausted. She doesn't want to survive any longer. She finally wants to live but life doesn't allow her that. "Tired." she whispers again.

Dr. Anderson helps Regina up and together they walk to her bed. Dr. Anderson can't carry her. She makes Regina lay down and sits down beside her. "Now you can rest," she whispers, "I'll stay, so take your time." She smiles.

Regina immediately curls up and makes herself as small as possible to protect her body. She listens to the voice inside her head again. "Please go. Please, Leopold." she whispers.

"I won't leave you alone," Leopold whispers, "I never will. I will always be with you. Always."   
Dr. Anderson lets Regina lie down for a while, hoping her thoughts will fade by themselves.

"How are you able to get into my head?" Regina thinks.

"Fiona," Leopold only answers. Then he starts laughing. "She can feel when you're vulnerable. Which is right now."

Regina grabs Dr. Anderson's hand but doesn't talk or move.

"You can do this Regina," dr. Anderson whispers. "You're strong enough to come back." 

"Hello dear," Fiona says now, "how are you?"

"This is not possible. You don't have magic any longer." Regina whispers in front of her.

"Don't I? How curious," Fiona says with a laugh.

"What do you want from me? Please, what do I need to do for you to leave me alone?"

"I just wanted to say hi," Fiona says, "and I wanted to say that I'm looking forward to seeing you in the Enchanted forest again.

Regina's body freezes again. "You're supposed to be locked up."

"Am I? Curious."

Regina softly moans out of fear now. "Please. Tell me what you want."

"I want... Let me think. I want what I always want. You."

"What exactly from me is it that you want?"

"Not sure yet," she says.

"I want my life back. Please, stop this."

Fiona laughs very hard, "your life just fell apart sweetheart, so where do you want to go back to?"

Regina softly cries now. "Let me die." she whispers. "Please, just let me die." She doesn't realize she's saying this out loud.

"Regina." It's Robin's voice this time.

"Let you die," Fiona says, "great plan."

"Please." Regina cries louder now.

Instead of killing Regina, Fiona starts to torture her. Her laughter fills Regina's mind.

Regina crawls into her shell even more. She makes herself as small as possible.

"See you later then," Fiona says with a final grin. She disappears from Regina's mind.

Robin shakes Regina's shoulder and whispers her name.

Regina startles. She doesn't dare to look up.

Robin strokes her hair, trying to calm her down. Emma is looking at them in the doorway, frightened, but she doesn't want to leave.

Regina feels the soft touch. She turns towards it and clings to Robin.

Robin holds Regina close. "It will be okay," he whispers. He kisses her on her forehead.

"I'll be good. You don't have to hurt me to get what you want." Regina mumbles.

"Regina, please come back," Robin whispers.   
Emma knows who she is talking about and she runs to her mother's vault, hoping Regina hides Fiona's heart there.

"Emma... Where is Emma? I can't lose her as well. I just want to pack our things and go back to being happy in The Enchanted Forest." Regina looks up to Robin now. "Can we do that? Please?"

"Yeah, of course we can do that," Robin says, "but... What about Snow, and Henry?"

"Snow doesn't want to come. She took Henry with her. I can't do anything about that." Regina whispers, almost turning away again. "Where is Emma?"

"She was there just a minute ago," Robin says. He looks at the door and sees Emma is not there. "I don't know where she is."

"Don't just sit here! Go find her! You need to find her!" Regina snaps, panick almost taking over.

"Regina! She just left," Robin says, "how could we possibly have seen that she left the house?" Dr. Anderson stands up. "Robin you can look for her, I'll stay," she says.

"Please, go find her."

"You can't just command people to do stuff for you Regina," dr. Anderson says, when Robin has left the room.

Regina startles and disappears into the darkest corner of her room. "It wasn't a command." she whispers. "It was just a question."

"Didn't sound like a question," dr. Anderson says, "maybe it was your panic taking over, but it sounded like a command. And... That's no reason to disappear."

Regina remains silent and closes into herself.

Dr. Anderson doesn't say a thing either.

Regina doesn't come back for what seems like ages to her.

Robin sits on the bed, looking at Regina. He doesn't say a thing. He let's her take her time to come back, afraid that if he will make a sound Regina will slip away further.

"Emma?" Regina whispers softly after some more time.

"She is in her room," Robin only says.

Regina looks up to Robin now. "Safe?"

"Yes safe."

Regina sighs with relief and slowly makes her way out of her corner and next to Robin.

Robin takes a deep breath and smiles. He doesn't speak

Regina smiles back, carefully. "And now? Can we go back home?" she asks.

"We can," Robin only says.

"Then lets go. If Snow wants to come, she'll find a way. I can't force her."

"So... You give up on her?" Robin says, now looking at Regina.

"N..No. I would never give up on my daughter." Regina whispers.

"But we just leave her behind?"

"I can't force her to come with us, can I? I... I can call again, but she won't pick up the phone, Robin. She's angry with me."

"She won't be angry forever," Robin says, "what did she say when you talked to her? Was it all bad?"

"'I don't remember." Regina slowly admits.

"That means it's worth a try," Robin says, "only if you want to, because you're the only one who can."

Regina nodds. "Can you call her? She may listen to you. Please?"

"Can I tell her?" Robin says, "I will try for you, but that doesn't mean I don't think it should be you who calls her."  
He grabs his phone.

Regina flinches away. Why is everyone so angry with her?

Robin calls Snow and she even picks up the phone, although this makes Snow even angrier.   
Robin smiles at Regina and leaves the room so he can talk. As soon as he leaves Emma sneaks in.

Regina looks at Emma. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asks with a soft voice.

"Where is Fiona's heart?" Emma says without answering her mother's question.

"I... I don't know. Why do you ask that?"

"You ripped it out, so you should know," Emma says, avoiding her mother's question again.

"Why do you need Fiona's heart?" Regina wants to know.

"So I can kill her," Emma says like it's the most normal thing in the world.

Regina shakes her head. "You're not doing that, Emma."

"Just tell me where it is," Emma says, "please."

Regina shakes her head.

"Come on," Emma whispers. She looks into her mother's eyes, "just tell me."

"No, Emma. You're not going dark just to protect me."

"Yes I will."

"No, you won't and that's the end of our discussion." Regina states.

"Fine," Emma says and she walks towards her mother. She rips her mother's heart out. "Where is Fiona's heart," she asks again.

"E.... Emma." Regina whispers, stunned by this action of her youngest daughter.

"Where?" Emma says. A little bit of darkness shows up in her eyes. It frightens herself.

"Emma..." Regina tries one more time.

"Tell me!"

"V...Vault."

"Where in your vault?" Emma says, "can you poof it into your hand?"

Regina slowly nodds. "Emma, please, stop."

"No, I won't," Emma says, "just... Just give it to me."

Regina conjures Fiona's heart in her own hand.

"Thanks," Emma says and she takes it over from her mother. It glows in her hand.

"Emma, stop. You won't be able to come back from this." Regina looks into her daughter's eyes. "Trust me, I know."

"But this will free you from her," Emma whispers.

"No, it won't. I mean, yes, Fiona will be gone but you will become a problem, Emma. And I'd rather have you as my daughter."

"You'll get me back," Emma whispers, "won't you, you will try to get me back."

"Of course I will, but Emma, this isn't the way. Please, don't do this." Regina pleads.

Emma takes a deep breath and looks away from the heart. She starts to squeeze it, letting her mother's words go through her mind.

"Emma, stop!" Regina now shouts. "I promise we will find a way to stop Fiona, but this is not it!"

Emma startles.   
"We tried for so long, mom," she then whispers, "this will end it all."

"No. It won't. It will start something even worse."

"I don't care!"

"Emma, please." Regina whispers now. She takes a step towards her daughter.

Emma squeezes the heart more and more.

"Emma!"

Emma turns the heart to dust and sinks to the ground. She has done it.

Regina stares at her daughter. "Emma..." she whispers. Emma is still holding her own heart in her hands.

Emma's eyes grow dark and a warm and pleasant feeling spreads through her body. She looks at her mother's heart, frightened. She doesn't dare to look up.

Regina takes a small step back, afraid of her daughter's next move. 

Emma looks at the heart in her hand, shaking, tempted. She wants to run away, but her body doesn't let her. Energy is flowing through her veins, the energy of her first act of darkness, the energy of her first kill. It feels so good...

Regina softly moans of pain when Emma squeezes her heart just a little bit.

Emma looks up when she hears her mother. The pleasant feeling doesn't go away. She breathes superficially, while she holds her fingers wrapped around the heart.

"Emma. Please." Regina whispers. "I'm your mother. Please. It hurts."

Emma lets go of the heart. It just lies in her palm now and she doesn't squeeze. "Mom, help," she whispers.

Regina slowly walks towards her daughter. "I'll help you, sweetheart. Just give my heart to me." she says calm.

Emma looks away from her mother and the heart. She reaches out her hand so Regina can pick it up.

Regina picks up her heart and pushes it back into her own chest. She then pulls Emma towards her and holds her close. "Emma." she whispers.

"I want to kill someone else," Emma whispers. Her head aches and her body is shaking. She starts to cry. "Why do I feel so good about this, mom?"

"Because it gives you power. The power to control people. And that's a nice feeling, isn't it?" Regina whispers, trying to explain. She herself feels the urge to let The Evil Queen out. She wants to feel like Emma is feeling right now.

"Yes," Emma says, "it's a great feeling. Do you feel it too?" She looks into her mother's eyes.

Regina slowly nodds. "But you can't let it win, Emma." she whispers. "It's a bad feeling."

"Yes, yes, bad," Emma whispers. She suddenly stands up. "I get it... Bad."

"But it's also a human feeling, Emma." Regina takes Emma close against her again. "It's alright but we can't act on it. Alright?" she whispers softly.

"Yeah I get it," Emma says, "conceal, don't feel, right?"

"I... I guess so." Regina whispers softly. "I understand what you're feeling right now."

"I know you do," Emma says and she lays her head on her mother's shoulder. "I'm so happy you do."

Regina sighs. She just wants to be happy. Why is that so hard? She holds Emma closely against her.

Emma smiles and after a while she falls asleep in her mother's arms. Darkness makes her exhausted.

Regina keeps holding Emma close to her own body. She soon falls asleep herself. She wakes up when someone softly strokes her hair.

"Hey," Robin whispers as Regina opens her eyes. "Everything okay?"

Regina slowly nodds. "Fiona is dead."

"W- what?" Robin says, "did you kill her? I don't understand..." He is surprised not to see a lot of darkness in Regina's eyes, she cant have done it. He then looks at Emma, who is sleeping in Regina's arms.

Regina nodds when she sees Robin looking at Emma. "She did." she whispers softly. "I begged her not to. I... I really tried, Robin."

"But... I don't understand," Robin says, "how did she even find the heart? Did you give it to her?"

Regina nodds. "I had no choice. Emma ripped my heart out so I would conjure it to her."

Robin is stunned, "I didn't see that coming," he says. "Is she alright?"

"I guess so." Regina whispers softly. She looks down at Emma who is still sleeping in her lap. "I... I don't know. She said killing feels good. I understand that."

"Yeah," Robin says, "I know you long enough to know that." He smiles. "Let's hope she will be all right when she wakes up."

Regina nodds slowly. "I really hope so." she whispers.

Emma moans in her sleep and moves closer to her mother.  
Robin sighs and looks at Regina.

Regina strokes Emma's hair. "It's alright, little one. It's alright. You're safe with me." she whispers.

Emma's breathes very fast and her moans become louder. Her hands start to shake.

"Emma?" Regina whispers.

"Yes," Emma tries to say, but she can't find her voice. Her body is still shaking and she moves even closer to Regina. She grabs her mother's hand and tries to breathe.

Regina holds Emma close to her own body and she herself breaths normal. She puts Emma's hand on her chest to let her feel a normal breathing. "It's alright, sweetheart."

Emma now follows her mother's deep and steady breathes and listens to her whispers.

"You can do this, sweetheart. I'm right here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Emma calms down. She looks into her mother's eyes and smiles.

"Did you have a good nap, sweetie?" Regina smiles softly.

"Yeah, I think I did," Emma says.

Regina smiles again. "Let's go get something to eat, alright? Tomorrow we'll leave for The Enchanted Forest. I will leave a bean inside my house, in case Snow White wants to follow us. I... I can't force her to come with us, can I?"

"Yes," Emma answers. She will eat something... Although she is not hungry. "What did Snow say?" Emma says. Robin had told her the story in the car, but she wants to know more.

"It's a long story, sweetie. Is it alright if we tell you tonight?" Regina suggests.

"Okay," Emma says. Robin walks down to get get some food ready. When he leaves the room Emma turns to her mother. "Do you think I did the right thing?" she asks.

Regina nodds, after thinking for a little while. "I think so, Emma. But it shouldn't have been you who killed Fiona. I wish I did it."

"No you don't wish that," Emma states.

"Yes, I do. I don't like that darkness I see in your eyes."

"I'm sorry," Emma whispers. She looks away, so her mother can't look in her eyes.

Regina puts her hand under Emma's chin and turns her daughter's face back towards her. "What I meant is that I don't want you to walk the same path as I did, Emma." she softly whispers.

Emma nods, "I won't," she says, feeling determined, "because I have you and you wouldn't let that happen to me."

Regina smiles now. "You've got that right, Emma."

Emma smiles and gets up. "I'll go pack my stuff then." Her smile grows brighter.

"I will do the same. I'll first try to call Snow again. Maybe she wants to talk to me." Regina strokes over Emma's hair before leaving her room, entering her own room and calling Snow White on her cellphone."

Snow picks up the phone, "finally realizing that letting someone else do the dirty work doesn't work," Snow says, referring to Robin's call ten minutes ago.

"Snow." Regina whispers. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't think you would pick up the phone if I was the one calling."

"Fine," Snow snaps, "what do you want?"

Regina takes a deep breath. "I... I just wanted to let you know that Robin, Emma and I will leave for The Enchanted Forest tomorrow. I wanted to ask you one last time if you and Henry want to join us. We can try to be a family."

"Why? Because you care so much about me?" Snow says, "I don't believe that. I want to be honest with you, but it looks like you can't handle that."

"Of course I care about you. You're my daughter, Snow." Regina softly answers. "You can always be honest with me."

"So that's why you walked away from me yesterday, after I said I didn't want Henry to be near you, after I was honest with you," Snow says, "yes completely makes sense!

"I.. I'm sorry." Regina apologizes softly.

"I told you I wanted to go with you," Snow says, "why did you walk away from me?"

"I don't remember. I... I really don't, Snow." Regina whispers, a slight panic in her voice.

"You can be honest with me," Snow says, "I won't smash the phone down or something, just tell me."

"I'm scared, Snow." Regina whispers. "I'm scared I'm not the perfect mother for my children."

Snow's anger starts to fade. It has been such a long time since her mother spoke to her like this, calling her by her name. "No one can be a perfect mother, mom," she says, taking a deep breath, "but I missed you. Doesn't that kind of... Well... Make you feel good? Kind of perfect?"

"Not perfect." Regina whispers. "But it does makes me feel like... Like a real mom." she softly adds.

"Mom," Snow says, "there is something I can assure you. You are a real mom, an almost perfect mom. And if someone, who felt abandoned for ten years, who hated you from yesterday until ten minutes ago, and whose son likes you better than herself, tells you this, then you can say it's the truth."

Regina softy gasps for air. "You... You don't hate me any more?"

Snow is silent for a while.

"No I don't," she then softly says.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. "I love you, Snow. I love you like you are my own."

Snow stays silent for a long time and takes a deep breath.

"Do you... Do you want to come with us? You and... and your son?" Regina takes a deep breath as well.

"Yes," Snow says softly, "yes, I would love that. And maybe then... we can be a family?" When she says the words, she realises how much she wants that. How much she wants them to be a family.

"Yes. Please, let's be a family again." Regina softly smiles through the phone.

"Yeah," Snow whispers. "And..." She almost doesn't dare to ask, "Henry?"

"Henry is your son, Snow." Regina softly answers.

"But he wants you," Snow says, "and that scares me. I'm sorry."

"He probably thinks that I'd let him do the things you forbid him to do. Or something like that. Grass seems greener on the other side of the road, right?"

"Maybe your right," Snow says, "were you never scared when Emma was younger? That she would find her real mom and that she would like her better?"

"I was." Regina softly smiles through the phone. "But the more you try to fight that, the more you push them away. Every child has the right to know who hid parents are and to get to know them. But you raised him, Snow. You are Henry's mother."

"Thanks," Snow says, "I'll keep that in mind and... I'll try to let him make his own choices and I'll let him meet you." She takes a very deep breath after the last words, almost not getting them out.

 

"Thank you." Regina whispers. "It's most important to me that he gets to meet his father. Robin." Regina whispers those last words as well because she doesn't feel a thing for this boy, this Henry.

"Henry would love that," Snow says, not mentioning that she doesn't know what to think about that, "he fantasizes about his father a lot you know."

"I can imagine. Boys and their father." Regina smiles softly through the phone. "When will you be here, in Storybrooke?"

"The day after tomorrow?" she says, "than we have time to make ourselfs ready, is that okay?"

"That's alright. We'll see you then. I'm... I'm glad you two are coming with us." she smiles.

"Me too," Snow says and she also smiles. "Well... See you."

"I love you, Snow." Regina smiles before hanging up. She turns around and walks downstairs. She sees Dr. Anderson sitting in the living room. Regina looks at her, not making a sound to not get noticed.

Dr. Anderson doesn't see her. She checked her phone for the first time she is back and it makes her cry. She is all alone...

"Are... Are you alright?" Regina asks softly, tentatively, slowly walking towards the crying woman.

"Hmm," dr. Anderson says and she looks up at Regina. Her eyes a red from crying, "yeah I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I just found out that my father died when I was away," dr. Anderson says, "he was old and sick and didn't really remember me, but he was the only one who cared about me... And I cared about him," She looks at her phone, "nobody has asked me where I was, if I was okay, I only got emails about that I lost my job, that they sold my house and that makes me sad. I just realized I was alone all this time." She smiles at Regina.

"I... I'm so sorry." Regina whispers, quickly walking over to the woman and taking her close to her body.

"It's okay," dr. Anderson says, "it just hard right now, but I'll be fine." She smiles when Regina kind of hugs her.

"That's never okay. Not having someone is the worst curse imaginable." Regina whispers. "Our invitation to come with us is still open, you know." she then continues. "You can have a family if you want to."

"You're right," dr. Anderson says, "can I really come with you? I don't want to intrude your family." She wipes her last tears away.

"If you haven't noticed, doctor... You already are family." Regina smiles.

Dr. Anderson smiles, "thank you, Regina," she says, "and please call me Juli."

Regina smiles and gives the woman a warm hug.

Dr. Anderson hugs Regina back. Her smile doesn't fade. "Thank you," she whispers again.

"Do you have any things to pack for our one way trip to The Enchanted Forest?"

" I don't know," dr. Anderson says, "I think they sold my stuff with my house." She sighs, "but I think I'll at least take a look before we go, is that all right? Then I can buy some stuff I'm missing too."

Regina nodds. "That's alright, Dr... Juli." she smiles. "We will leave the day after tomorrow." She greets Dr. Anderson and gives her a big hug before she leaves for Boston. Regina turns around and with a big smile she walks back into her home.

"Looks like that turned out well," Robin says when he walks out of the kitchen and sees Regina. Seeing Regina smiling makes a grin appear on his face. "How was your talk with Snow? And... Dr. Anderson? I made some food, will you tell me while you join me and Emma?"

Regina nodds and tells Robin and Emma all about her talk with Snow White and Dr. Anderson. "So... What do you think about all of this?" she wants to know from both Robin and Emma.

"Perfect," Robin says.   
"Yeah, perfect," Emma adds.  
"So... The day after tomorrow?" Robin says and he looks at Emma. She grins and says what she wanted to say for hours. She even practiced the lines in her room.  
"That gives us one full day to do something nice... Like going to Boston and buy stuff with all te money we have... Because after this we never need this earthen-non-magical-realm-money ever again."   
She looks at her lab, smiling nervously.  
"Unless you don't want to, of course. That's also no problem."

Regina smiles at first but then starts to laugh. "Let's go on a splurge!" she laughs. "Do you want to go to Boston or rather New York?"

Emma laughs, getting all exited now. "You choose."

"What about the Big Apple?" Regina laughs.

"Nice choice," Robin grins. "Let's go."

The three of them get into Regina's Mercedes and she drives them all the way to New York. "Where do you want to go first?" she smiles at Emma.

"The bookstore?" Emma says, "I would love to have some books to read in the Enchanted forest."

Regina nodds. "I like that! Let's go!" The three of them look for a bookshop and they soon find one. "This one?" Regina suggests.

"Yeah!" Emma says, "have you read it?" She takes the book in her hand and flips it over to read the back.

"I haven't but it seems nice." Regina smiles. She decides not to tell Emma about the huge library in her Castle back in The Enchanted Forest. She knows Emma hasn't seen it yet and she also knows her youngest daughter is going to love it.

"It does. How many books shall I take?" Emma says. "I've some at home too I want to take with me."

"Take as many as you want, sweetheart." Regina smiles. "Just know that The Enchanted Forest has books as well." Regina winks.

"It does?" Emma says, "also books I like? I thought they would only have boring books and books for school..." She grins by her stupid thought.

"You would be surprised." Regina winks. "Talking about school... How do you see that happening over there?"

"I don't know actually," Emma says, "I tried to think about it but I can't really figure it out...".

"There is a school in one of the villages nearby. Or you could get homeschooled but I don't like that idea very much. You need to be around kids your own age as well."

Emma nods and smiles, "what is that school like?"   
She feels a new kind of exitement. She can start over now, without bullies and bad choices.

"It's the same school your mother, Snow, went to for a while. The teacher is a very nice woman." Regina smiles.

"Okay," Emma says, "I'm curious." She picks some other books, including the complete works of Shakespeare.

Regina looks at Robin and raises an eyebrow. "Shakespeare?" she whispers to him.

Robin grins. "I guess so," he whispers back.   
Emma turns around. "What?"

"Do you like to read Shakespeare, sweetheart?" Regina smiles at her youngest daughter.

"Very much," Emma says, "but you have to read it at least two or three times to fully get it. I read Hamlet twice now and there is still more to explore. So..." A big smile appears on her face. "I need to take it with me, don't you think?"

Regina nodds. "I think it's an excellent idea." She smiles bright. "Do you see anything else you want to take with you?"

"No this is all," Emma says, "I could take so much more, but I think I have to stop now." She grins, holding so many books that she almost collapses.

"You don't have to but if you are going to carry any more books, you'll won't make it back home." Regina laughs.

"Robin will help me carry them," Emma grins back. She lifts her chin in the air and hands over the books to Robin.

Regina laughs when Robin now carries all of Emma's books. "Wait. We can't go already. We haven't seen that side of the bookstore yet." She laughs even harder now.

"O no," Robin moans and he sets the huge pile of books on the ground. "I'll pay for those and bring them to the car while you can look in that forgotten section." He grins.

Regina and Emma take off, a huge smile on their faces.

Emma is filled with excitement. She grabs so many books...

Regina does the same as well. She smiles when she sees Emma enjoying this. Regina is so focused on her daughter, she doesn't even notice she bumps into an older man.

"Excuse me," the man says and then he turns to Regina. "You have a lovely lady over there." He smiles and points at Emma.

Regina looks up. "Thank you." she whispers, her body a bit frozen.

"It's good to see her so happy," he says, his voice soft and a bit cranky,

Regina nodds. She looks up at him. She startles.

"What is it, dear?" the man says, looking into Regina's eyes.

"Do you know my daughter?" Regina asks him.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you said it's good to see her this happy. That makes me think you know her."

"You're a smart woman," the man says, "just like her." He winks.

"How do you know my daughter?" Regina wants to know.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." Regina answers softly, not feeling comfortable with this man.

"She used to come in my club a lot, if you want to know," the man says. "I own the club in Storybrooke."

Regina looks at him again. "She's a minor. You were wrong serving her alcohol."

"I wouldn't dare to serve her alcohol," the man says. "I never serve alcohol to minors. They have their own ways."

Regina slowly nodds. That makes sense. "Thank you." she whispers softly.

"No problem, madam mayor," he says with a grin. "So what are you two up to that makes her so happy?"

"We're moving." Regina whispers, relaxing her body now a bit. Not much, but still a bit.

"Great," the man says, "to where, if I may ask? I haven't seen Emma around in Storybrooke for a very long time. I thought you already moved out."

"I'm sorry but that's... That's private. We want to start anew."

"All right," the man says, "will be good for her." He winks and starts to walk away. "Have a good day, madam mayor."

Regina nodds. She turns back around to see Emma with another huge pile of books. She giggles.

Emma grins. "Can I have them?" she says full of excitement

Regina nodds. "Of course you can." she smiles.

"Okay," Emma says, "thanks!" Robin comes into the shop. When he sees Emma he walks away again. Emma bursts out laughing.

Regina laughs as well. "He won't be able to carry all of this." she laughs.

Robin lifts his chin, "who says I can't?" He tries to grab all the books but puts them down again. "okay... maybe with a little bit of help."

Regina laughs out loud again. She enjoys these moments so very much.

Robin carries the biggest pile to the car, which he parked in front of the door. Just in case. He laughs, "I think you have enough books now?"

"I think so too." Regina smiles.

"Ok-ay," Emma sighs, pretending she is sad.

Regina laughs again. The next day they all pack their things and make themselves ready for the one way trip to The Enchanted Forest. On the day itself Regina paces around her house, nervously. Dr. Anderson already arrived. They are only waiting for Snow White and Henry.

Snow rings the doorbell. She is very nervous and holds Henry's hand, although he doesn't want her to do that.

"Snow!" Regina smiles when she opens the door. She grabs her eldest daughter and takes her close against her.

Snow is still very tensed, but when she feels her mother's arms around her, she at least feels happy.

"I'm so glad you decided to come with us." Regina smiles brightly.

"Me too," she says with a smile. "I knew you wouldn't leave me!" Henry says and he hugs Regina. Snow steps back. She looks away and takes a deep breath. It's okay, It's okay, she tries to say to herself.

Regina just nodds. She gently pushes Henry away from her. She manages a small smile before focusing back on Snow White. "Are you ready to go?"

"I will live with you now, won't I?" Henry says before Snow can answer and he looks at Regina with is big eyes full of hope and excitement.

"You will live with your mother, Snow White." Regina smiles at him.

"But I want you as my mother," Henry says.

"You can't chose who your mother is, Henry. That's not how things work." Regina looks up at Snow. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"But I can, because I have two mothers," Henry says, holding Regina's arm very tightly. Snow nods and Robin takes over Henry from Regina.

Regina smiles at Snow. "He's your son." she whispers in her ear. "Is everyone ready to go?" she now asks everyone, holding a magic bean in her hand.

Snow pushes her tears away and tries to nod. Henry wants Regina, so at this point, she doesn't feel like she will get her son back ever again. Everyone is ready to go.

Regina throws the magic bean onto the ground. She waits until everyone has jumped through the portal. She takes a last look around and jumps as well.

They land softly on the ground of the enchanted forest, just in front of the castle

Regina lands next to Emma and Snow White. She smiles. "Home." she whispers.

Snow smiles now, a real smile. Emma laughs too when she sees the castle.

Regina poofs all of them into her Castle. "Everyone is free to pick a room of your liking. Just.... Just not the one Leopold and I shared. I've locked it with magic anyway."

"Right," Robin says, but no one moves.

Regina looks around. "Is... everyone alright?"

Emma looks around and then takes off. She takes the room in which she stayed last time. Snow looks insecure and tries to take Henry with her, but he won't come.

Regina looks at Dr. Anderson. She softly smiles.

Dr. Anderson smiles back. "Why don't you four take the east wing? There are three rooms their very close together," she says, trying to help. She assumes Robin and Regina take a room together. "I'll sleep in the west wing with Emma."

"Snow? You can choose for Henry and you." Regina smiles, nodding grateful to Dr. Anderson.

"Okay," Snow says and finally Henry let's her take him. Dr. Anderson winks and walks to the west wing. She doesn't have a lot of stuff, so she helps Emma store her books on the shelves.

Regina looks up at Robin. "Shall we go to our bedroom as well?" she suggests.

Robin nods and they walk to their rooms together.

"Are you alright, Robin?" Regina asks softly, while on their way to their room.

"Kind of," Robin answers, "the whole Henry-thing is hard."

Regina startles a bit. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"It not your fault," Robin says, "I think it's hard for all of us."

Regina just nodds, not wanting to admit she doesn't feel a thing for this kid.

"You just met him," Robin says, reading Regina's mind. She feels the same as he does, "I think it will be different when we get to know him. He has your eyes." He smiles for a just little moment.

"He doesn't." Regina whispers, walking into the bedroom she will share with Robin from now on. With a wave of her hand she lights up the fireplace.

"Did you even look at him?" Robin says, remembering staring in the big black eyes of... his son.

"Of course I did."

"Definitely your eyes."

"Maybe." Regina whispers. She looks at Robin now. "Tomorrow I want to talk to the people of The Enchanted Forest. I want to start an election as soon as possible. This land needs a leader."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. Is... Is that not good?"

"It's... soon, that's all," Robin says, "the rest of the people from Storybrooke will arrive next week, maybe we can wait for them to arrive, before we do anything."

Regina nodds. "That's true. I'm sorry." She flinches away.

"No need to say sorry," Robin says, "I'm not judging you, we're just having a conversation."

"Alright." Regina whispers.

Robin smiles a little, "I'll never judge you, you know that right? And if I don't agree with you it doesn't mean you're wrong."

"It doesn't?" Regina whispers, not really sure.

"Of course not," Robin says, "your opinion counts and so does mine."

"I'll try to remember that." Regina softly smiles now. She takes a step towards Robin and gives him a small kiss on the lips.

Robin kisses her back. "Good," he whispers and he gives her another, more passionate kiss.

Regina kisses him back and allows him to move further.

Robin locks the door with his free hand and then wraps his arms around Regina, so he can hold her close.

Regina softly smiles against his lips.

He winks and kisses her again, slowly walking into the room, to the bed.

Regina gasps for air, very softly, so Robin doesn't notice.

Robin stops for a moment to look into Regina's eyes. He wipes her hair out of her face.

Regina smiles and leans into his touch.

"You want this?" he whispers moving his hands to her hips.

"Yes." Regina whispers, her voice soft and insecure but she knows she does want this with Robin.

"Okay," he whispers and he pushes out her shirt. He lets his hands go over her soft warm skin and kisses her again.

Regina kisses him back, letting her hands go under his shirt.

Robin slowly lets his kisses go down to Regina's neck. They lie down on the bed.

Regina smiles. She gives Robin free range.

Regina smiles and gives Robin free range.

Robin undresses Regina and goes on. He leads.

Regina follows Robin's movements. She's a bit relieved that he closed the door and locked it, but it makes her a bit scared at the same time.

Robin smiles when he sees Regina looking at the door. "I won't lock you in, I just keep people out," he winks.

Regina nodds. "You promise? I can leave if I want to? I.. I don't want to, but I.. I just need to be sure." she whispers.

"You can leave whenever you want," he says, stroking her cheek. "I promise. I locked it from the inside, key is on the ground over there." He points at the key.

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. She kisses Robin a bit more violent now.

He kisses her back, now letting her lead.

Regina shakes her head. "No. You need to lead." she whispers.

Robin moves closer to Regina's body, his arms on her back. He slowly moves them down, while he strokes her hips.

Regina softly keeps kissing him.

Robin is uncertain over how far he can go, so he just answers her kisses.

"Go on. Please. I want you to." Regina whispers softly in his ear.

Robin moves his hand further down, "You sure?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure."

Robin now touches her where she wants to be touched. He moves slowly and carefully.

"Yes. Exactly there." Regina softly moans now.

Robin goes on, right there.

Regina pulls him closer, above her on the bed.

Robin now moves his hands and slips inside her. He softly kisses her.

Regina softly moans again, out of excitement this time.

Robin smiles and takes her even closer.

"Almost, Robin." Regina whispers, with a harsh voice.

Robin's smile becomes a grin and he goes on.

Regina rides out her climax. Exhausted she leans to Robin.

Robin lets her fall into his arms and he takes a deep breath, holding her close to his body.

"That was nice." Regina smiles brightly.

"It really was," Robin says and he smiles with her.

Soon Regina falls asleep. She wakes up early the next morning. She looks beside her and notices Robin is still sleeping. Regina puts on a light dress and takes a walk through Her Castle.

Emma is reading in her bedroom, dr. Anderson is taking a shower and Snow tries to talk to Henry, which kind of works...

Regina doesn't walk into any bedroom. Instead she chooses to visit the lower parts of The Black Castle, the part where the people who work at The Castle stay.

One of the cooks walks by in the hallway and startles a little when she sees Regina. "My Queen," she says and she bows.

Regina softly smiles. "Agnes. It's nice to see you again."

"Thank you," Agnes says and she nods. Then, without thinking, she gives Regina a hug.

Regina startles at first because she isn't used to this kind behaviour from people who feared her in the past. After a couple of seconds she then returns the warm hug.

"How are you, my Queen?" Agnes asks, still so happy that her Queen knows her name and returned her hug.

"I'm fine, I think." Regina softly smiles. "I'm glad to be back home and without... without Leopold being here as well." Regina looks down now because she knows everyone adored The King.

"But, my Queen, Leopold is here in the palace," she says nervously, she bows her head.

Regina looks up. "W...What?" she whispers.

"He lives downstairs."

"Here? With the rest of you? Or in the dungeons?" Regina wants to know.

"With the rest of us, my Queen," Agnes says, "there is a huge room at the end of this hallway."

"Why is he here?"

"Isn't this... His castle?" Agnes says, "or do you mean, here downstairs?"

"Both. This is MY Castle." Regina whispers, looking anxiously over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, my Queen," Agnes says and she bows again.

"It's not your fault, Agnes." Regina softly says without getting angry at the woman. "Thank you for telling me this."

"You don't have to thank me, my Queen," Agnes says, "is there something else I can help you with?"

"Not at the moment, thank you." Regina smiles and starts to walk away. She then turns around again. "Agnes? Please, you don't have to bow to me. I'm just... Just Regina."

"Of course, Regina," Agnes says. She stays upright and smiles a little.

Regina smiles back. She then decides to confront Leopold immediately. She feels strong enough to do that now. She opens the door to the large room downstairs. "Leopold?"

"Regina," Leopold says. He stands with his back towards her, but he recognises her voice immediately.

"How are you here? You shouldn't be here."

"Why shouldn't I?" Leopold says, not turning around. "Because your boyfriend locked me up?"

"Because this is my home, not yours." Regina answers.

Leopold grins, "yes of course," he says sarcastically.

"I want you to leave. Now."

"I'm not leaving, Regina," Leopold says still grinning. "I'm very sorry."

"Please. You're not sorry at all. I won't ask again." Regina's voice rises higher. "I want you to go. Now."

"Is this supposed to frighten me?"

"No. I'm not trying to frighten you. I'm telling you to leave because this is my home."

"It's as much my home as it's yours."

"No, it isn't. You're dead to this world. Now go."

"Maybe you're right, but that doesn't mean I can't stay in this house, does it?"

"It means exactly that. Go, Leopold. No one wants you here."

"I do."

"You mean nothing in this world any longer. Go, Leopold."

"I don't care," Leopold says, "don't you get it. This is the only place I can live, because I'm nothing elswhere."

"Fine. Fine!" Regina snaps. "Just keep yourself downstairs and let no one see you upstairs. Alright?"

"Right right, your majesty," Leopold laughs.

"You really promise, Leopold?" Regina asks, softer now.

"Of course I don't," Leopold says and for the first time he looks into Regina's eyes. "You know me."

"Then you will have to leave." Regina answers. She flinches a little bit backwards.

"You think I'll leave you and your family alone when you throw me out?"

"You won't leave us alone if you stay here as well, so I don't see why I won't throw you out of MY home."

"OUR home," Leopold corrects Regina.

"Mine." Regina just answers.

"Fine yours," Leopold says with a grin. "But that doesn't change a thing."

"It does." Regina takes a step towards Leopold and a fireball appears in her hand. "Go. This is your last warning, Leopold."

Leopold doesn't move. "I'm not afraid of you, Regina, do what you want."

The fireball disappears. Regina sighs. "I don't want to fight. Just.... Just leave my family alone." Regina turns around and wants to walk away.

"I will," Leopold says when Regina walks away. "I promise I won't do anything to them... Or... You."

Regina turns back around. "Promise?"

Leopold nods, "promise."

Regina softly smiles and nodds towards him. "I guess... I guess you can join us for breakfast later this morning? If you want to?" she politely suggests.

"You... Want ME to join breakfast?" Leopold says very surprised and a little bit cautious. It could be a trick. "I'll think about it."

Regina nodds. "Of course." She turns back around and walks out of the door. She makes her way to the other rooms downstairs to see if she sees anyone else who works for her.

"Good morning, my Queen," says the head of the palace security. He and all the other guard make a bow.

Regina nodds and looks at them. "Are you comfortable wearing those heavy clothes?" she asks them.

"Of course, my Queen," The guard says.

"The truth, please?"

"They are heavy, but it's for the best. So we can protect the castle and its inhabitants and ourselves."

"If you want to, you at least can take off those helmets. They are very heavy and you shouldn't be wearing such heavy items."

The guards hesitate, but then take off their helmets, "are you sure my Queen? We will do everything to protect you."

Regina nodds and smiles softly. "I'm sure. In the Palace aren't real treaths."

"Thank you, my Queen," the guard says. The others nod too. They really are thankful.

Regina smiles and wants to turn around.

"Your majesty," one of the guards says. He waits for the Queen to turn around. When she does he smiles and bows. "Welcome back."

Regina smiles and nodds again. "Thank you." she whispers.

"It's our pleasure, my Queen."

Regina turns around and walks into the next room.

Two seamstresses are working on a suit for Leopold. They are giggling, but when Regina comes in they immediately stop. They bow, faces natural and bow.

Regina smiles softly. "Who are those suits for?" she asks them softly.

"For King Leopold, my Queen," one of the ladies says.

"Leopold isn't King any longer. What did he tell you?"

"We are making a new suit for his party tomorrow, my Queen, he asked us to."

"His party tomorrow? What party? I don't know about a party."

"King George's son is getting married, your majesty," another seamstress says.

"So the party won't be in my Castle?" Regina softly asks.

"No, my Queen," the seamstress smiles. "I assume you need a dress too?" Her eyes show her excitement, it has been a long time since they were asked to make a dress.

"I would love a new dress, but I won't be joining Leopold to the party." Regina softly smiles.

"Ow, alright," the seamstress says, bowing and quickly adding, "my Queen," to her sentence. She doesn't dare to ask questions.

"Please. It's... just Regina."

The seamstresses all smile. "Only one dress, Regina? Or would you love a couple?"

"Maybe for the time being just one dress. I think my daughters would love one too. I'll bring them over later today, if that's alright?"

The seamstress looks up, surprised and stunned, "you're not alone, my... Regina? You brought Snow?"

Regina smiles brightly now. "I brought Snow indeed. And Emma, my youngest daughter. I also brought Robin and Henry. Henry is Snow's son. And I brought a dear friend, Dr. Anderson. She's a lovely woman."

"Oh, that's wonderful," the seamstress says, "they can always come to us if they need something." They all nod and smile. They are curious, but they don't know if they can ask questions.

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She nodds them goodbye and walks outside. She makes her way back to the ground floor. She already smells the delicious breakfast that awaits everyone.

Emma and dr. Anderson already sit at the table, talking and laughing, while they eat some of the blueberries.

Regina smiles when she joins them. "Did you have a good night's sleep?" she asks the both of them.

"Perfect, yes," they both answer. "You too?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, thank you." She slowly eats a couple of blueberries as well.

"The answer is NO!" they hear from upstairs. And after that a door slams shut.  
"What was that?" Emma asks.

"I don't know." Regina whispers. She doesn't like hard voices and certainly not in this Castle. It brings back really bad memories.

The door opens and Henry shouts a loud 'I hate you", into the hallway. The door slams shut again.

Regina looks up at the little boy who joins the woman for breakfast now. "I don't like it when you talk to your mother like that, Henry." Regina says with a stern voice.

"She is not my mother," Henry mumbles and he sits down.

Regina just sighs. She gets up from her chair and walks over to Snow's bedroom. She knocks on the door, waiting for permission to enter the room.

"Yeah," Snow whispers.

Regina enters her bedroom. "Snow? What's going on?" Regina sits down next to her daughter on the bed and takes her into her arms.

"Nothing new," Snow whispers, she takes a deep breath. "And you don't have to do this," she says and she frees herself from her mother's safe arms, "it's my own fault."

"It's not. Henry is growing up and kids his age act like this. It's not your fault."

"With others, like you, he is perfectly fine," Snow says, "but he doesn't even want to have a conversation with me."

"Maybe it's best to give him his space, just for a little while? He will start to miss you, I promise." Regina carefully suggests.

"I gave Emma space and I lost her," Snow says, not angry or upset. "I'm afraid I'll lose him too."

"You won't. Emma and Henry aren't the same. I raised Emma and you raised Henry. It's not the same, sweetheart." Regina softly smiles now. "He will come back to you. I'm sure of that."

Snow nods and now lays her head on Regina's shoulder, "thank you," she whispers, "maybe you're right. I'll try to give him more space then."

"It will be for the best, I promise." Regina smiles. "Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"Yes please," Snow says, "I'm going to take a shower and then I'll join you." She smiles. "Thanks, mom." She hugs Regina and walks into the bathroom.

Regina smiles as well. She walks to her own bedroom to look for Robin.

Robin just came out of the shower. "You were up early this morning," he says, while he tries to dry his hair.

"I was." Regina softly smiles, sitting down on the bed and watching Robin.

"What did you do?" Robin asks, raising his eyebrow.

"I went to visit downstairs. Where the servants live. I've told them I'm just Regina." Regina looks up at Robin, uncertain.

"Good job," Robin says and he looks at her. "Don't be so insecure," he grins, "you're doing the right thing. You're their queen."

"I'm not. I'm just Regina." Regina whispers, getting a bit nervous now.

"Just Regina," Robin says, "fine with me." He winks

Regina softly smiles now. "Just Regina." she repeats with a very soft voice. "I don't want to be Queen unless the people of The Enchanted Forest choose me as their Queen."

"And you don't have to be Queen, even if they want you to be Queen, you know that too, right."

"I... I don't?" Regina asks, uncertain.

"Of course not," Robin says. He takes Regina in his arms. "This is your life and if you don't want to be Queen, you won't be the Queen."

Regina softly smiles now. "Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"Yes of course," Robin says, "I was planning to go have breakfast after my shower, which is... Now." He grins and kisses her. Then they walk out of the room together.

Regina smiles brightly. She and Robin join the others for breakfast. Regina eats another couple of blueberries, stress written all over her face.

"What's bothering you?" Dr. Anderson asks, when she finished her conversation with Emma.

"Nothing." Regina whispers, struggling with the last blueberries on her plate. Her mind wanders off to memories of the past, where she wasn't aloud to eat, sitting in the same chair as now.

"Okay," dr. Anderson says, "and if something is bothering you, you know where to find me." She smiles and eats some more fruit.

Regina stops eating now. She strokes her belly, very nervous.

"Regina?" dr. Anderson whispers now so no one can hear it. "What's wrong?"

"Eating is hard back here." Regina whispers.

"Why?" Dr. Anderson softly says, "the memories?"

Regina just nodds.

"You just got here, it's not a surprise that the feeling is so strong right now."

"I'm too fat."

"Absolutely not," dr. Anderson says, "what makes you think that?"

"Being here. It makes me think I'm too fat. I can't eat because of the memories." Regina whispers.

"Maybe you can force yourself to think of something else," dr. Anderson says, "Keep repeating one word or sentence again and again while you're eating."

"All I can think of during a meal is how fat I am, according to Leopold's standards."

"Think about your own standard," dr. Anderson says, "Leopold is not longer part of your life." Right at the moment she says this, Leopold comes through the door.

Regina startles before she remembers she invited him. "Actually..." she whispers now, "Leopold still lives here in The Castle. But he promised me not to hurt anyone." She looks up at Leopold.

"Right..." dr. Anderson says she nods towards Leopold. Leopold looks at Regina too.

Regina slowly nodds. She points to a seat next to Snow White, who also joined the breakfast table.

"Snow?" Leopold says when he sees her. Snow reacts cautiously, but she lets Leopold sit next to her. She has really mixed feelings about him.

Regina looks at Robin, again stress and insecurity covering her face.

"How can he be here?" Robin whispers to Regina, leaning closer to her.

"I don't know." Regina whispers. "But he lives downstairs and he promised me not to hurt anyone."

"So you decided to invite him?" Robin says, a tiny bit of anger and amazement in his voice.

Regina startles. "I... I didn't know what else to do." She looks away, nervous again.

"You could just have let him be," Robin says, "this clearly isn't a good idea."

Regina slowly nodds, looking down into her lap. "I'm sorry. I... I will make it up to you." she whispers, a bit of fear in her voice.

"I don't want you to make it up to me," Robin sighs, "I just think it wasn't a good idea to invite him."

Regina nodds again, still not looking up.

They eat the rest of the breakfast in silence, while dr. Anderson keeps an eye on Regina.

Regina keeps sitting with her head down, looking into her lap, not daring to look up. She doesn't notice when breakfast is over. She startles when someone touches her shoulder.

"Lets go," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina looks up to the soft voice that's speaking to her. She slowly nodds and walks away, next to Dr. Anderson. She looks at the ground, her head lower than Dr. Anderson's and just follows the woman next to her.

"It's okay, Regina," she whispers, trying to catch Regina's eye.

Regina shakes her head, very slightly. "No..." she whispers, almost moaning out of fear.

"It is," dr. Anderson says, "what makes you so scared?"

"I'm sorry. I won't disobey you again." Regina mumbles.

Dr. Anderson stops walking and makes Regina look at her. "Don't do this," she whispers, "you don't have to do this."

Regina looks up to Dr. Anderson but behind her eyes lays a whole different story.

"We're over this, you need to focus," dr. Anderson says, still looking into Regina's eyes. "I know it's hard, but you can do this."

Regina startles when she hears other footsteps approaching the both of them. She looks back down and readies her body for the first blow.

Robin walks past them not saying a thing.

Regina's body trembles out of fear now. A bit of blood runs down her nose.

Dr. Anderson makes Regina sit down on a chair close by. She doesn't look away from her. "Regina, you need to calm down, you can calm down."

Regina pulls up her legs towards her and lays her chin down on her knees. She looks at Dr. Anderson, really trying to come back but it's so hard.

Dr. Anderson sees Regina is trying, which makes her smile a little. "You can do this," she whispers, "you'll be alright." Dr. Anderson does nothing except focussing on Regina's eyes.

After what feels like ages, Regina's body sinks down into the chair. She closes her eyes, trying to get her breathing under control. Her hair sticks to her face and she feels exhausted.

"Alright," dr. Anderson whispers. She wipes Regina's hair from her face and then holds Regina's hands to give comfort, but also to prevent her from falling.

Regina looks up again. "I slipped, didn't I?" she asks softly.

Dr. Anderson nods. "You did," she whispers.

Regina pulls her hand back. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," dr. Anderson says. She is not very happy it happened again, but she knows Regina doesn't do it on purpose.

Regina looks away again. "I'm going to take a little walk by myself, if that's alright?" she asks with a soft voice.

"Yeah," dr. Anderson says, "that's alright and... It may seem childish, but don't go too far, okay?"

Regina nodds. She slowly walks away, out of The Castle and into The Royal Gardens. She sits down underneath her favorite apple tree and just stares at the ground.

A little bird flies towards her and sits down on her shoulder. It whistles a small song, while the wind blows through its feathers.

Regina doesn't notice the bird. She's lost in her own mind.

The nature around Regina keeps doing its thing. Emma comes down to the apple tree to climb in it, but before she sees her mother there she gets distracted by a bird who whistles a song in another tree. The bird hops on her hand.

"Yes, Leopold." Regina whispers in front of her. She then moans of pain. "No. No, I'm sorry, my King."

Emma turns her head towards Regina when she hears her mother's voice. She lets the bird go and walks towards her. "Are you alright, mom?" she asks.

"I won't do it again, I promise, my King. I won't eat again. I know I have to fit in my dresses." Regina mumbles, not acknowledging her daughter.

"You're talking to yourself, mom," Emma says. She sits down with her back against the tree, next to her mother. "I'm not the king and your dresses already fit."

Regina's body trembles again, from exhaustion of fighting battles and demons inside her mind.

"Mom, you're bleeding," Emma says, when she looks at her mother. She sees a tiny bit of blood run down from Regina's nose. "Is something wrong mom? Can you talk to me?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Regina softly screams out of fear. She protects her face with her arms.

"You don't have to be sorry," Emma quickly says, "please, your ruining dress... which fits you perfectly, of course." She says the last words slowly and clearly. "There is blood everywhere, mom, let me help you." She grabs the handkerchief out of her little bag, but she can't reach the blood, because her mother is hiding her face.

Regina startles when she feels someone touching her body. She slowly looks up because she didn't expected to be threatening so nicely.

Emma looks back at her mother. "I'm sorry I couldn't save your dress..." she says.

"My... My dress?" Regina whispers.

"There is blood on it," Emma says, wiping some more blood from her mother's face.

Regina startles. "The King isn't going to like that." she whispers, fear in her eyes.

"The king doesn't have to know this," Emma says, "and why do you care what he thinks?"

"He is my husband. He will punish me for ruining a dress." Regina whispers, completely thrown into her past now.

"He is not your husband anymore," Emma says, now realizing that her mother still doesn't notice she is here. "You have Robin now."

"Robin? I... I'm sorry, I don't know who that is." Regina looks confused.

"Ow well," Emma says, "he is a handsome and lovely man. He is very kind and loves you and me very much. And he is your husband."

"King Leopold is my husband." Regina whispers. She looks up when she hears footsteps coming their way. She startles badly and jumps from the bench to bow for Leopold. "My King." she whispers.

"Mom, there's nobody here," Emma says, "and Leopold is not your husband, he WAS your husband, but that was in the past."

"You're confusing me." Regina mumbles. Her eyes start to turn empty.

"You're confusing me, so that makes it even between us," Emma says. Her voice sounds a bit more scared, when she sees her mother's empty eyes.

Regina sits down on the ground and leans her head on the bench for support. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"That's no problem... you can sleep in the castle," Emma says, pointing at the palace behind them. "We only have to walk up there."

"No." Regina mumbles. "I'm too tired to walk. I'm going to close my eyes, just for a little bit." Regina almost falls asleep.

"O-kay," Emma says, not knowing what to do. She doesn't dare to go away, so she sits down and lets her mother sleep.

After about half an hour Regina wakes up. She looks around her, disoriented.

Emma looks at her mother, like she has done this whole half an hour. Dr. Anderson is there too.

"I slipped away again." Regina notes.

"Yes," dr. Anderson says, before Emma can say something.

Regina softly sighs. "I'm sorry."

Emma doesn't dare to speak and dr. Anderson only nods.

Regina looks up to the apple tree. "My favorite tree in the whole Kingdom."

"Mine too," Emma says immediately. Dr. Anderson's voice is stricter. "Let's go back inside," she says.

"I'm going to stay here for a while, if that's alright?"

"We're going inside," dr. Anderson says, "and you're coming with us. It turns out that letting you be alone isn't really a good idea."

"I'm not coming. I like to sit here." Regina gets up and sits back down on the bench.

"I know you do and you had the chance to sit here, but that didn't work very well, so now we will go inside again."

Regina doesn't move.

"I don't want to say it again, Regina," dr. Anderson says, "come on."

"You're not my mother. And I don't like it when you talk to me like that." Regina answers softly.

"I'm not your mother," dr. Anderson says, "but it seems you need some motherly advise to stay safe."

Regina slowly gets up and follows Emma and Dr. Anderson inside.

Emma stays silent the whole way and so does dr. Anderson.

Regina remains silent as well. She looks at Dr. Anderson when they arrive back inside.

"I'm glad you came inside with us," she says.

Regina just nodds.

"What happened?" Dr. Anderson wants to know.

"I slipped."

Dr. Anderson nods, "how much did Emma see?"

Regina shrugs. "Everything." she then whispers.

Dr. Anderson bites on her lip, "okay," she says. She takes a deep breath. "I'll talk to her. And for you, memories again?"

Regina nodds again.

"Which memories?"

Regina flinches. "Leopold. Hurting me."

"But you told me he promised not to hurt you or your family anymore," dr. Anderson states.

"I slipped. It wasn't really happening." Regina whispers. She looks up to Dr. Anderson now. "It wasn't really happening." she repeats softly.

"It wasn't," Dr. Anderson repeats after Regina. Dr. Anderson looks back at her and gives a little nod.

"Not real."

"Not real," dr. Anderson repeats.

Regina nodds. She notices Leopold out of the corner of her eye. But she doesn't know if he's real or not so she doesn't say a thing about it.

"You're seeing things, aren't you?"

Regina quickly shakes her head. "Am not." she whispers. But she keeps an eye on Leopold, just in case he's really there.

"Right," Dr. Anderson, "so what is it you're looking at?"

"Nothing."

"Alright."

Regina's eyes follow Leopold's movements now.

"And now, what are you seeing now?"

"I... I don't know if he's real or not." Regina whispers, honest now.

"I can tell you he isn't real, because we're alone right now."

"Then why do I see him?' Regina mumbles softly.

"It's in your mind, because you're scared." Dr. Anderson says.

"When does it stop?" Regina wants to know.

"I don't know," dr. Anderson says, "that depends on you. You can try to focus on something else."

"Something else." Regina whispers, softly stroking dr. Anderson's hand.

Dr. Anderson nods, "exactly."

Regina keeps stroking dr. Anderson's hand. She slowly works her way up.

Dr. Anderson lets Regina do what she wants. She doesn't say anything, so Regina can get out of this herself.

Regina's hand strokes dr. Anderson's, Juli's, shoulder now.

"Regina what are you doing?" dr. Anderson asks now.

"Focus on something else." Regina whispers, repeating Juli's words.

"Right," Juli says. "and what is that something else?"

"You." Regina looks into Juli's eyes now. The Evil Queen is whispering inside her head, but she doesn't tell Juli this. Very far away Regina also hears Fiona's voice but she knows that's not possible. Fiona is dead.

Juli nods, trying to figure out what Regina is thinking right now. Her eyes show something, but what...

"You." Regina repeats, slowly approaching Juli more and more.

"Me? Are you sure?" dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina just nodds, her warm breath tickling Juli's face.

Juli takes a step back and hopes Regina will keep her distance now.

Regina takes a step closer again. She strokes Juli's face now.

Juli closes her eyes.

"Do you like this?" Regina whispers.

"No," dr. Anderson whispers.

Regina flinches and pulls back immediately. "I'm sorry." she whispers. Her body trembles from exhaustion again.

"You're fine," dr. Anderson says. She takes a deep breath and looks into Regina's tired eyes

"I'm not fine!" Regina snaps now. "I keep slipping away and I can't control myself. I'm not fine!"

"I didn't mean it like that," dr. Anderson says, "take a deep breath. You will be okay, just calm down."

"Get away from me! I'm nothing but trouble!" Regina snaps again. She turns around and starts to run. Out of The Black Castle, over the fence and into the woods. Regina just keeps on running until her legs can't carry her fragile body any longer.

Juli runs after her, but Regina is running to fast. "Please Regina!" she shouts. She keeps following her, hoping she takes the right road...

Regina doesn't look where she's going. She just keeps on running until she falls flat down in the mud. She doesn't have the strength to get up on her own.

Soon a group of villagers stand around her. No one helps. Then a figure on a horse arrives and jumps off. The figure, unrecognizable because of the helmet reaches out a hand, standing in the mud.

Regina slowly looks up, but doesn't take the hand of this stranger. "Who are you?" she asks softly.

"Someone who is willing to help you," the figure says, clearly a woman's voice.

Regina decides to take the hand and lets herself get pulled up on the horse. "Not... Not too far away." she whispers softly. "I need to go back for my daughters."

"No problem," the woman says, "I'll just get you out of here."

"Thank you." Regina leans her exhausted body against the back of the strange woman and closes her eyes.

"Just cling on me for a while," she says, "it's not a long ride."

Regina doesn't answer but holds on to the woman. She opens her eyes when she feels the horse slowing down.

They have arrived at the woman's home and the woman helps Regina inside. It's more like a cottage than a real building

Regina's body stiffens when the woman touches it to help her get inside. "I'm sorry." Regina whispers immediately.

"No problem," the woman says, "I know I'm a random stranger." She helps Regina sit down on her bed. Her house is just one room. She takes off her helmet. "I'm Mulan," she says. "Nice to meet you."

"Regina." Regina whispers softly.

"Nice to meet you, Regina, Queen of the land, I guess," she says and she fills two glasses of water.

"I'm no Queen." Regina mumbles, looking at her clothes, fully drenched in mud now. Her body trembles from cold.

"Being a Queen is different from looking like a Queen," Mulan says with a smile, "You certainly don't look like a Queen right now. Here," Mulan hands over the glass of water. "You want to wash yourself in the river? That's what I do every morning and it works."

"Yes, please. Afterwards I need to go back to my daughters. I... I shouldn't run away like this. I'm sorry for intruding."

"Don't worry about it, I'll give you a ride home when you're ready," Mulan says. She hands over a towel and some soap. "Did something happen?" Mulan dares to ask.

"Memories. Just my memories." Regina whispers before disappearing to the river.

Mulan makes a fire in her fireplace, so Regina's clothes can dry a little when she comes back. She also makes some tea and bread, just in case Regina is hungry.

After a short while Regina slowly walks back into the little home of Mulan. She's wearing her own clothes, completely soaked with water from the river. She looks up. "I'm not hungry, thank you. I... I think I need to go back to my daughters now. They will be worrying about me."

"I understand," Mulan says. She looks at the fire and the food. "I'll finish that on my own then. At least put on some dry clothes," she adds and she walks to her closet.

"I'm fine. Really. Please, I just want to go back. I shouldn't run away like this."

"Please," Mulan says, "I can't let you go like this, you'll catch a cold." She grabs one of her jackets. "We will be fast by horse, so this extra two minutes can't really matter."

Regina shakes her head. "The King won't like it." she whispers.

"You're still together?" Mulan says, "well... Whatever. I'll take this jacket with me, in case you change your mind."

"No. I don't know. I don't.... I'm with Robin." Regina looks confused.

Mulan smiles when she sees the confusion in Regina's eyes. She is confused too. "It's okay," she grins, "but that means you can wear this jacket then?"

"No."

"Al-right," Mulan says, still placing the jacket in her bag. "Shall we go then?" She looks into Regina's exhausted eyes and knows it would be better for her to rest...

Regina nodds. "Yes, please. I need to be with Emma and Snow. And Robin." she mumbles, walking towards the horse and sitting behind Mulan.

"Okay, hold on," Mulan says and she starts riding. She goes faster and faster, so it takes less time to reach the castle. Regina really ran far.

Regina sighs with relief when Mulan drops her off at the entrance of The Black Castle. "Thank you, Mulan." she whispers softly.

"You're very welcome," Mulan says, "take care, okay." She winks.

Regina nodds. She slowly makes her way into The Castle. She sees Leopold everywhere, following her, watching her.

When dr. Anderson and Robin hear the the doors closing, they come running into the hallway. "O my gosh, Regina!" Dr. Anderson exclaims. She is not happy at all.

"I... I'm going to put on dry clothes." Regina whispers.

"Yes do that," Robin says with a calm voice, "where have you been? What happened?"

Regina shrugs. "I fell. A woman, Mulan, helped me. Now I'm back." She slowly walks to her room.

"I've been so worried, Regina,"'dr. Anderson says. She sighs and walks away. Robin stays where he is and watches Regina walk away.

"Juli?" Regina softly says. "Can you and Robin stay with me? Please? I... I see him everywhere and I don't know if he's real or not."

Juli and Robin look at each other. Then Robin nods. "Yes of course," he says. His voice soft, but also without emotion. They follow her into her room now.

Regina slowly changes into dry, comfortable, clothes: a light dress and flat shoes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for running away." she whispers whole turning towards Robin and Juli.

They both nod. "We know you are," dr. Anderson says, "but you scared us very much. We're still in shock and that means something."

Regina slowly nodds. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Leopold again but she tries to focus om something else. "Where are Emma and Snow?"

"Emma is in the gardens," Juli says, "Snow? I really don't know where she is now. She told me she would take a walk in the woods. So I guess she is still walking."

Regina nodds. "And now what?" she asks?

"I think that's a question for yourself," Robin says.

"I need to not see Leopold everywhere I go."

"That's sounds like an important thing, yes," dr. Anderson says.

"But how?"

"I don't know, but we can figure it out," dr. Anderson says, "together. If you are honest with us and if you trust us, and if we are honest with you, we'll get you back."

Regina nodds, certain. "I want to come back completely." she whispers. "I want to start my life here."

"You will come back," dr. Anderson says. "The first days are the most difficult ones. We just have to work hard."

Regina nodds. "Is it really because I'm back here? Is it because of that I'm having this hard time?"

"I think it's because this place holds a lot of memories and because the real Leopold is in this palace. Those things can trigger you," dr. Anderson says, "that's what I think."

Regina nodds. "I understand. What do I need to do to get those memories away?" Regina looks uncertain at Robin now. Is he mad at her?

"I'm not sure," Juli says, "but making new memories, good memories, is a good way to start." She smiles. 

Robin stares at the ground. He is a bit mad at her.

Regina nodds again. "Alright." she whispers. She sees Leopold again out of the corner of her eyes.

"I think I should go then," Robin says, "I'll leave you two alone." He walks out of the room.

"No... Robin, please." Regina begs. "Please, stay?"

"Why?" Robin asks.

Regina flinches. "I want that." she whispers.

"And what if I don't?" Robin says, "why do you want it?"

"I... I need you." Regina whispers softly, looking down now. A tear runs down her cheek.

Robin stops walking away from Regina and turns around. "I need you too," he softly says.

Regina doesn't dare to look up, afraid to see Robin angry with her. "I'm sorry for running away like that." she whispers.

"It's not that," Robin says. He takes a deep breath. "And I know your sorry and it isn't your fault."

Regina slowly nodds. "I'm trying my best. I really am."

"I know, I know."

"You do? You really do?"

"Of course I do."

Regina softly smiles. "So... What do I do now?" She looks at Juli.

"I think you could use some rest now," Juli says. She looks into Regina's exhausted eyes and knows she is right.

Regina looks Juli in her eyes as well. She knows dr. Anderson is right. "Are Snow and Emma alright?" she needs to know first.

"Yeah, they are," Juli says, "we will talk about that later."

"You promise? You promise they are alright and safe in The Castle?"

"Emma is in the castle, Snow is out for a walk," Juli says.

Regina nodds. She slowly lays down on her bed. "I can use some rest." she whispers softly.

"You really can, indeed," Juli says. Robin walks out of the room now.

Regina startles and looks at dr. Anderson with a bit of fear in her eyes now.

"Just try to rest," Juli softly says and she forces a smile.

"I'm scared alone. I will see him again." Regina whispers.

"I'll stay, don't worry," Juli says. "Think of Emma, she asked me if I could send you when you were back and rested. It's a good thing to think about." She smiles, a real smile this time.

"She... She did?" Regina whispers. "I... I'm going to rest then. I want to see my little girl." Regina closes her eyes. After what feels like ages she opens her eyes again. She sees Leopold in the corner of the room, but she focuses on Juli. "I want to see Emma now." she whispers.

"Can you walk?" Juli asks.

"Of course I can walk." Regina mumbles. She didn't rest for a second. She slowly gets up and walks towards the door. "I want to see Emma." she softly repeats.

"You will see her, but there is no hurry," Juli says, "she is in her room."

Regina nodds. She opens the door and still hurries to Emma's room. She knocks and enters. "Hello sweetheart." she smiles at her youngest daughter.

"Mom!" Emma exclaims. She runs towards her mother and hugs her.

Regina sinks down to the ground to be at Emma's height and hugs her daughter as well. "I'm sorry for what happened." she whispers into Emma's ear.

"Okay," Emma whispers back. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"You don't have to be sorry about anything, sweetheart. I... I just have to be strong enough now."

Emma smiles, now letting her mother go, so she can look into her eyes.

Regina looks back into her daughter's eyes. "Are you alright, Emma?"

Emma nods, her lips pressed together.

"You're not. I can tell. What's going on? I... I want to help you. Please?"

"It's nothing," Emma says, "I'm just a little scared that's all."

"Talk to me, sweetheart. What are you scared about?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"You're my daughter. I want to be able to help you with your fears, but I can't do that if I don't know what you're afraid of." Regina softly explains.

"I'm afraid something bad will happen to you, that I'll lose you," Emma whispers.

"Oh honey." Regina whispers. She takes Emma close against her body. "You won't lose me. I promise I'll be safe. I promise I will stay with you no matter what."

"But you were away, and I was so scared because you were with me but I couldn't get you back," Emma whispers.

"You mean I was away in my mind?" Regina asks softly.

"Yes," Emma says, "it looked like you were in a different world."

"I was." Regina softly answers. "I don't know what's happening around me when I'm away like that. I... I'm sorry I scared you."

"Why does that happen to you?" Emma asks, "why do you have... Nightmares while you're awake?"

Regina sits down on Emma's bed and takes Emma, even though she's already a teenager, on her lap. She holds the girl close to her body. "A lot has happened in my life, Emma." Regina softly tries to explain. "The human mind can only take so much."

"So... your nightmares are bad memories and... You have a lot if bad memories?" Emma asks softly, leaning against her mother's shoulder.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "It's exactly like that. I have a lot, a lot of bad memories. But I also have a lot, a lot of good memories. With Snow and Robin and you."

Emma smiles. "I love our memories," she says, "have I ever been in one of your nightmares? Because you're in mine all the time." She tells her mom honestly.

"You are only in my nightmares at night." Regina whispers. "Those are nightmares in which I lose you." A tear runs down her face now. "I... I'm in your nightmares?" she then asks softly.

"Yes, you are," Emma whispers and she looks into her lap, "for the same reason I'm in yours."

Regina softly cries now. "I love you so much, Emma." she whispers.

Emma smiles. "I love you too, mom," she whispers, "I'm happy you're back."

"Me too. Me too, sweetheart. I'm never running away again."

"You can't promise that," Emma says, "what if you're not yourself, if you're in a different world."

"Then I'll just have to be strong enough to not run away. I can't do that. I'm your mother and I need to take care of you."

"I can take care of myself too," Emma says, but she loves the idea that her mother won't run away anymore.

"Of course you can." Regina smiles softly now. "You're a strong girl, Emma." Regina sees Leopold out of the corner of her eye again. "Emma? He's not really there, is he?" she softly asks to be sure.

"There is no one here," Emma says, "so I think not."

Regina nodds and relaxes. "Thank you, sweetheart." she whispers. "I think I need to ask whoever is with me if Leopold is real or not, when I see him. Maybe that will help me to not see him soon?"

"Yeah," Emma says, "like a game. That seems a good idea." She looks at her mother. "Now he is not real."

Regina nodds. "Thank you, sweetheart." she smiles. She gives Emma a long and warm hug. "I love you so much, dear."

Emma smiles and hugs her mother back.


	23. Being Human

Regina softly smiles again. "What do you want to do today? It's still early in the afternoon." she asks Emma.

"There is not really something I want to do," Emma says, "do you want to do something? No wait! We can go horse riding! Can we?" Emma looks at her mom, her eyes are full of excitement.

"Of course we can! Rocinante is still in the stables. Come on!" Regina shares the excitement of her daughter immediately.

Emma giggles and runs with her mother to the stables. They arrive completely out of breath, "I won!" Emma says when she arrives first.

Regina laughs out loud. "Yes, you did." she giggles. She looks up when she hears footsteps. "We are going for a ride. Is that alright?" she softly smiles to Robin and Dr. Anderson.

"Yes, sure," dr. Anderson says. Robin nods. 

Emma sits on Rocinante's back already. "Are you coming mom?" she says, not seeing to whom Regina is talking.

"I am. Just needed to tell Robin and Juli what we're up to." Regina winks. She sits behind Emma on Rocinante and starts riding.

"Who taught you to ride?" Emma asks when they're riding through the woods, "you're very good at it."

"My father and Daniel." Regina smiles.

"Daniel," Emma says softly, but with a smile. "Were they good teachers, or were you just so talented yourself."

"I like to say that my father was a very good teacher." Regina answers softly. "But he always said I was a born talent."

"I believe him," Emma grins.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, sweetheart. Do you want to ride Rocinante now?"

"Yeah," Emma says, "Although I like it better when you ride, because then we can go faster." She smiles.

"I can go fast." Regina laughs. She gallops away with Rocinante.

Emma screams of excitement. She is scared and happy at the same time. Her arms are very tightly around Regina and she closes her eyes, laughing.

Regina laughs when she slow her horse down.

"Oh my gosh," Emma says with a sigh. She doesn't know why she is out of breath.

"I find riding like that exciting and thrilling." Regina smiles and explains.

"Me too," Emma says, "it gives you an amazing feeling."

"It really does, sweetheart." Regina smiles. "Where do you want to go to?"

"My new school?" Emma says, smiling a little and looking at the ground.

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Emma!" Regina smiles brightly. She feels her body getting tired, due to a lack of rest, but her happiness and energy when she's with Emma keeps her going. "Let's go!" Regina turns Rocinante in the right direction and after a little while the both of them reach the cosy and small village of Snow's old school. Regina points out the little school and together with Emma walks inside.

The schoolhallway is empty and quiet, except for some noise from the classrooms. All the children are inside, since the lunch break just ended. "This is a lot smaller then I imagined it," Emma says. She's gotten used to the bigger school in Storybrooke. "But it looks nice."

"It really is." Regina knocks on the door to the classroom.

"Come in," the teacher says. When the door opens all of the children's faces turn towards the door.

"Hello." Regina smiles to the teacher and the children in the classroom.

"Hi, can I help you?" the teacher says with a smile.

"I'm Regina and this is my daughter, Emma. She would like to join this class in a couple of days and we wanted to come and say hello."

Emma smiles. It's a little bit a forced smile, because she didn't expected her mother to introduce her to her new class. She really should have put on some other clothes, nicer clothes. Some of the children greet them, smiles on their face. "That's great," the teacher says, "welcome. Please come in."

"Thank you." Regina smiles. "You look absolutely great, sweetheart." she whispers to Emma before the two of them sit down.

Emma isn't so sure, but she sits down after her mother. "We were just discussing out literature-task from this morning," the teacher says and Emma's eyes lighten up.

Regina smiles softly and watches the interaction between Emma, the teacher and the other kids.

When the children are doing a task in groups, the teacher walks to Regina. "You can also come back at the end of the schoolday, then she can get to know her classmates already," she says, "and she won't have the pressure of her mother sitting next to her." She winks.

Regina looks at Emma with hesitation in her eyes. "I don't know...." she whispers.

"That's alright," the teacher says, "it was just a suggestion."

"I think you're right. Maybe I'm a bit overprotective." Regina smiles. She gets the idea that no one knows who she is or who Emma is and she's not planning on telling them. She doesn't want Emma to be treaten differently. "I will take a walk through town and pick her up after school. Emma, is that alright with you?"

"Yes, that's fine," Emma says, a bit insecure, but on the other side confident. The teacher smiles.

Regina nodds and walks into the little town. She walks around and greets the villagers.

They all greet her back and some of them bow. They remember her being with Snow, so one of the villagers asks her (after greeting an bowing) "How are you my Queen, if I may ask? And how is Snow?"

"We are actually fine. We moved back into The Castle. Thank you for asking. How is everything here?"

"Everything is good here, thank you," the villager says.

Regina nodds and smiles. "If there is anything I can do to help, just come and see me."

"Thank you my Queen," the villager says. A man, who listened to the conversation, now speaks, "well... there may be something you can help us with."

Regina turns around. "Please tell me. I would love to do something for you." she smiles.

"The roof of our small hospital collapsed yesterday. We have enough men an women to fix it, but not enough supplies...".

Regina nodds. "Say no more. The supplies will be there first thing tomorrow. Are there people injured?"

"Thank you so much, your majesty," the man says and he bows, smiling brightly. "No one was injured, fortunately. Only a few scratches."

Regina sighs a breath of relief. "I'm glad to hear that. When I get back to The Castle I'll make sure the supplies will be on their way." She nodds and smiles brightly.

"That makes us so happy, thank you," the man says.

Regina smiles and nodds again. "If that's all I can do, I'm going to pick up my daughter now, if that's alright?"

"Yes of course, your majesty" the man says with a smile, "and feel free to join us again sometime. We will make sure you get a better welcome then."

"You don't have to do that." Regina smiles, softly and shy.

"It's our pleasure," the man says. A little girl walks to Regina and reaches out some flowers. "For you," she says softly. Her mother told her to give them to the queen.

"For... For me?" Regina whispers. She sinks down to the girls height and takes over the flowers. "Thank you very much, sweetheart." she smiles.

"You’re welcome," the girl says. She looks at the ground and giggles. "My mom says you're the fairest of the land. And I like your dress," she softly says.

"Oh, honey, I am not the fairest of the land." Regina whispers. "You are wearing a beautiful dress yourself." she then smiles.

"I believe my mommy, you are really pretty," the little girl says, "and thank you, my sister made it."

Regina smiles. "Well, thank you, sweetheart." Regina nodds and smiles again before getting up. She sees the girl's mother looking at them and nodds and smiles to her as well. Regina then slowly makes her way back to the school to pick up Emma.

The headmistress comes out of her office when she sees Regina arriving. "Regina," she says, "I already expected you." She smiles.

Regina smiles back. "How is Emma doing on her first trial day?"

"It seems like a party in that classroom, so I guess it's good," she says, "you didn't tell me she was coming today."

"It... It wasn't exactly planned. I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" Regina retreats.

"No, it just would have been nice if you told us before hand, but you're good," she says

"I understand. I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

"Don't worry about it," she says, "so... Your daughter wants to go to school here?"

"If that is alright with you." Regina keeps talking with a very soft voice.

"Yes wonderful, wonderful," the headmistress says, "that also means you moved here again?"

Regina nodds. "We did. The Enchanted Forest is our home." She softly smiles now.

"Welcome back," the headmistress says. She smiles too.

"Thank you." Regina nodds. "It's time for me and Emma to go back to The Castle. School is out now, right?"

"Yeah it will be in a couple of minutes," she says, "it was good to see you again. When will your daughter, Emma was it right? come again? Maybe we can do the registration then."

"Let's ask her, shall we?" Regina smiling suggests.

"Good plan," the headmistress grins.

The two of them walk over to Emma's classroom. The class just ended and all the kids are walking outside.

Emma walks to her mom, smiling.

"Hi sweetheart." Regina greets her daughter with love in her eyes and voice. "How was school?"

"It was nice," Emma says, "we did a group talk, so I could get to know everyone."

"Do you want to keep coming here, to school?" Regina wants to know. "You could get home schooled as well, if you prefer that?"

"No I prefer school," Emma says. She doesn't know if she can handle homeschooling, too boring and too lonely. She wants to make new friends here, real friends.

"I thought so." Regina smiles. "The headmistress wants to know when you will be back. How about tomorrow?" she then suggests.

"Yeah, sounds good," Emma says with a little smile. "I like your school," she says to the headmistress.

Regina looks proud at her daughter. She's come such a long way regarding school.

"Thank you," the headmistress says. When Emma starts to walk to the exit, she adds, "see you tomorrow then."

Regina nodds and follows Emma. "I'm glad you like this school. Snow used to come here as well."

"Did she like it there?"

"She did." Regina smiles. "Just like you."

Emma smiles. "The kids are much nicer here," she whispers.

"They are. I agree." Regina softly answers. "There are no cellphones or laptops here to ruin decent human relationships." she adds.

Emma grins, "maybe you're right."

Regina giggles. "Ready to go back on Rocinante?" The both of them ride back to The Castle. "Dinner will be ready soon, if I remember things correctly." Regina says to Emma before walking inside.

"Right," Emma says and she climbs on Rocinante's back. "If you ride fast, we will make it for dinner." She giggles, wanting her mother to go at full speed. "I'm very hungry," she adds to add more power to her words.

Regina winks and rides very fast back to The Castle. "Do you think we made it for dinner?" Regina giggles.

"Not if you go this slowly!" Emma grins

Regina rides a little faster now. "I can't go any faster!" she shouts. Within 10 minutes they arrive back home.

"That was cool," Emma says, breathing deeply. She strokes her hair back in the right place.

"I know. That's why I love riding her so much. Rocinante still knows what she needs to do, even after all this time."

"It wasn't that long for her," Emma says, "ten years in Storybrooke, is one week right here."

Regina nodds. "That's true." she smiles. "You're such a clever girl, Emma."

"I'm not clever," Emma says, "everyone could have figured that out."

"Yes, you are. You are a very smart girl, sweetheart." Regina smiles. The both of them walk into The Castle now. "I smell dinner." Regina softly smiles.

"I do too and it smells great," Emma says. They walk into the dining room. Snow is already there.

"Snow." Regina smiles brightly. "Did you have a good day?"

"Actually I did," Snow says, "I walked around in the beautiful woods." A lot more than that happened, but she hopes her mother doesn't see that on her face. Really small chance but worth a try. She smiles nervously.

"And what happened in the woods?" Regina asks while sitting down.

"What makes you think something happened?" Snow asks, trying to look innocent.

Regina looks her eldest daughter in her eyes. "Because I know my daughters and I can tell when something's wrong."

"I'll tell you later okay?" Snow says, "I promise it's nothing bad." She smiles, a real, giggling smile.

Regina nodds. "Alright then." she smiles.

Robin and dr. Anderson come inside together, talking. They sit down at the table, greeting Regina, Snow and Emma

Regina smiles at Robin. She feels a lot more relaxed although she's very tired. "Where is Henry?" she wants to know.

"Wandering around the castle with some guards," Snow says, "they'll show him the weapon section and all kind of boyish stuff." She doesn't feel good about it, but she she follows up Regina's advise.

Regina smiles brightly. "I bet a boy his age loves all of that. That's really nice, Snow." Regina then looks at dr. Anderson and Robin. "Are you both doing alright?"

Snow smiles, "thanks, mom," she says. Robin and dr. Anderson nod, "yeah we're fine, aren't we Robin," dr. Anderson says. "perfectly fine, yes," Robin adds.

Regina softly smiles. She looks up when another person joins them for dinner.

Leopold walks in.

Regina looks at dr. Anderson. Her eyes seem to ask if he's real or not.

"Real," Emma whispers in het mother's ear. Dr. Anderson nods.

Regina looks at Emma, a bit surprised, but smiles thankfully at her. She then nodds towards Leopold. Right behind him dinner gets served. Regina doesn't eat much.

Emma looks at her mother and feels sad. She refuses to eat a thing.

"Emma? Emma, sweetheart, you need to eat a bit." Regina softly says to her youngest daughter.

"If you won't eat, I won't eat either."

Regina looks at Leopold, a bit of fear in her eyes. She can't eat, not with him at the same table. Her hand strokes her belly nervously.

Emma crosses her arms and pushes her plate away from herself. Dr. Anderson looks worried.

Regina slowly pushes Emma's plate back in front of her. "We need to eat." she slowly says. She looks at Robin and dr. Anderson before she starts to eat a bit herself.

Emma only looks at her mother and eats a bit too.

Regina nervously strokes her belly again. She looks up at Leopold to see his reaction.

Leopold grins and then looks away.

Regina's eyes search for those of Robin. She doesn't know what to do.

"It's okay," he forms with his lips. "Don't look at him and try to eat," he then whispers.

Regina looks down to her plate again and decides to eat a bit more.

Robin smiles and he eats some more too.

Regina looks at Emma to see if she's eating as well.

Emma pretends to be chewing.

Regina stops eating. She drops her fork and knife and looks down.

Everyone stays silent, until Leopold stands up, thanks everyone for dinner and says he has stuff to do. He leaves the room.

Regina's body freezes and she keeps looking down.

The servants come to clean up the table, but Robin orders them to leave Regina's and Emma's plates. When everything is removed from the table, he looks at Regina and Emma. "You can't survive without eating."

"I... I can't." Regina whispers. "I can't eat when he's here."

"Leopold is gone now," Robin says.

"I'll eat when Emma eats." Regina whispers.

"What?" Robin whispers. He shakes his head and looks away from Regina. Emma eats some bread. "Now you have to eat too, mom," she says.

Regina nodds and slowly starts to eat. She doesn't stop until she has eaten enough. "I'm done now, am I?"

Robin doesn't react, but dr. Anderson nods, "Yeah, you did good," she says with a tiny smile.

Regina looks at Emma. "Did you eat enough?"

"Yes," Emma says.

Regina softly smiles. "I'm very tired now, but before I go to bed I need to speak with the person who manages the supplies."

"Right," dr. Anderson says. They all stand up and go their own way.

Regina nodds and does as promised to the villagers. She makes sure the supplies are heading out before midnight so they will arrive at the right place first thing in the morning. Regina then walks to her bedroom she shares with Robin.

Robin looks at her when she comes in, but then focuses on unpacking some boxes again.

Regina slowly closes the door and then keeps standing against it. She's afraid when Robin acts this way. "Why are you mad?" she whispers softly.

"I'm just mad," Robin says. "there are multiple reasons for that."

Regina immediately flinches away from him and hides in a dark corner. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"What you're doing now is one of the biggest reasons I'm mad," Robin says, "I can't have a normal conversation with you. I can't be honest with you, because if I say something wrong, you hide or freak out." He sighs.

"I said I'm sorry!" Regina snaps now. "I'm not doing this on purpose!"

"Right, right," Robin snaps back, "I just want to have a normal conversation with you sometimes, I need you! Just like you need me sometimes. But I can't talk to you." He takes a deep breath and calmes down a bit, "You have Emma and Snow, you're a mother. I have only you, but you're almost never really there. I'm no father, I'm nothing."

Regina startles and looks up at him. "You are not nothing!" she screams at him. "Yes, I have Snow and Emma, but I need you as well! I ate because you said it's important!" Regina starts to cry now. "I need you as well." she repeats.

Robin takes a deep breath and doesn't look at Regina. "I'll be there for you," he says, "I'll always be there for you. But now, I don't know, I feel so empty. It feels like I'm losing you. When you talk to Snow or Emma you're perfectly fine. You talk to them like nothing happened. I know it's because you are protecting them, because they are your daughters, but it has been a long time since we had a good conversation. A conversation in which you don't end up in a corner."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Regina softly cries, slowly coming out of the corner and sitting on the bed. "I'm just so scared when someone is angry with me." She looks up at Robin.

"But you don't have to be," Robin says, "if someone is angry with you, it doesn't mean that person is right. You need to discus, not let the other person win immediately." He walks towards Regina and sits down next to her. He takes her in his arms. "You need to be strong," he whispers.

"I will be." Regina whispers. "Do you still love me?"

"Of course I do," Robin says. He kisses her cheek softly and takes her closer to his body. "Being mad, doesn't mean I lost my love for you."

"It doesn't?" Regina whispers, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. "And you're not going to hit me?"

"I'll never hit you, ever,," Robin says. He can't help but smile when he looks into her eyes. "And I'll never stop loving you, please remember that."

Regina nodds and sighs with relief. "I love you as well." She gives him a little kiss and then explains why she needed to talk to the head of the supplies in The Kingdom.

"That's good," Robin says, "that's what a queen would have done." He smiles a little.

Regina smiles back. "I like doing things like that." she softly answers.

"Because you make people happy with it," Robin says.

"I do. I think Emma is happy as well. She likes the school where Snow went."

"That's great," Robin says, "you went there with her this afternoon?"

"Yes." Regina smiles. "She likes it very much."

"She deserves it," Robin says, "maybe she finally finds a school she likes."

"I do hope so. She really deserves it." Regina answers with a smile. "She's going back tomorrow as well and I plan to go to the hospital that's being built up. Do you want to join me?"

"Yes," Robin says, but he is kind of lost in his mind a little, thinking of how it would be if he had a child himself. A child he raised as a father, how would it feel to see your child go to a new school for the first time?

"Robin? Are you alright?" Regina asks softly, lifting his face so he looks into her eyes.

"Hmm?" Robin says, "yes I'm fine, I'm just ... just thinking."

"Talk to me, Robin."

"When I see you and Emma together... I just wished I had something like that too," he says honestly. "I know I shouldn't think that, but it's the truth." He thinks of the boy he once had, with Marian, but he doesn't tell Regina that.

"Are you thinking about Roland? And Henry?" Regina asks softly.

"I do," Robin only says, not looking at Regina anymore.

"I understand." Regina whispers.

"I'm sorry," Robin says, now feeling lonelier than ever. He takes Regina closer to his body.

Regina holds him close as well. "You don't have to be sorry. I do."

"No you don't," Robin softly says, "you were a different person then. It was not your fault." He tries to convince himself.

"It is my fault. I didn't have to kill Marian and Roland. I should have been stronger." Regina whispers.

"Regina," Robin says and now he makes her look at him, "do you think I would be sitting here, holding you, if I hadn't forgiven you for that. Like I said you were a different woman right then. And when I think of Roland, I think of him as my son that passed away, not the boy you killed."

"You... You do?" Regina whispers, stunned by the forgiveness of Robin.

"I do," Robin says. "It hurts when I think of him, because I would have loved him with all I had. But when I think of what happened to him, I don't feel pain. Because that's behind me, I have forgiven you and I moved on."

Regina softly cries now. "I don't deserve you. You're too good for me."

Robin smiles and stokes Regina's hair. "Nonsense," he whispers.

Regina has a hard time holding her eyes open now. "I'm very tired." she whispers. "It will be morning soon and I have a lot to do."

"Alright," he says. He lets Regina lie down on the bed. "Then let's go to sleep."

"Yes, please. Do you want to hold me? Please?"

"Okay," Robin whispers. He lays a blanket over her body and lies down next to her, wrapping his arms around her and taking her close.

Regina falls asleep quickly. She curls up against Robin. The next morning she smiles when she and Robin enter the breakfast ball and she sees everyone sitting at the table.

Emma smiles at her mother when she sees her. The rest greets them.

"Hello everyone." Regina smiles brightly. "What are the plans for today?"

"School," Emma says.   
"Just exploring the villages I guess," dr. Anderson adds.

"Should Robin and I drop you off at school before we go to the hospital? Do you want to come with us, Juli and Snow?" Regina suggests.

Juli nods, "Yeah I would love to come," she says.   
"I have planned something else," she says with a smile, "I hoped you could take Henry to the school too today."

Regina nodds. "That's fine by me." she smiles. "Let's have breakfast." Regina just nodds towards Leopold and doesn't acknowledge him any further.

"Thanks," Snow says. They all eat their breakfast, which is delicious.

Regina eats enough for a woman her age. Afterwards she sees Leopold's reaction to her eating.

Leopold raises his eyebrows and grins. "I hope you will throw that up after breakfast," Leopold says, after he stood up and walked to her, "because if you go through like this, your dresses won't fit and I don't like that." His mouth is very close to Regina's, but before anyone can say something about it, he leaves the room.

Regina quickly excuses herself from the breakfast table. She hurries to the nearest bathroom and, before anyone follows her and notices it, she throws up. She hears someone laughing behind her.

"Good, very good, indeed," Leopold says, laughing. "I'm glad you realize I'm right."

"You don't like it if I don't fit in my dresses." Regina whispers.

"I hate it," Leopold whispers. He softly starts to stroke Regina's hips, letting his lips go over her neck.

Regina slowly nodds. "I... I know." she whispers.

"So what are you going to do now?" Leopold whispers. He holds his hands tightly around her waist now, squeezing her body.

"Throw up everything I eat." Regina suggests softly. "I... I'm here to serve you, my King." Regina wants to take a step back but he doesn't let her.

"You're a very good girl, but I prefer you eating nothing at all," he whispers. He kisses her cheek.

"I... I'll get sick if I don't eat. Robin says it's important to eat." she now whispers. She turns her head away from Leopold.

"You're here to serve me," Leopold says, "not Robin." He pushes his nails in her skin and pulls her closer to show her she is in his power.

"Please. You're hurting me." Regina whispers. "I... I don't like this."

"Get used to it," Leopold whispers and he lets her go, because he sees Robin coming. He is away before Robin runs inside.

Regina's body trembles when Robin reaches her. "I'm... I... I need to get ready to leave for the village."

Robin takes Regina in his arms. "First tell me what happened, did he hurt you?'

"No. No, he didn't." Regina thinks fast. "I didn't feel well after breakfast. I think I ate something wrong. Leopold walked past and heard me throwing up. He came in to see if I was alright. He was civil." Regina mumbles.

"He was?" Robin says, not really believing Regina, but also not knowing why Regina would lie about something like that. "Then why are you shaking?"

"Because I threw up. I'm sorry." Regina whispers. "Can we go and get ready now? I want to visit the hospital and drop Emma and Henry off at school before."

"Yes, so are you alright now? I can go alone if you want," Robin says.

"No, please, I'm alright now. I can come with you. I'm still The Queen, aren't I?" Regina softly smiles. She and Robin walk towards their bedroom. Regina just nodds to Leopold when they pass him on their way upstairs.

Leopold grins. Robin makes everything ready, grabbing some stuff together.

Regina excuses herself when she's dressed and ready to go. "I just need to go to the bathroom before we leave." She smiles at Robin and gives him a kiss. "I love you." she smiles. She then hurries back to the same bathroom. She needs to throw up again. When she's done she feels hands on her body.

"Very good," Leopold whispers. "You're a quick learner." He touches her body and pulls her closer to himself.

Regina flinches. "I don't like that. Please." she whispers.

"Oh but you do like it when I do this," Leopold grins, moving his hands over her legs and going up.

Regina softly moans now. Her body betrays her and leans into his touch. "You... How... How do you know?" she manages to ask.

"I just do," Leopold whispers. He kisses her neck and goes on touching her.

Regina gasps for air. Her body likes this. She leans into his touch, opening her legs for him now. "P.. Please. R... Robin. Robin... Please, Leopold." she mumbles, not making any sense.

Leopold only laughs and doesn't let her go. He knows he touches her right where she likes it and he won't stop. "I know you like this," Leopold says, "so why please?"

"R.Robin. I love Robin." she mumbles, but still leaning into Leopold's touch.

"Does he give you this?" Leopold asks with a grin. He moves his hands away now.

"Yes, he does." Regina whispers, moaning about the loss of contact.

"Really?" Leopold whispers. He grins when he hears Regina moan. "Let's finish this tonight," he says and he kisses her on her lips, "midnight, my room."

"No. Now or not at all." Regina whispers.

"Hmm," Leopold says, moving his hands down again. "They will have to leave without you then. Or Emma will miss school." He touches her again.

"N.No..." Regina whispers. "I.. I need to go. Leo..Leopold, please." She leans into his touch again. "Make me come. Now. Quick." She almost begs.

Leopold slowly moves his hands away and grins.   
Robin knocks on the door. "Regina are you okay? Can I come in?" He starts to push the door open.  
At that moment Leopold makes her come.

"R..Robin." Regina whispers. She leans against the wall after she comes back from the high of her orgasm. "I.. I didn't... He... I...." She flinches away into the nearest corner of the bathroom. "He made me throw up. He... I... I didn't want to... He touched me without me wanting it." Regina keeps mumbling and curls up in the corner.

Robin hits Leopold in his face but Leopold only grins. He leaves the room and Robin doesn't go after him. He looks at Regina, not knowing what to say...

"I didn't want to. I didn't want to. I promise I didn't. I swear. I swear." Regina cries now. "You're mad. You're mad at me. I know. I understand. I understand." Her whole body trembles. "I need to be punished. I need to be punished. I understand. You can do whatever you want to. I understand." Regina starts to undress herself. She crawls onto her knees and keeps her head low, bowing to Robin. "I understand." she whispers again, making herself ready for the first blow.

"Regina please stop," Robin says. He makes her look at him. "I won't hurt you, don't do this," he whispers. "I love you."

Regina immediately crawls into his arms, curling her naked, fragile body against his chest. "Please, please." she begs softly. "Please, hold me. I'm so scared." Regina starts to cry again and doesn't seem able to stop any time soon.

Robin holds Regina close. He feels her body shaking in his arms (or more that what is left of her body, because he realizes how skinny she is. Again. Far too skinny to be okay. He lets her cry as long as she wants, stroking her hair and whispering sweet words. It feels good to have her safe in his arms.

"We... We need to go. Emma and Henry shouldn't be late for school." Regina whispers after a while. She poofs into some clothes. She looks at Robin. "You're coming, right?"

"Regina," Robin says, "we can stay home together. Juli can take them."

"No. No, I want to go with all of you. Please. It will take my mind off of things. Please?" Regina whispers. "I need to see the villagers and the hospital. That's what a Queen needs to do."

"A Queen knows when something is too much," Robin says, "but if you really want it, we can go, but take it easy alright?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, I will. Thank you. Thank you, Robin." She smiles now. "Let's go. I bet everyone is ready to leave."

"Yes they are," Robin says he takes Regina's hand in his and they walk to the coach, where Juli, Emma and Henry are already waiting.

Regina smiles to the three of them. "Are you ready to go?"

"I think we can better ask you that question," Juli says. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking." Regina softly smiles. She sits down between Emma and Henry in the couch. "Let's drop you off at school, alright?"

"Yes," Emma says. She looks at her mom, not daring to ask what happened. She can see that her mother cried, because of her red eyes.

Regina smiles again. "I'm glad to hear that. What about you, Henry?"

"Fine, mom?" Henry says. Emma looks at him, fire in her eyes. How does he dare to call her mom.

Regina strokes Emma's back. "I'm glad you like this school." she smiles. After a little while the couch stops at the village with the school. Regina hugs Emma goodbye for now and waves at Henry. "We'll pick you up after school, alright?"

"See you!" Emma shouts while she runs inside. She doesn't want to be late.

Regina giggles. She keeps close to Robin. "Let's go to the hospital now." Robin, Juli and Regina get back into the couch. Regina leans against Robin's shoulder.

Robin takes Regina's hand in his and softly strokes the top with his fingers. They ride to the hospital in silence.

Regina seeks Robin's comfort as much as she can. "He hurt me." she whispers. "I don't want him in The Castle any longer, but he refuses to leave." She looks down.

"I understand, and we will try very hard to find a way to get him out, I promise," Robin says. He knows how often they tried to get did of him, but it never succeeded...

Regina nodds. In the distance she starts to see the hospital. She smiles when she sees that the supplies arrived on time.

A lot of men are already carrying the supplies, while some women tell them where to store it. They look up when the coach arrives. Robin helps Regina out of the coach and looks at the crowd.

Regina looks at the people as well. "I do hope everything you need has been delivered?" she softly asks.

"Yes, my Queen, this is more than we could ever dream."

Regina smiles. "I'm glad I could help. You are sure you don't need more men to restore the hospital?"

"No, my Queen, but thanks," The man bows.

Regina smiles. "I would love to visit the hospital. Is that alright?"

"Yes of course," the man says. "I can find someone who can give you a small tour if you want."

Regina nodds now. "I would love that. Thank you."

The man leaves and comes back with a woman. "Hi," she says when she arrives. She is a young girl with short brown hair. "I'm Anita. It's so nice to meet you."

"Good morning, Anita. I'm Regina and this is my partner, Robin, and a dear friend of mine, Juli." Regina smiles and introduces everyone. "We appreciate you taking time for us."

"It's our pleasure," she says and she greats Robin and Juli. "My father owns the hospital, but he is very busy right now. You know, fixing the roof, but I can give you a tour too. I've walked around here my whole life."

Regina smiles. "That would be lovely, thank you."

Anita leads them into the hospital. "This we call the reception hall. It's were everyone comes in." It's a small hallway with a high ceiling, so that it looks bigger than it is. "Is there a certain part you would like to see?"

"Is there a psychiatric ward?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes we do," Anita says. "It's kind of a big ward, because we're one of the few hospitals that have this specific department."

"I'd like to see it, if that's possible?" Regina smiles softly.

"Thanks," Juli smiles. Anita leads the way

Regina looks at Juli. "I thought you would like to see it?" she smiles.

"Yes very much," Juli says.

Regina smiles. The three of them follow Anita into the ward.

"Well this is it," Anita says. It's a big place with couches and chairs everywhere. On the other side of the big room is a hallway with doors to the chambers.

"It looks amazing." Regina whispers, stunned by the difference between this ward and the one she got to know in Boston.

"Thanks," Anita says, "we try to make it as comfortable as possible." A soft but hearable crying sound comes out of one of the rooms. They are close enough to hear it now. "She lost her parents," Anita explains, "No one has been able to calm her down."

"How old is she?" Regina wants to know.

"She is twelve," Anita says.

"Can I go see her?" Regina softly asks.

"You can my Queen," Anita says. She knows no one has come to see this girl yet, so she can let someone in. "Can I go too?" Juli asks. Anita nods and Juli walks in with Regina. A small girl lays curled up on her bed.

Regina slowly approaches the little girl. "Hi there." she whispers, while sitting down beside her on the bed.

"Go away," the girl cries. "Go away."

"It's alright. I'm Regina. I'm not going to hurt you." Regina softly answers.

"Go. Away!" The Girl screams.

Regina remains silent, but she keeps sitting next to the girl. She's not leaving.

"Go away, go away, go away, go away," the girl keeps whispering in herself. She turns her back towards Regina and cries again.

Regina slowly starts to stroke the girl's back. "It's alright. You can cry as long and as loud as you want, but I'm not going anywhere. You shouldn't be alone when you feel this sad." she whispers.

The girl starts to yell very very hard. She doesn't stop screaming.

Regina doesn't stop her. She doesn't break contact either. She just strokes the girl's back to let her know she's not alone.

The girl now kicks Regina away from her. "Don't touch me!" she screams. Juli looks at Regina.

Regina startles a bit, but she doesn't leave. She doesn't touch the girl any longer and gets up from the bed to sit in the chair next to the bed, but she doesn't leave.

Juli has seen this before before she moved to Boston she saw many children like this. She keeps standing, knowing that the girl won't like contact. She smiles at Regina, letting her know this was the right thing to do.

Regina softly smiles back. She slowly and carefully starts to tell a story. "Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved horseback riding. Her father, who also was her best friend, thought her how to ride."

Dr. Anderson winks, silently telling her to go on, even though the girl doesn't seem to care.

"But this little girl's mother didn't approve. She only wanted her daughter to ride with a saddle and like a proper lady, while the young girl just wanted to have some fun." Regina sighs softly. "But fun wasn't tolerated. The girl had to learn how to walk between the lines."

"Stop," the girl whispers.

Regina stops for a little while, waiting for the girl's reaction.

"Mother's always approve," the girl whispers, "mother's do what makes their daughters happy."

"That's what mothers are supposed to do." Regina whispers. "Did your mother make you happy?"

"Yes, very much," the girl says, "but she is gone." She starts to cry again.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers, acknowledging the grief of the little girl.

"You're not sorry, you didn't even know her!"

"That's true." Regina whispers. "But I am sorry because I see how it hurts you."

"Go away!"

"You sure are a though one, aren't you?" Regina smiles softly. "You very much remind me of myself at your age."

"Just leave me alone," the girl whispers. She stopped screaming, but even more tears roll down her cheeks.

"I know what it's like wanting to be left alone." Regina whispers now. "To not want anyone around you."

The girl hides herself under her blanket. "You do? Why don't you go then?" the girl says.

"Because I also know what it's like the moment you really do are alone." Regina whispers, but loud enough so the girl can hear her.

"Just go, please," the girl says, feeling this woman is breaking through the shell she built around her. It feels horrible.

"I also tell people to go when I feel they are coming too close." Regina whispers.

"Please," the girl cries. The blanket covers her whole body now.

"You know..." Regina softly continues, "Whenever I feel sad or scared I hide into the darkest corner I can find." Regina slowly puts her hand on the bed, not touching the girl, but letting her know she's closeby. "It gives me a feeling of safety. Like no one can touch me when they don't see me."

"It's true," the girl whispers. "That's why I love the dark. And that's why I want you to go." When she feels her bed move, because Regina puts her hand on it, something breaks inside her. As if the woman just gave the walls around her that little push and made them collapse.   
The girl sofly grabs Regina's hand.

"I want to go, because I know how much you want to be alone. But I wouldn't be a friend if I did that, now would I?" Regina softly answers, with a small smile on her face.

The girl softly cries. "We can't be friends," she whispers. She lets Regina's hand go very slowly.

"We can't?" Regina keeps her hand on the bed. "Why can't we?"

"Because I still want to be alone," the girl whispers. But for the first time she isn't sure about that. "You don't want me as your friend. Say it!"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Regina whispers. "I could use a friend. Someone who understands."

"But I don't," the girl lies. "No one understands." She hides every single part of her body under the blanket again.

"I do and I think you know that. You're just scared, but that's alright. It's alright to be scared. It's a scary thing when someone understands you and accepts you for who you are." Regina moves her hand a bit closer now. "But it's also worth it." she whispers.

"I'm just a crying girl," the girl says, "I don't think I'm worth it."   
Deep down inside she feels this woman is really accepting her. She never felt this way with all the doctors that came to see her. This woman really understands.

"You're so much more than just a crying girl, sweetheart." Regina whispers. "And like I said, there is nothing wrong with crying. You can cry as long and as loud as you want. I don't mind. You have good reason to cry." Again Regina moves her hand closer towards the girl. "The world isn't a nice place, not all the time, and bad things happen and it's alright to feel whatever it is you are feeling."

The girl moves her hand to Regina's again and softly takes it in hers. Crying feels so good now, because someone told her crying is okay. That's she can cry as long and loud as she wants. She doesn't try to keep in anymore and for one time crying doesn't give her a head ache. She doesn't say a thing, but she opens her eyes and looks at the light coming from the place where her hand touches the woman's.

Regina doesn't pull the girl out from under the blanket. She knows how much someone can need it to feel safe. She does stroke the girl's hand softly now. "It's alright. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." she softly whispers. "You can take your time. It's alright. It really is."

The girl softly pushes the blanket from her face and body with her free hand. Her big blue eyes stare into Regina's. Her messy hair lays as a crown around her head.

"Hi there." Regina softly smiles. "I'm Regina."

"Ag- Agnes," the girl whispers, "I'm Agnes."

"You have a very pretty name, Agnes." Regina smiles.

Agnes says nothing, she keeps looking at Regina's face with her eyes wide open. She is just taking it all in.

Regina softly smiles at the girl. "Do you have any other family, Agnes?" she wants to know.

Agnes nods. She pulls the blanket up to her chin.

"Do they come to visit you sometimes?" Regina strokes the girl's hand softly.

"My grandma came," Agnes whispers.

"Is she nice to you, Agnes?"

"Yes, she is" Agnes whispers. "She brings me breakfast every morning, even though I never eat it."

Regina smiles. "That's nice of her. Will she come and visit you this morning as well?" Regina doesn't mention anything about the eating. More as anyone else she understands it's not the time to point out it's important to eat.

"I think so," Agnes says, "she has never missed a day."

"I would love to meet her. Is that alright with you?"

Agnes shrugs and pulls her blanket up over her mouth now.

"Maybe we can have breakfast together? I'm a bit hungry myself." Regina suggest softly. She knows the girl must be starving, after not eating for days.

Agnes doesn't say a thing. It has been a long time since she had a conversation with someone and doing 'normal' stuff again doesn't feel good, as if she forgets about her parents if she does it, as if their deaths don't matte to her.

Regina keeps quiet for a little while now, giving Agnes the chance to figure out her thoughts on her own.

Agnes covers her eyes with her blanket, so her whole body is covered again.

"I understand if you're tired. Do you want to rest for a little while?" Regina suggests with a soft voice.

"Yes," Agnes whispers, hoping Regina will leave and let her be alone.

"I'll be back later this morning, sweetheart. I'd love to meet your grandmother." Regina softly strokes the girl's hand once more before standing up from her chair and walking towards the door.

"You don't have to come, I'm fine alone," Agnes says. Then she looks from under her blanket at Regina. "Thank you," she whispers.

Regina smiles. She leaves the room and bumps right into someone. "I'm sorry." she apologizes.

A nurse comes in in a hurry. "Oh, that's my fault I'm sorry," she says. The nurse holds Agnes' medication, but Agnes refuses to take it and stays under her blanket, shouting that she has to go away.

"What kind of medication are you giving her?" Regina asks, nice and friendly.

"Some medication that will help her calm down. It also helps her sleep," the nurse says, "the other pills, I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I'm no doctor."

"Agnes is just 12 years old. She doesn't need any of those." Regina clearly states. She knows the girl can hear her, because she and the nurse are standing just outside of her room. "The reaction she's showing is a normal one. She just lost her parents. Medication isn't going to make things better."

"My orders are to give these pills to her, milady, the doctor knows what she is doing," the nurse states. "Her parents died a month ago, she can't handle this without the medication." Agnes looks at Regina and the nurse from under her blanket.

"Of course she can. Did you ever try it?"

"Of course we did," the nurse snaps.

Regina raises her eyebrow. Is this woman really talking to her, to The Queen, like that?

The nurse walks into the room without saying anything else.

Regina isn't planning on letting her getting away with this behaviour. "Excuses me?" she asks, while following the nurse inside. She stands between the girl and the nurse now. "What part didn't you understand? You're not giving her that medication."

"I have orders," the nurse says.

"I suppose they don't outweigh the orders of The Queen herself?"

The nurse now holds her breath. "You... I'm sorry," the nurse says. She bows. "I didn't expect you here, my queen."

Regina is a bit stunned this woman didn't recognize her. Did she change that much?

The nurse says nothing, but walks closer to the bed.

"She's not taking medication from now on. She's in grief. It's a normal reaction."

"Stopping the medication will damage her."

"Will you at least consult with dr. Anderson? She's an expert."

"Sorry who?"

"Dr. Anderson. She's a dear friend of mine and she's right outside the door. I would appreciate it if you'd consult with her."

The nurse doesn't know what to do...

"Please?"

"She should discus this with the doctor, not with me," the nurse says.

Regina raises her eyebrow again.

The nurse gets very nervous now. "Please?" she says.

"Go ahead and get the doctor for dr. Anderson. You're not giving that medication until they discussed it."

The nurse leaves, leaving the pills on the table.

Regina looks at Agnes.

Agnes is lost. Her eyes are turned towards Regina, but she doesn't really see her. She turns her eyes to the medication next to her, while she tries to focus.

"Are you alright, Agnes?" Regina softly asks.

"Go away," she whispers.

"I asked you a question, Agnes." Regina whispers.

"Go away," Agnes keeps repeating.

"I'll be back later this morning." Regina repeats, before she leaves the room again.

"You're giving her this?" dr. Anderson says. She talks to the doctor and completely disagrees with the medication she is giving to the girl. "She is 12 years old, you can't give her this!"

Regina smiles. She knew she could trust dr. Anderson.

"She is not sick, or crazy," dr. Anderson says, "she is a girl that lost her parents. She needs time and care, no medication." She didn't know what Regina just told the nurse but by the look in her eyes she can tell it's not much different from what she is saying now.

Regina nodds and smiles and lets Juli handle this. She looks for Robin and finds him soon.

"Hey," Robin says, giving her a small hug when he sees her, "how did it go?"

Regina smiles brightly, letting him know it went very well.

"Good," Robin smiles.

"I like doing things like this. The hospital and the little girl. I like doing good." Regina smiles, searching Robin's closeness.

"That's because, you are good," Robin says, wrapping his arm around her. "I love it when you do good," he grins and he kisses her on her forehead.

Regina smile again. "Me too. But I will do as I promised. There will be an election to decide who will run this land."

"Of course," Robin says, "that's what a good Queen would do." He winks.

Regina giggles. "But what if the people don't want me as their Queen?"

"Then there will be another Queen, although I doubt that."

"How come? I have done terrible things in this land, haven't I?"

"You did, but you proved you can be a good Queen too."

"I did?" Regina whispers, softly now.

"You let Snow go to this school and showed the villagers that you're a good person, that means something."

"Maybe it does." Regina smiles, still softly but now a bit more certain of herself. "I do hope dr. Anderson is able to get that girl off those medications. They are no good to her."

"What did they do? Or are they doing then?"

"They have put her on some heavy medication, according to Juli's reaction. But she's just a little girl who's in grief. Her behaviour is a normal reaction."

"Hm, I understand," Robin says, "why do they give her medication in the first place? I don't think there is a medicine for grief to be honest."

"There isn't." Regina winks. "She needs to work through it, not letting her emotions dull because of the medication. But she's only 12 years old. What does she know about those pills? I really do hope Juli will be able to help her."

"I think she will," Robin says, smiling, "she is good at such things."

"She sure is." Regina smiles. "I'm going to say goodbye for now to Agnes and then we can continue our walk. Is that alright?" she then suggests.

"Yes sure," Robin says.

Regina nodds and gives him a little kiss on his lips before she enters Agnes' room again. "Agnes?" she asks softly.

Agnes lies under her blanket again. Nothing of her body is visible. An old lady sits in the corner of the room on a chair. She looks at Regina when she comes in. 'Hello?"

"Hello. You must be Agnes' grandmother? I am...". But the old woman seems to know exactly who Regina is.

"Your majesty," the woman says. She makes a polite bow, but is not shocked or nervous, just polite.

"Regina." Regina softly corrects. "I'm Regina." She nodds her appreciation.

"What brings you here, Regina?" the woman says.

"Agnes." Regina answers softly. "You have an amazing grandchild."

The woman smiles, "I know I do," she says, "how do you know each other?"

"Anita", Regina starts to answer, clearly remembering the nurse's name, "is giving me a tour through this ward. She told me nobody has been able to get through to Agnes. I wanted to give it a shot."

"Did it work?" the woman asks, hopeful, "I never succeeded." She smiles a little and looks at the girl under the blanket.

"Maybe we should ask Agnes." Regina suggests. "Agnes? I know you're listening." she smiles, putting her hand on the blanket but not touching the girl.

Agnes only moves her hand from under the blanket and grabs Regina's hand, which is laying close to her.

Regina softly smiles to the grandmother of Agnes. She winks.

The woman smiles brightly. "You're special, Regina," she says.

"I'm really not. I'm just trying to do the good thing here."

"I can tell you, Regina, a lot of people tried," she says.

"I've been told." Regina smiles. "But Agnes here is a very special girl and she knows a friend when she feels it. I would like to be her friend."

The woman smiles. "I think she could need a friend like you," she says. If Regina is right, she herself isn't a friend...

"How are you doing? If I'm correct, you've lost your son and his wife. How are you holding up?" Regina wants to know.

"Yes, you're right. I just try to keep busy. It has been over a month and it felt like I had to move on for Agnes," she says, "taking care of Agnes, try to work on my farm, helps me keep my mind off things."

Regina nodds. "I understand." She now softly strokes Agnes' hand.

Agnes squeezes Regina's hand now, as if she will never let it go again. "Thanks for asking," the woman says.

Regina nodds with a smile. "How are you doing, Agnes?" She now directs her attention towards the little girl.

"Will you tell my grandma that I love her?" Agnes whispers.

"I think you just told her yourself, sweetheart." Regina whispers back.

Agnes now uncovers her face and looks Regina into her eyes. She then looks at her grandma.

Regina softly smiles and lets this moment happen.

"Did Regina tell you I love you?" Agnes whispers. Her grandma smiles.

Regina smiles as well, not interupting anything.

"I love you," Agnes whispers and she wraps her arms around her grandma's neck. She starts to cry in her arms, while her grandma softly strokes her back.

Regina softly nodds towards the elder woman and slowly leaves the room. She has a bright smile on her face.

"Thank you," the woman forms with her lips, tears stream over her cheeks. She smiles back.

Regina just nodds with a smile and then leaves the room. She looks up into dr. Anderson's eyes. "And?" she asks immediately, wanting to know about the medication.

"Terrible woman," dr. Anderson whispers. "but she won't give the medication anymore." She takes a deep breath.

Regina smiles and, out of nowhere actually, gives Juli a warm hug. "Thank you." she whispers in her ear.

Juli startles because of the sudden hug, but then she hugs Regina back. "It was a pleasure, my Queen," she giggles.

"I'm no Queen. I'm just Regina." Regina whispers.

"Just kidding," Juli whispers back. "Don't worry."

"Kidding? So... So I'm not Queen-material?" Regina's eyes show some panic.

"O Regina," Juli says, "you're a perfect Queen. I just don't think I'll ever get used to that." She smiles, "for me you're just Regina."

Regina smiles, relieved. "Thank you, Juli." she softly answers. "I think it's almost time to pick up Emma and Henry, isn't it?"

"I lost track of time to be honest," Juli says. At that right moment Anita arrives again. She is talking to her father, the owner of the hospital.

"Hello Anita. Thank you for giving us this tour. Is there something else you want us to see?" Regina asks politely.

"I wanted to introduce you to my father," Anita says with a smile, "he owns this place."

Regina nodds to the man. She takes a small step back. "It's my pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Me too," the man says and he makes a small bow. "My daughter told me about what you two did and I was impressed. Do you have experiences working on this kind of ward?" he asks to the both of them.

"Juli does." Regina smiles, nodding at the woman next to her.

"Great to meet you," the man says. "Can we have a small talk?" Juli looks at Regina, raising her eyebrows.

Regina nodds. "We'll see you back at The Castle. The couch will bring you back. Robin, Emma, Henry and myself will ride back on horse."

"Are you sure?" Juli says.

"I've never been more sure in my life." Regina winks. She nodds her goodbye to Juli, Anita and her father before she walks back to Robin. "Let's go pick up Emma and Henry?"

"Good idea," Robin says, who just talked to a man who helps building the roof. "I'll come here tomorrow to help with the roof," he says, "It takes weeks to built, so they can use some help."

"I love that. Thank you." Regina smiles. She nodds at the man Robin was talking with. "If it takes that long, you can use his help. He's very strong."

The man smiles, "We're lucky to have him with us," he says. He greets them and turns back to work.

"You sure are." Regina whispers, looking at Robin. "Let's pick up Emma and Henry now?"

"Yes," Robin says.

Regina smiles. "We need to ride back on horses. Juli is coming back with the couch. Do you want to ride with Henry?"

"Yeah that's fine," Robin says. "Emma rather wants to ride with you I think."

"I was thinking our son would rather want to ride with his father." Regina whispers, looking down.

"I'm not his father," Robin says, taking a deep breath. He looks away too.

"Yes, you are. Why would you say otherwise?"

"The same reason why you're not his mother," Robin says, "I didn't raise him, Snow did."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you're not his father."

"I'm his father because he has my genes, but nothing more," Robin says, "he will never call me dad, I wasn't there when he grew up. I wished I was, but I didn't so... Just leave it." He sighs and walks away without saying anything else.

Regina swallows hard, following Robin without saying something either.

Robin rides away to the school, trying not to think of anything.

Regina rides after him, thinking about why Robin would say something like that.

The bell rings and Emma and Henry come walking out of the school.

Regina smiles when she sees her youngest daughter and her... son, walking towards her and Robin.

"Hey, mom," Emma says.

"Hi sweetheart." Regina smiles, not noticing the looks of all the other children from the school.

Emma smiles nervously.

"Are you alright, honey?"

"Staring people..." Emma whispers.

Regina looks around and now notices the other children and their parents stare at them. Regina smiles softly and nodds politely.

When Regina nods, the people bow. Emma wants to hide.

"It's alright, sweetheart. Why are you shy right now?" Regina whispers.

"They all stare at us," Emma whispers.

"I think they are staring at me, sweetie." Regina winks.

"But I am standing next to you."

"You're a Princess, Emma." Regina smiles now.

"I can't be a princess mom," Emma says.

"Why not?"

"How do I handle all those people who bow for me. They do it in school too and some kids don't even dare to talk to me..."

"I promise that will get better, sweetheart. You just start talking to them and they will see what a wonderful and normal girl you are." Regina winks.

"Alright."

Regina smiles and strokes Emma's cheek. "Let's go talk to them. You'll see it will be alright." Regina steps towards the group of people and nodds again. "Hello everyone." she smiles.

Emma wants to hide so badly. She closes her eyes for a moment and wished her mother didn't just do this. "Hi," the people say. They all bow.

"It's alright. I'm just Regina and this is my daughter Emma and my partner Robin. You don't have to bow for us." she smiles.

"You're our Queen," one man says.

"I'm just Regina." Regina answers again, with a soft voice.

The people now only look at her, not daring to say something.

Regina smiles softly. "How are you all doing?"

No one reacts.

Regina repeats her question, not showing any anger or impatience in her voice.

"We're good," a girl Emma's age says. "How are you?"

"I am fine, sweetheart. You must be my daughter's age, I imagine. Do you go to school together?" Regina asks nicely, lowering down to the girl's height.

"Mom, stop," Emma whispers. She feels embarrassed. "We are in the same class," the girl answers politely.

Regina smiles again. "I bet you like the classes of your teacher, don't you? She's a really smart and nice woman."

"She really is, yes," the girl says. "She is very kind."

Regina smiles. "Don't tell me she gave you all a lot of homework now, did she?" She giggles.

Emma feels so embarrassed, but she doesn't show it. She smiles to the people, standing a bit out of sight. "Not at all," the girl says, laughting with her.

Regina smiles again. "I see your mother and father are waiting for you. Let's all go home, shall we?" She winks now.

"They're not waiting for me," the girl grins, "they come for my brother. I'm going to the river with some friends."

"That sounds nice!" Regina smiles, not forcing the girl to invite her daughter with them.

"Yeah," the girl says. "well... I hope you have a nice day too." She smiles.

Regina nodds and says goodbye to the girl. She turns around to Emma. "Do you want to ride Rocinante back home?" she smiles.

"I'm going to walk," she snaps. She turns around and starts walking away from her mother. She smiles until no one is around anymore and then you can see how mad she is.

Regina looks at Robin. "Did I do something wrong?" she whispers, with a tremble in her voice.

"I didn't follow the conversation you two had, but it looks like it," Robin says. He had been busy with Henry while Emma and Regina talked to the crowd. "What did you do?"

Regina explains the situation to Robin.

"Maybe she felt embarrassed?" Robin suggests, "I don't know, but she is a teenager..."

"Of course." Regina whispers. "I messed up pretty bad. We should follow her. Come on!"

"Where did she go?" Robin asks, following Regina already.

"She's walking back home." Regina softly answers, feeling like the worst mother in the world.

"Are we following her? Or will we meet her at the castle?" Robin asks.

"We're following her. She's right over there." Regina points in the distance.

Emma just walks on. She doesn't look behind her and kicks against every branch she sees.

Regina doesn't call her. She lets Emma cool down on her own.

Emma doesn't notice that Regina and Robin are walking behind her. She walks on.

Regina and Robin follow Emma in silence, Henry sitting in front of Robin on the horse.

Now Emma hears the footsteps of the horses and she looks around. "Don't follow me, just pass," she says as she sees her mother in the distance.

"We're not leaving you, Emma."

"If you think you're doing me a favor with that, you're wrong!"

"Emma, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that." Regina admits softly.

"I don't care," Emma says, "you already ruined it all."

"I'm really sorry." Regina whispers again, a tear running down her face.

"Too. Late." Emma states and she just walks on.

Regina remains silent now and just follows Emma back to The Castle.

"Stop following me!" Emma shouts. She walks into the woods where the horses can't come.

Regina looks at Robin. "Do you want to handle this from here? I... I'm sure she's not going to talk to me."

"Leave me alone," Emma says, "I don't need a babysitter!"

Regina sighs softly and then gallops away, after taking Henry over from Robin's horse.

Henry leans against Regina, while they ride home.

Regina softly smiles. "Are you alright, Henry?" she asks the boy with a soft voice.

"Yes I'm good," he says, happy that his mother finally asks him a question, instead of the other way around.

"Did you like school?"

"I did, yes," Henry says. "It's different, but I think I like it."

"I can imagine it's very different than what you were used to. I'm glad you like it." Regina smiles softly. She slows down the horse so it will take them longer to get back to The Castle. "Henry? Can you tell me once again how it is you're alive? I mean... I thought my baby... you... died."

"Fiona kept me." Henry says, "she got the baby out of your stomach for the party, put when she put it back, she took a random, other... dead baby instead of me."

Regina nodds. "How did you get to Snow?"

"Fate," Henry says, "she wanted to adopt a child and came to New York. I was there too, just a baby."

"But... But you were cursed. You were cursed. You weren't going to love me." Regina whispers now.

"You're mother made a deal with her," Henry says, "a very long time ago."

"Cora made a deal with Fiona? What deal?" Regina wants to know.

"Her heart," Henry says.

"My mother gave her heart to Fiona?" Regina whispers. "Why? What does Fiona want with it?"

"What did Fiona want with it, she is dead," Henry says, "I guess she wanted to kill her when it suited her.

Regina slowly nodds. "I still have to get it back. My mother deserves her heart."

"Yeah she does," Henry says.

Regina smiles. "You're a smart little boy, aren't you?"

"You think so?" Henry says with a big smile.

"I know so. You take after your father." Regina giggles now.

Henry smiles and wraps his arms around Regina. "Thanks."

Regina feels a tiny, a very tiny, spark of love for this kid.

"Do you love Snow White?"

"Of course I love Snow White. Why, do you think otherwise?" Regina softly answers, with a smile on her face.

"Just wondering," Henry says.

"No, Henry? Why did you ask that question?"

"What makes it that you love her?"

"I raised her. She's my daughter."

"Yeah," Henry says. "I try to love her too."

"I know you do, kid." Regina smiles. "I know you do." They reach The Castle now.

Henry nods.

"I think Juli is still at the village and Robin and Emma won't be home soon. What... What do you want to do until dinner?" Regina asks softly.

"I would love to learn how to ride," Henry says. "explore the woods."

Regina smiles. "I'm actually learning Emma how to ride, at the moment. When she's fully set, I'll teach you. Alright?"

"Yes that's okay," Henry says.

"Alright." Regina smiles again. "Do you want to explore The Castle with me?" she then asks, realizing she hasn't done that with Henry until now.

"Yes excellent," Henry says. He feels very exited and follows Regina inside.

"You lead the way!" Regina giggles, getting excited as well. "Just go where you want to go. I'll follow."

Henry walks away, wanting to see the dungeons.

Regina follows him with a small smile on her face.

Henry enjoys this time with his mother very much. It's just what he needed.

Regina enjoys her time with her... son as well. She's still getting used to the fact that this boy, this young kid, is her son. Her's and Robin's.

"Do you like this too?" Henry says, when they're finished with their tour. "because I loved it."

"No, I didn't like it." Regina lowers to the ground to be at the same height as Henry. "I loved it as well." She smiles brightly.

Henry smiles brightly. "Yes," he says, he is really happy.

Regina opens her arms to give her son a warm hug. She waits until he accepts her gesture.

He immediately hugs her back. He wants to stay there forever.

Regina smiles again. "I love you, Henry." she whispers in his ear.

Henry hugs Regina even tighter, "I love you too," he whispers back.

"You do? You really do?" Regina whispers, a tremble in her voice.

"Yes," Henry says, very certain "I really do." He doesn't know how she could even think he didn't love her. He smiles in her arms.

Regina smiles as well. "It's almost dinner time. What do you say we'll find the others?" she smiles.

"Yes," Henry says and he lets Regina go. He takes her by her hand.

Regina takes his hand as well. They walk towards the hallway.

Snow just comes walking in. "Hey," she says when she sees Henry and Regina.

"Hello sweetheart." Regina smiles, giving her eldest daughter a warm hug.

"You had a good day?" Snow asks, embracing her mother.

"I did. How about you?"

"Me too," she says, feeling her cheeks turn red.

"Snow?" Regina giggles now. "Why are you all red?"

"Am I red?" Snow says, "must be because I'm tired." She grins and sees her mother doesn't believe her.

Regina winks. "Alright then." She giggles again. "Where is everyone else?"

"I haven't seem them all day, I thought they were with you," Snow says.

"They were, but Robin and Emma are a bit later."

"Ow okay, are they alright?"

"I do think so." Regina softly smiles. "I made a huge mistake with Emma and I hope Robin is able to talk to her about it."

"Okay," Snow says, "what did you do?" she wants to know. She hugs Henry too and kisses him on his forehead.

"I put her a bit on the spot in front of the other children at school. But it's my job as Queen to talk to the people of this land. It's hard finding a balance."

"O yes," Snow says, "that's hard indeed, but you will figure it out, you always do." She smiles. "You just started." She winks and asks Henry about school.

Regina smiles. While Snow and Henry talk about school, the big door opens. Regina turns around and flinches away immediately.

"Hello there," Leopold whispers so Snow and Henry can't hear it. "Come here." He holds out his hand for her.

Regina slowly shakes her head in denial.

"You have to," Leopold whispers.

Regina slowly takes Leopold's hand and follows him.

"Good girl," he whispers, moving his hands to her hips already. "enjoyed your day?" he winks.

"Yes, I did." Regina whispers, pushing his hands off her hips.

"So Emma likes the school?" Leopold says, placing her hand back on her hip.

"Yes." Regina whispers. "She does." She pushes his hand away again.

"Midnight, my room, or there will be consequences," he whispers in Regina's ear. Then he lets her go and walks away.

"No." Regina answers him, loud and clear.

"Then you have to deal with the consequences," he says to her, closing the door behind him.

Regina's heart beats fast when she walks back to the hallway. Robin and Emma are just walking into The Castle.

Emma turns her head away from her mother when she sees her.

Regina's hands tremble out of anxiety.

Emma walks away to her room. Robin walks to Regina.

"How is she?" Regina whispers.

"She is... well mad at you," Robin says. "but she calmed down a bit already."

Regina nodds slowly. "Thank you, Robin." She quickly seeks her safe space in his arms.

"No problem," he says and he takes her in his arms.

"L..Leo.." Regina tries to say, but she's too scared of the consequences he was talking about, so she doesn't finish her sentence.

"Did he get to you again?"

She shakes her head in denial. "No. It's... It's alright. It's nothing. I promise."

"Promise?"

"Yes. Yes, I promise." Regina's eyes wander off to Leopold and Juli who both walk into the hallway on their way to the Grand Dining Hall.

"Okay," Robin nods, but he will keep an eye on her, because he doesn't really believe her.

Regina keeps close to Robin while everyone walks to The Grand Dining Hall. "I'm not very hungry." she whispers.

"Please eat something for me," Robin says, "you look very skinny again and I don't want Youri collapse. I want you to keep walking." He is honest with her and smiles a little when he looks at her.

Regina nodds, the tension on her face very obvious. But she wants to set the right example for Emma so she eats most of her plate.

Emma pretends not to pay attention to her mother and doesn't eat a thing. Just to show her she is still mad. Robin is glad Regina is eating.

Regina's mind is wandering elsewhere so she doesn't notice Emma not eating. After dinner she excuses herself. Regina enters her bedroom, the one she shares with Robin, and stays there until bedtime. When Robin enters their room, she pretends that she's sleeping.

Robin lies down next to Regina. He strokes her hair for a little while and doesn't sleep.

When it's almost midnight Regina gets up. "I... I need to go to the bathroom. Don't wait up for me." she whispers. She gives Robin a warm kiss on his lips. Regina then walks outside and with a wave of her hand puts Robin to sleep. He won't wake up before morning. She slowly makes her way to Leopold's room downstairs.

Leopold grins when Regina comes through the door. "I knew you would come," he says. He lies on the bed and encourages Regina to come to him.

Regina slowly walks towards the bed. She keeps standing next to it and just looks at the man in it.

"That Juli-woman," he says, "I don't like her. She almost talked me out if this." He lays his hands in her waist and pulls her onto the bed.

Regina just lets him, not saying a word.

"O you want to stay silent again?" Leopold says, he knows this behaviour from other times. "You know I can make you scream if I want to."

"You can't anymore." Regina whispers.

"We will see about that," Leopold says. He immediately grabs a knife from the table next to the bed. And before Regina can react he stabs it in her upper leg.

Regina moans of pain but doesn't scream. "Why? Why do you do this?" she asks, a tremble in her voice.

He talked about this with Juli, but he doesn't know. He stabs again, he wants to hear her scream

"P.Please." Regina begs now. "I'll do anything."

"Then scream," Leopold says, he wants to be right, he wants her to scream.

Regina shakes her head.

Leopold stabs her in her shoulder now. A lot of blood streams on bed from the deep wound. 

Then the door opens.

Regina can't hold it inside any longer and screams of pain. Her body starts to tremble and her hands shake. She doesn't hear the door open.

"Stop it," Juli says when she walks inside. "You can't do this to her." 

Leopold can only grin. He was right.

Regina leans against Leopold's body. She's losing a lot of blood very fast now and she feels her body weakens every passing minute. "I'll be good. I'll be a good girl." she whispers.

"Get some bandages," Juli orders Leopold. She walks to Regina and grabs the blanket to stop the bleeding until Leopold is back, because strange enough he left to get the bandages.

Regina crawls away from any contact. "No. Leave me. He'll punish me even worse now. You're making it worse!" she shouts to Juli. "Go away! He will be back and punish me! Go away! Go away!"

"You'll die if I do nothing, Regina," Juli says, knowing that he will punish her for this if she can't talk him out of it. She feels nervous, but she also feels this is the right thing to do.

Blood drips out of Regina's nose as well now and when she coughs, she coughs up blood. "I... I'm tired. I'm tired." Regina clings to Leopold when he gets back and sits down on the bed. "Good girl." she mumbles.

Leopold kisses Regina very heavily. "You're a very good girl," he whispers between kisses.  
Juli takes a deep breath and bandages Regina's wounds, she will take care of the kissing later... She hopes.

Regina kisses Leopold back. "Please. No more hurting. I'm a good girl."

"I know you are," Leopold says, "stay a good girl, okay." He moves his hands to the wound on her shoulder and places his hand on it. Just a reminder.

Regina moans of pain. "I promise. I promise to be a very good girl." She slowly takes off her clothes. "Good girl. Obedient girl." she whispers.

Regina is losing so much blood... Juli tries to stop it, but it won't work.   
"Stop," she says, "Leopold stop it."   
He doesn't listen and starts touching Regina's skin.

"I will die." Regina whispers softly, leaning into Leopold's touch. "P.Please." She coughs up blood again. "Please."

When Leopold doesn't react, Juli hits him in his face woth her fist. He startles and backs away.

Regina coughs up blood again. "Good girl. Very good girl." she mumbles, before backing away as well.

Leopold now stands next to the bed, while Juli tries to keep Regina on it. "I need you to lay very still, Regina," she says.

Regina mumbles something incomprehensible before she lays still on the bed.

Juli bandages all Regina's wounds very carefully. Leopold only looks at her. When Juli is finished she sits down on the bed feeling Regina's forehead.

Regina looks at her. "Thank you." she whispers.

"You're welcome," Juli says, getting her a cold, wet towel to place on her forehead.

"Leopold." Regina whispers, wondering where he is.

"He is right there," Juli says, "but he won't move." She looks at Leopold with a strict face.

"Can I go to sleep now? Just for a little while?" Regina mumbles.

"Yeah go ahead," Juli whispers, covering Regina's body with a blanket. She takes Leopold with her to the room next to his own to talk to him. She leaves the door open, so she can hear when Regina is awake.

Regina sleep for a long time. When she wakes up it's almost morning. She feels rested enough to heal herself now. When she's done that, she softly says "Juli?"

Juli comes in from the other room. "Hey," she says. "how are you?" She doesn't step into the light yet, because has a black eye and some bruises on her arm. Leopold wasn't very nice to her in the beginning, but it got better.

"I was able to heal myself. "

"That's wonderful," Juli says, now walking to the bed, "don't be frightened, I'm alright," she says with a smile. She is surprised, but happy, that Regina was able to heal herself so soon.

"What did he do to you?" Regina whispers. She lifts up her hand to heal Juli. "May I?"

"He didn't like me talking to him, so he... hit me," Juli says, "and yes go ahead."

Regina heals Juli with just a wave of her hand. "You shouldn't go near him, Juli. He's dangerous." Regina whispers.

"That's exactly why I go to him," Juli says, "I'm taking him to the hospital tomorrow. I got a job at the ward we were yesterday, so I'm taking him there."

"You... you what?" Regina whispers, looking at Juli with big eyes now. "And he's coming? Willingly?"

"After I talked to him and after he hit me a few times... Yes," Juli says with a small smile.

Regina doesn't look convinced. "It's a trap. He's lieing." She startles when the door opens softly.

"He is not lying, Regina," Juli says. Leopold walks in, not looking at Regina.

Regina crawls away from him.

"Lets leave this room," Juli says. She walks to Regina and holds out her hand. "Let's go to your own room."

Regina doesn't dare to look up and shakes her head. "I'm a good girl." she whispers.

"Please don't trigger him," Juli whispers, "just take my hand and follow me."

Regina shakes her head again and keeps sitting in her corner, this way protecting herself.

"Please Regina," Juli says, "You only have to walk, I lead."

"Can't." Regina whispers.

"Yes you can," Juli says. She comes closer to Regina and makes her look at her. "you can do this," she whispers.

"He's going to be so angry with me." Regina whispers, looking up to Juli with fear in her eyes.

"He will, but as I told you, he is coming with me to the hospital."

Regina looks up at Leopold now.

Leopold doesn't move

"L.Leopold? Is it true? Are you going with her to the hospital to get better?"

"Yes," Leopold mumbles, but then he walks away to the bathroom and locks the door behind him. He feels ashamed of himself.

Regina quickly takes Juli's hand. "Quick. Before he comes back. Come on now!"

Juli stops Regina from running and calmly leads her out of the room. "We are not in a hurry."

"Yes, we are!"

Juli doesn't let Regina run. They just walk

"Come on, Juli! He's going to be right behind us!" Regina almost screams of panic now.

"Regina calm down now," Juli says, closing the door behind her. She makes Regina look into her eyes. "He won't come."

"Yes, he will. He's angry with me!"

"I told you he won't come," Juli says, "can't you trust me?"

Regina flinches. "I... I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Ready to walk to your room now?" Juli asks.

Regina nodds. In silence she follows Juli.

"Can you tell me what you did to Robin?" Juli says, "he wouldn't wake up and I could feel magic around him.

"He needed to sleep through the night. Just a small sleeping spell. He'll wake up in an hour." Regina whispers.

"I don't want you to do that again," Juli says, "it's not fair.'

Regina nodds. "I know. I understand." she whispers. Inside of her The Evil Queen is raging with anger.

"You want to sleep for a little while longer?" Juli asks, when they arrive at Regina's room

"No. I'm not tired. I want to be alone." Regina snaps, finding it hard to control The Evil Queen inside of her.

"Right," Juli says. She takes a deep breath. She just tries to be kind, but she knows it's not fair to expect Regina can react normally right now...

Regina feels a bit of remorse for her behaviour. "I'm sorry, Juli. Thank you for helping me, again, and for being so nice." She looks away because she feels her Evil half doesn't appreciate this kind of weakness.

Juli smiles a tiny little bit. "It's no problem," she says. "Now take some rest. Will I see you at breakfast?"

Regina nodds. "Yes, you will." She smiles, a genuine smile. "I won't eat, just so you know."

"You won't?"

"She won't let me."

"Then fight her, I know you can do that."

"I can't. She won't let me." Regina repeats.

"Try to rest then," Juli says, knowing fighting Regina isn't going to work right now

"I don't need rest. I'm not weak!" The Evil Queen is starting to get out.

"Resting doesn't make you weak, Regina," Juli says, "it will give you your strength back."

"Rest is for the weak." The Evil Queen snaps, her darkness taking over in Regina's eyes.

"What will you do then? instead of resting?" Juli asks calmly.

"Magic." Regina mumbles.

"What kind of magic?" Juli says, but she can see the answer right in Regina's eyes.

"Dark magic." Regina whispers, very softly.

"Dark magic," Juli repeats, "and why would you want to use dark magic?"

"Because I can." The Evil Queen smiles now.

"Tell me what you're going to do, I would love to hear it."

"You do? You'd love to hear it?" The Evil Queen teases.

"I do," Juli says without emotion.

Regina smiles, walking closer towards Juli, this time without any hesitation or inhibition. She strokes the woman's cheek. "Are you interested in dark magic, little one?" The Evil Queen smiles.

"Just tell me," Juli whispers.

"I know something even better." The Evil Queen whispers in Juli's ear, letting her warm breath touch the woman's skin. "I'll show you." She poofs the both of them to one of her secret, hidden, rooms.

Juli holds her breath and feels a bit scared. But she prefers this over Regina using magic in the castle. It's better with just the two of them, so only she can be hurt.

They re-appear next to a whole bunch of potions.

Juli says nothing but looks around

"Do you know what these potions are capable of? What I'm capable of?"

"I do, Regina," Juli says.

"You do? Tell me. What do you think I'm capable of? Enlighten me." The Evil Queen strokes Juli's cheek again, leaning close on her body.

"You're capable of everything, except for one thing," Juli says. She closes her eyes for a little while.

"What's that?" The Evil Queen snaps.

"You really want to know that, don't you?" Juli says, now having her own kind of weapon.

"Speak!"

Juli only looks Regina into her eyes.

"You're a brave little one, aren't you? You think silence is bravery, hmm?" The Evil Queen circles around Juli.

Juli raises her eyebrows.

"It's not." The Evil Queen whispers in Juli's ear. She breathes her warm breath on the woman's neck.

Juli shivers, but keeps quiet.

"You like this, don't you?"

"Not really," Juli says, "but it's the only thing I have."

"You think I'm not capable of loving, don't you?"

"You're perfectly capable of loving," Juli says, "I know that."

"How would you know?" The Evil Queen snaps again.

"It's hard to miss, you love very deeply, Regina," Juli says with a small smile.

The Evil Queen stands in front of Juli, rage shining in her eyes. "Regina is gone."

"I don't believe that," Juli says.

"You don't? Why's that?" The Evil Queen wants to know.

"Because there is still love in your heart."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, dear, but... There really isn't." The Evil Queen smiles, going through her potions now and picking out the ones she needs.

"I don't think I'll ever believe that, but you can try," Juli says. She feels scared, because she doesn't know what kind of potion Regina is picking up.

"Scared, aren't we?" The Evil Queen smiles.

Juli doesn't dare to say a thing.

The Evil Queen just smiles while she works on a potion.

"What are you making?" Juli whispers.

"You want to know?"

Juli nods, but she isn't sure if she really wants to know

"First you'll have to do something for me then. Tell me... I'm not capable of .... what exactly?"

Juli shakes her head, she isn't planning to give away her only weapon just yet.

The Evil Queen smiles again and adds the last ingredients to her potion. A small dark cloud appears as a sign it's ready.

Juli just looks at it.

The Evil Queen turns around to face Juli and hands over the potion to her. "Drink."

"What will happen?" Juli dares to ask.

"That's no concern of yours."

Juli looks Regina straight into her eyes while she brings the potion to her lips. She drinks it...

The Evil Queen smiles. "You really are a brave little thing!" She laughs.

Juli just waits for something to happen, not turning her eyes away from Regina.

"Don't get your hopes up, doctor. It was just a test. Nothing is going to happen to you. Not unless... I want to." The Evil Queen laughs again.

"How generous," Juli says and she is able to breathe again.

The Evil Queen waves with her hand to let Juli come closer to her. She strokes her cheek again. "I like you."

Juli fakes a smile. "I'm glad you do," she whispers.

"Your heart is beating fast, dear." The Evil Queen strokes Juli's chest.

Juli is really scared. Her heart is indeed beating fast and she feels out of breath. "I know," she whispers.

"What do you want, right this moment, Juli?"

"I want Regina back," she whispers.

"That's not going to happen right now. You'll get her back when I want to give her back."

"Then why do you ask me?"

"Because maybe you were smarter than ask for something so meaningless." The Evil Queen winks.

Juli grins, "meaningless?"

"Regina means nothing. Regina is nothing."

Juli says nothing.

"So you agree?"

"Not at all, but you don't seem to care about my opinion."

"Actually, I do." The Evil Queen admits.

"Doesn't look like it," Juli says. She starts to walk around the room.

"Do you see something that picks your interest, dear?"

"No."

"You're a bad liar."

"I know."

"Tell me. What do you see?"

"I see potions," Juli states, "stop asking things you already know."

"Look behind what you see with your eyes, doctor." The Evil Queen smiles.

"What do you want me to say, Regina," Juli says, "I'm kind of done with this nonsense."

"Nonsense?" The Queen snaps now. "Nonsense?!" She flicks her hand and pins dr. Anderson on the wall. "Why nonsense?"

Juli gasps for air. "You ask me questions you already know and I don't feel like answering them anymore," she says with the breath she has left.

"I asked you to look behind the potions. I asked you what you see behind what's clear for the human eye. I asked you, little one, what you see when you look at ME. Really, however did you graduate as a doctor?"

Regina's comment hits Juli very hard, like Regina just hit her with a giant stone. She isn't able to talk, feeling tension in her whole body.

The Evil Queen just smiles. She knows what her words did to the woman in front of her. "I'll give you one last chance to prove yourself worthy of my time. What do you see?"

"I see what I've always seen," Juli whispers, " A Queen who wants the best for her people. A mother who loves her daughters more than anything. A wife, deeply in love with Robin. A friend... to me. And. A woman who is capable of everything except for one thing: Loving herself."

The Evil Queen keeps Juli pinned to the wall, not cutting off her oxygen any longer, but turns her back to her. She thinks.

"So now tell me," Juli says, "what do you see? what do you see when you look at yourself?"

"Quiet!"

"Tell me," Juli says calmly.

With hatred in her eyes The Evil Queen turns back around to Juli. "You don't deserve to hear what I see." she snaps, trying to push away the feeling of self loathing.

"That's not the reason why you're not telling me," Juli says, "you're just afraid to say the truth to me, because when you say it, it becomes real."

"Shut up!" The Evil Queen screams now, starting to choke Juli with just a tiny twist of her hand.

Juli cant breath anymore and she isn't able to speak. "Stop," she forms with her lips.

The Evil Queen laughs. "You're no fun to me when you're dead." She lets Juli go.

Juli knew she would do that. She breathes very fast, trying to get the air back in her lungs. She coughs uncontrollably.

The Evil Queen just looks at her. "Learned your lesson?"

"I still don't have my answer," she whispers. She sits down with her back against the wall, not able to move yet.

The Queen looks down on Juli. "I'm a Queen. I don't have to answer your questions. On the contrary, dear, you have to answer mine." She smiles. "What do you like so much about my better half? Hm? She's nothing but a weak, miserable human being."

Juli grins and says nothing.

"So you agree?"

"I don't think I said that," Juli says. "And if you want to know, I don't agree."

"What's the deal with Regina?" The Queen wants to know.

"She is a lovely woman," Juli says, "you are that woman. You can love too, you can make friends, laugh and be happy."

"I'm nothing like her. I'm not weak!" The Evil Queen poofs both Juli and herself to a nearby village.

Juli is startled by the sudden movement and doesn't realize she is holding her breath again. She keeps quiet.

"Good morning, peasants." The Evil Queen, still dressed as Regina, laughs.

"Don't do this, Regina," Juli says, grabbing her arm.

"How is everyone today?" The Queen ignores Juli.

"We're very good, Regina," a woman says. The Queen had been here before and told them she wanted them to call her 'just Regina."

When Regina looks into the eyes of the old woman, she sees nothing but kindness. She flinches, just for a moment. "Good. Very good." she mumbles. "I'm glad." She turns away quickly, not wanting the woman to see the darkness in her eyes. She knows it's still there. Less than a couple of minutes before, but still there. She's just a second too late. The woman already noticed.

The woman backs away, looking frightened. The people around her follow her movement, even through they don't know what happened.

Regina shakes her head slowly. "No." she mumbles. "I'm not her anymore. I'm not her." she whispers. She turns back around to the woman, the darkness fading from her eyes quickly.

Juli smiles and a few villagers move closer again. Still some people hide their children behind them. They wait for Regina to say something.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers, turning away from everyone. "I'm sorry. I... I'm not going to hurt anyone. I... I'm sorry." A tear runs down her cheek. She keeps mumbling in front of her, speaking to no one in particular, but everyone is able to hear her. "I won't hurt anyone. No, you can't make me. I'm not you anymore. I'm not you. I like being a nice Queen. I'm no Evil Queen. I don't want to be."

Juli signs to the villagers that she will take care of it, so Regina gets a bit more privacy. Most of the villagers stop staring and walk away, although for some it's backing away. Juli turns to Regina.

Regina looks away. "I'm sorry." she whispers again.

Juli looks into her eyes to see if she is really back.

Regina looks up to Juli now. "I hate her! I hate Regina!" The Queen snaps.

"Why? Because the people love her?" Juli asks with now emotion in her face.

"Love is weakness!" The Evil Queen snaps. "It's not real."

"You think that I'm real? That Robin and Emma are real? Because we are all connected with you through love, Regina," Juli says.

Regina's eye wanders off to a little girl who is slowly approaching her.

When the girl sees the Queen is looking at her she hides behind a tree.

Regina lowers to the ground to be at the same height as the little girl. "Hi there." she smiles with a soft voice.

The girl startles and her eyes grow big.

"It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." Regina whispers.

The girl looks into Regina's eyes, speechless.

"Hi there." Regina smiles again. "How are you doing?"

"Josie, come here," a woman shouts from her house. "Stay away from her now." The girl keeps staring at Regina.

Regina flinches when she hears the harsh voice of the girl's mother. "You have a very pretty name, Josie." she smiles softly. "Your mother is calling you. I think it's best if we listen to her." she winks.

"Thanks," the girl says and a smile appears on her little face. She runs to her mom, but before her mother pulls her inside she looks at Regina for the last time and waves with a smile.

Regina waves back. She nodds to the girl's mother before looking around her. A lot of villagers are standing around her now. Regina flinches again. "I'm... I'm sorry." she mumbles.

"How can we trust you?" a woman asks, "we don't want an evil Queen again."

"I know. I understand. I... I don't know. I don't think you can trust me." Regina answers honestly. "I... I try to control her as best as I can."

"Does that mean you still want to be the Evil Queen," a man asks.

Regina shakes her head immediately. "I don't. I never want to be her again." Her voice is firm and without hesitation, while her eyes are soft.

The villagers nod. "Then we stand by your side, don't we Andrew?" the woman says to the man. The man only looks at Regina. "And if there is anything we can help you with... just tell us." the woman says, "we missed you. Leopold wasn't fun." The man nods now. "yes," he says.

Regina looks at them, stunned and speechless. "What... What do you say?"

"We want you to be our Queen," an other woman in the crowd states. Regina has no idea how much the people talked about her since they found out she was back.

Regina now looks at the villagers. A tear runs down her face. "I... I don't know what to say. I... I don't deserve to be your Queen." Her voice is soft and full of self loathing. "I can't always control her and I don't want to hurt anyone."

"But you're trying," the woman says, "like all other people you're stuggling, struggling to be the best person you can be. What's a better example for our children than a Queen who is human? A Queen who shows you never give up trying to be your best self, even though you don't always succeed to be the person you want to be."

By now Regina is really crying. These words hit her deep into her soul. "T..Thank you." she whispers. "You have no idea what your words mean to me." A smile appears on her face now.

The woman smiles too, followed by the rest of the villagers. Josie is looking at the Queen from her bedroomwindow (her mother didn't allow her to go outside) and waves, also smiling.

Regina smiles brightly now, looking at Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson shrugs and smiles. "You see," Juli says with a grin. "Having flaws don't mean you have to hate yourself."

Regina nodds. "I understand now." She looks down. "We need to go back. Robin is about to wake up."

"You're right," Juli says, "and I have to go to work soon." She smiles.

Regina nodds again. "I will be seeing you later this morning when I drop off Emma and Henry for school." She smile before she waves her hand, poofing herself and Juli back to The Castle.

"Alright," Juli says.

They arrive at the castle. Robin is still asleep. Emma is taking a shower, still feeling angry with her mother. Snow and Henry are still asleep too.

Regina looks at Juli. "I want to take a shower, if that's alright."

"You don't have to ask me permission for that Juli giggles, "of course you can take a shower."

Regina smiles. She nodds to Juli. "I see you at breakfast." She walks to her bedroom and into the shower. She sighs with relief when she's alone for a little while. Regina takes a warm bath and puts on a light dress before she walks back into the bedroom. Robin is just waking up.

"Never do that again," Robin states when he is fully awake. He yawns and keeps his eyes closed for a while.

"How... How did you know?"

"I know you long enough to recognise your magic, Regina," Robin says.

Regina looks down. "I'm sorry. I really am."

Robin now looks at Regina. She looks stunning in her bright dress and he immediately forgets he is supposed to be angry. "You are forgiven," he grins, "but... did something happen to you?"

"The people want me to be their Queen." Regina whispers.

"That's wonderful," Robin says, "not that I doubted that." he winks.

"I did. I don't understand why. I can't always control The Evil Queen inside of me. But... They said something about being human. I don't understand completely."

Robin smiles, "apparently they like you, because you're human. Not some ultra high person who has a perfect life."

Regina nodds. "I'll try to remember that. Do you... Do you want to join everyone for breakfast?"

"Yeah, of course," Robin says, "but someone made me wake up late." He grins.

Regina giggles now. "I really am sorry." she then whispers before leaving the bedroom and walking to the breakfast room.

Robin makes himself ready and goes to breakfast too.

Regina sits at the head of the table, staring in front of her and not eating.

Nobody says anything and eats their food, except for Emma (what a surprise...).

"Emma? You need to eat something. It's almost time to leave for school."

"Mom," Emma says irritated, "you need to eat something or you will fall down."

Regina eats an apple. She looks at Emma, one eyebrow raised.

Emma takes a bit too, raising her eyebrow, just like her mother. The game is on.

Regina softly nodds. She smiles a little bit to her youngest daughter.

Emma doesn't smile back. She stands up and walks away.

Regina looks at dr. Anderson, looking for her advice.

Juli looks at Regina. "Do what feels good,' she says.

"Then I won't go after her." Regina whispers, looking down now.

"Right," Juli says, not judging at all. Regina needs to make her own choices.

Regina looks up when the door opens.

Snow walks inside, a small smile on her face.

Regina smiles back, a bright smile. "Hi sweetheart."

Snow laughs. It had been a long time since someone called her sweetheart. "Good morning, mommy," she smiles.

Regina giggles. "It's been a very long time since you called me that."

"Too long," Snow smiles and she sits down, picking up some bread.

Regina giggles again. "What are your plans for today?" she asks softly then.

"I'll... take a walk," she giggles. "in the woods." In her mind it's so much more then just a walk.

"By yourself?"

Snow tries to nod convincingly. Of course not by herself.

"I'll send a guard with you, dear. I don't like it when you walk alone in those woods." Regina suggests.

"You don't have to do that," Snow says, she adds in a soft voice, "I've someone who will protect me." Her cheeks turn red.

"You do?" Regina smiles. She knew exactly what is going on, but she wants Snow to tell her herself.

"Yes," Snow says, "it's complicated and it can never happen, but... I like him so much mom," she confesses. She sighs and looks at her mother.

"If there is one thing I've learned about love, sweetheart, is that it will always find its way." Regina winks again.

"He is getting married in three days," Snow whispers.

"Snow?" Regina says her name to make her daughter look up to her. "Snow, if it's meant to be, it will be. I promise."

"But there will be consequences," Snow says, "I don't even want to think about what they will do to him if they found out."

"They? Who are they?"

"The king," Snow says, "and all his advisers, guards and practically the whole palace..."

"I don't follow, Snow. I am The Queen. Who are you talking about?"

"King George," Snow sighs, "I'm in love with the son of king George."

"King George from the neighbouring lands. His son is marrying Midas' daughter, right?"

"Exactly," Snow says, "so this can never happen."

"You just follow your heart, dear. That's the only advice I can give you." Regina smiles at her eldest daughter. She then turns around to Henry. "Time to get ready for school."

"That's as simple as you think, mom," Snow says. Why does her mom think this is so easy, like the words 'follow your heart," will fix everything... "Follow your heart" will have consequences.

"All you need is a little bit of hope, sweetheart." Regina smiles.

Snow smiles a little and leans with her head in her hands. "I know," she says, "thanks." 

Henry walks with Regina to the coach that takes them to school.

Regina waits for Emma before leaving for school.

"I'll walk," Emma says when she arrives. "I don't need someone to drop me off, I can go by myself."

"Emma, come on. It's pouring rain outside. I won't come out of the coach before you and Henry are inside, I promise."

"I'm not afraid of a bit of rain," Emma says and she walks on.

Regina just nodds before getting into the coach with Henry. "Are you looking forward to school, sweetheart?" she smiles at him.

"Very much," Henry says. He smiles. "My classmates are very nice."

Regina smiles. "Does everyone sit in the same class or are there different classes?"

"There are different classes," Henry says, "Three I think. They're quite small. One for the small kids who learn to read and write, one for around my age, and one for the older kids. Emma is in that one."

"It sounds very nice." Regina smiles.

"Yeah," he says, "it is nice. What's wrong with Emma?" He can't help it, it's the question that keeps stuck in his mind now.

"Emma is... Emma is a teenager." Regina giggles. "That means she worries too much about what everyone thinks of her." Regina winks now.

Henry grins too. The coach reaches the school and Henry gets out. "Bye mom," he says, not caring about his mother being in or out of the coach. He just loves her.

"Bye sweethearts." Regina smiles, to both Henry and Emma who just walked past the entrance of the coach.

Emma looks at her mother with anger in her eyes. Then she turns away from her and walks to the entrance of the school. Henry smiles at his mother and says goodbye. He too disappears into the school.

Regina slowly walks out of the coach. One of the guards helps her by lending a hand. "Thank you." she smiles. "Please, take off that helmet. It's too heavy to wear." Regina turns around to the villagers. She smiles.

Some of the villagers smile back, some of them turn there heads away quickly. Not because they are afraid, angry or hate her, but because they want to hide the fact that they stared at her this whole time.

Regina smiles brighter now. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asks the people.

The people shake their heads, not knowing what to say.

Regina smiles again. "That's alright. Just know my door is always open. You can come to me with everything." Regina nodds and then leaves to the next village. She walks out of the coach and asks the same question.

"Anything?" Mulan asks with a wink. She smiles when she sees the Queen and walks towards her. "How are you? I'm happy to see you in this state," she adds.

Regina smiles at the woman who approaches her. "You. You saved my life."

"Well, I won't say I saved your life," Mulan says uncomfortable. That honor is too big for her. "Let's say I helped you out."

Regina nodds. "Well then. Thank you. Really." She smiles.

"After I saw you, I thought of something I wanted to ask you," Mulan says.

"Please, you can ask me anything."

"I wondered if you might know a girl. I couldn't find her after you cast your curse and I thought maybe she went to the land without magic together with you. Her name is Aurora."

Regina flinches. "Yes. Yes, I know her." she whispers.

"You do?" Mulan says, her eyes grow brighter by the thought of it. "How is she? Is she alright? Did she come here with you?"

"She... She didn't. She stayed behind." Regina whispers. "She's locked up in a mental asylum because of her nightmares. I... I wasn't able to help her. I'm so sorry." Regina looks down now.

The brightness in Mulan's eyes immediately fades. "A... mental asylum?" she repeats, "was she treated well there? Have you seen her?"

"In the end she was. But not at the beginning. I've seen her. No one could reach her."

Mulan looks at the ground away from Regina. "I should have been there," she whispers.

"You still can be."

"How?" Mulan says, fighting her tears.

Regina lets a magic bean appear. "From one of the magic rooms in The Castle." she explains.

"You think I can still help her? Get her back here?" Mulan says, now looking up at Regina.

"If anyone can, it's you." Regina smiles, no doubt in her voice or eyes.

"How do you know?"

"Because I trust you. I wouldn't send just anyone to Aurora. She means a great deal to me. She was there for me when no one else could be."

Mulan smiles. "Thank you," she says, "Thank you for being so honest with me."

Regina nodds. "This bean will bring you straight to Boston. But maybe you should wear something more like... Boston." Regina waves her hand and dresses Mulan in clothes more appropriate for a city like Boston.

Mulan looks at her clothes. "What is this place?" she asks.

"It's the modern world. You'll end up right in front of the hospital. You just speak to one of the nurses and you ask for Aurora. If you mention my name, everything should work out. Here." Regina hands over a second bean. "If you want to come back, together with her." Regina smiles.

Mulan takes over the beans. She feels nervous, but happy. "Thank you so much," Mulan says, tears in her eyes. She looks at Regina and smiles. If we come back, I'll make sure we visit you"

"Please do. I would love that." Regina throws the first magical bean on the ground. A portal to Boston opens. "Good luck, Mulan!"

"Thank you so so much," Mulan says and she jumps into the portal.


	24. There's A New Villain In Town

Regina looks around her after the portal closes. She smiles at the other villagers. "Is there anything else I can help you with?", she asks.

No one needs help with something. They all shake their heads and says thanks.

Regina smiles. She decides to go back to The Castle, to Robin. She instructs the driver of the coach where to go. Once she arrives back at her Castle, Regina looks for Robin. "Robin? Are you here?" she asks when walking into the kitchen. It smells delicious.

"Yes, I'm here," Robin says. He walks to Regina and kisses her. "I'm going to the hospital soon to help with the roof." He smiles and wraps an arm around her.

"You are? I like that." she smiles. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course," he whispers. He kisses her again, "I love you too."

"You do? You really do?" Regina looks up at him with doubt and fear in her eyes.

"I'll never lie to you about that," Robin says. "of course I love you. Never doubt that okay?"

Regina nodds. "I'll try." She softly smiles at him.

"Good," Robin says. He hugs her tightly for a while and then lets her go.

"Do you have to go?" Regina whispers.

"I do," Robin says, "you can come too if you want." He strokes her hair. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Regina smiles. "I'm staying here, if that's alright with you?"

"Yes it is," Robin says, "you have plans?"

"I'm just... going to take a tour of The Castle myself."

"Okay," Robin whispers. He smiles.

Regina smiles back. She waves Robin off before she starts to walk through The Castle, on her own. She passes her rooms full of magic. It's like a little voice is calling her inside.

The energy of the magical items fills the room. They call her, like they found their lost mother again. Silent hisses from all sides.

Regina just stands in front of one of the doors, doubting real hard if she's going inside or not.

The hisses keep going. Sweet sounds.

"No." Regina whispers. "I'm not her anymore. I don't do dark magic any longer."

"Are you sure," the voices whisper, "a little bit of magic does no harm and it will ease your feelings."

"I'm feeling just fine. I don't need magic to make me feel better." Regina whispers, but in her voice there's a clear doubt.

A strong wind from behind Regina pushes her over the doorstep. Just one little push.

Regina looks around. She doesn't touch a thing because she knows when she does.. .She's lost.

One of her potions falls on the ground. The glass shatters and the liquid streams over the ground to her feet.

Regina smells the magic all around her. She slowly walks towards one of the shelves. She picks up one of her books.

It opens in her hand. Its pages flip through the spells Regina knows all too well

"No. I'm not her anymore." Regina whispers again.

Now sparkles start to hover up from the potion on the ground. They circle around Regina.

"I'm not her anymore." Regina keeps whispering. But the pull to magic is so strong...

"You are her," the sparkles whisper.

"N.o."

"You know you are," the sparkles hiss.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Regina whispers now.

"That's a lie," a harder voice says now. "You want to hurt someone, but you don't want the consequences. That's a whole difference."

"No. I promise. I promise I don't want to hurt someone." Regina whispers.

"Then why the fire," the sparkles hiss, now circling around Regina's hand, in which a fireball had just appeared.

"Leopold." Regina whispers.

"Ohhh," the sparkles hiss, "lover? You look frightened."

"No lover! I hate him!"

"So you want to hurt him?" The sparkles turn darker and darker.

"Yes." Regina whispers.

"What are you waiting for?" they his. The sparkles turned into black smoke and slowly turn Regina's bright dress into a black one.

"No. No, I can't. I'm not The Evil Queen anymore." Regina whispers, very softly.

They now turn Regina's hair into a high ponytail and make her dress long, heavy and dark. "Don't you like this better?" the voices hiss. Black makeup appears around Regina's eyes.

"No. No, please." Regina whispers.

A big mirror appears in front of Regina. "Look up, dear," the sparkles whisper.

Regina looks up and stares in the mirror.

The whole room becomes silent.

"N.ooo.." Regina resists again. "You're tricking me. I'm not her any longer!" She lets the fireball, that's still in her hand, fly towards the mirror to crush it.

The mirror breaks. Shattered pieces of glass are everywhere. They starts floating around Regina, so she can see herself from all sides.

Regina sinks down to the ground now. She pushes her hands over her ears and starts rocking herself, to sooth herself. "I'm not her." she keeps whispering. "I'm not her."

"Don't lie to yourself... don't lie to yourself... don't lie to yourself..." whisper the voices.

"I'm not her!" Regina screams again. She does everything she can to resist the darkness which is luring her into its trap.

The darkness stays around, creating a dark room. Everything becomes black. The walls, the floor, the air...

Regina startles when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She doesn't dare to look up.

"Regina?" Mulan says, "are you okay?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I promise." Regina whispers, tears running down her face.

"That doesn't surprise me," Mulan says, "what happened?"

A fireball appears in Regina's hands again. "The darkness. It's the darkness." she whispers.

"I don't understand," Mulan says, not knowing enough about Regina to know what's happening, "was it a person?"

"Go. You need to go. I don't want to hurt you. Please. Please, just go." Regina whispers. She feels the darkness creeping up on her. She feels it all around.

"Really?" Mulan says, "I want to help, is there something I can do?"

"You need to go. Please. I'm going to hurt you and I don't want to." Panic shows in Regina's voice now.

"Can I call someone else?" Mulan says.

"No. No, just go. Now. You need to go NOW!"

Mulan feels conflicted, but she needs to go to Aurora too. She just wanted to say that she was back again.

"It's alright. Go. I'll talk to you and Aurora soon. I'm glad you're back." Regina whispers now.

"Alright," Mulan says. She walks out if the room and orders a guard to keep an eye on her if she is in the room for too long.

Regina slowly looks back up. She's scared to see the shattered mirror again, but she looks up anyway.

The shattered pieces still form kind of a gigantic mirror around Regina's body.

"P.Please. Don't take me to that dark place again." Regina softly cries again.

"Who are you talking to? Yourself?"

Regina screams out of frustration now. "I don't want to!"

"You do want to."

Regina crawls away in a dark corner of the room. "Please, don't take me again."

"The corner is your favorite spot, you're always looking for the darkness."

"I... I am?" Regina whispers.

"You can see it yourself, only the darkest corner is good enough for you."

"That's... That's true." Regina looks up with the look of The Evil Queen. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I want to do magic, but I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You think you can use your magic, your dark magic to do something good then?"

"Yes, I think I can." Regina whispers to the darkness around her.

"Go ahead and try... but... Magic always comes with a price."

"I know it does." Regina whispers. She poofs herself back into her clothes from earlier before.

The darkness lightens up a bit.

With another wave of her hand, Regina poofs away the shards of the broken mirror.

The pieces of the mirror disappear, only an empty shell of the mirror remains, not able to reflect any light or darkness

"That's better." Regina whispers. She steps out of the room and startles when she sees a guard standing next to it.

The guard bows, looking at his Queen. When he doesn't see anything wrong, he steps aside and lets her pass.

"Why are you standing here?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

"A woman asked me to keep an eye on you. For your safety, my Queen."

Regina smiles. Just a little smile. "Mulan." she whispers. "Thank you." She nodds towards the guard. "I appreciate it."

"It's my honor and my duty, my Queen," he says with a smile instead of a bow.

"Regina. Just... Just Regina." Regina looks down.

"Alright," the guard says, "if you wish so, Regina."

Regina smiles now. "I insist." She giggles a bit while walking past the guard. "I'll see you later, Frederick."

Frederick smiles, "see you later, Regina."

Regina walks back upstairs, away from all the magic in those rooms of her. With every step she takes she feels she's able to breath better. She startles when she stumbles into someone.

"Ow I'm so sorry," the seamstress says when she bumps into Regina. She is in a hurry and her arms are full of all kinds of fabric.

"That's alright." Regina whispers. "I'm sorry. I should have looked better." Regina picks up the fabric that has fallen down onto the ground. "Let me help you carry it to where you need it to be."

"Oh I don't want you to do the work... eh, Regina," she says, "it was all my fault, I'm sorry."

"Please. I don't mind helping you." Regina smiles.

The seamstress smiles a little, "well alright," she then says, "if you insist."

"I do." Regina smiles again. She follows the seamstress into her work room.

"You want a dress for the wedding too?" she asks. Last time Regina told her she didn't go, but now Snow goes, the seamstress doesn't know it for sure.

"The wedding?" Regina mumbles, looking around.

"Yeah, the wedding of prince James and princes Abigail."

"Should I go? I mean as... As Queen?"

"I think you should. You, Leopold and Snow White all got an invitation as far as I know."

Regina freezes. "What about the rest of my family?"

"I don't think King George is aware of the new situation in the palace," the seamstress says.

"Then inform him. I don't want Leopold to go. I want to go with Robin and my daughters and son. Juli as well. No Leopold."

"I'm not in the position to do that, Regina," the seamstress says stunned, "I'm just a seamstress."

Regina sighs. "I'll let him know. I do want a dress, thank you. My measures should be here somewhere." Regina nodds and poofs herself to the Castle of King George. She enters the Great Hall.

Some guards approach Regina, not letting her through. "Allow us to ask your identity and tell us what's your business in the palace," one of the guards say.

"Excuse me? I'm Queen Regina from The Enchanted Forest. I need to talk to King George."

"Your majesty," the guard says and he makes a deep bow, "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you. Phillip will lead you to the king immediately."

Regina nodds slowly. "Thank you." she smiles now.

The guard leads Regina to the throne room, where King Greoge is talking to his adviser.   
"Regina, it has been a long time," he exclaims when he spots Regina. He kneels and kisses her hand. "Where have you been?" He is all exited and offers her a drink.

Regina doesn't want something to drink. "George." she smiles. "I've been quite busy. But I need to talk to you. Your son is getting married to Princess Abigail. I've received your invitation and I'm very grateful. But it seems you aren't up to date when it comes to my family. You see, I'm no longer with Leopold. I'm with Robin and I have 2 daughters and a son." Regina smiles. "I can't come if Leopold is coming." she then admits.

"I see," George says, "how could that have happened, nobody told me about the new composition of your family, I apologize for my mistake. Leopold is an old friend of mine, but do I understand, from your words, that he is no longer king?"

Regina nodds. "He isn't."

"Then you're my priority of course," king George says. "Kings and Queens always have my priority. Sit down and tell me about your land. It has been such a long time!"

"Thank you for your understanding, George." Regina smiles while sitting down. She talks about The Enchanted Forest since she's back.

They have a long conversation. The king lets wine and some food come, so they can have lunch together. "And how is your daughter Snow?" He asks, "and the other children you talked about."

"Snow White is doing great." Regina smiles. She chooses not to say a thing about her and James, because she doesn't know if Snow would like that. She doubts it. "Emma and Henry are doing fine as well. Emma is... well... a teenager."

He smiles, "I know that time well from James," king George says, "he was a complicated kid. I assume they are thought by the best teacher in the land. My friend Domartes is very good, I would highly recommend him. I mean, the kids need to learn something too." He laughs.

"Actually, Henry and Emma go to the local school in the village nearby The Castle." Regina smiles.

"Wauw I've never heard of such thing," king George says, "why would you do that, if you can get the best?"

"Because I want them to be amongst kids their own age. If they don't do that, they'll never leave the Castle and I don't think that's healthy for their development." Regina looks down, afraid she has said something wrong.

"For the girl I understand, but the boy..." king George says, "he should learn to fight, just like my James, he shouldn't go to a school for simple citizens."

Regina gets up. "I think it's time for me to leave." she announces.

"Why the lunch is about to start," king George says, "I'm sorry if I offended you, that was not my intention."

Regina slowly sits back down. "I don't consider my people 'simple citizens'." Regina mumbles.

"You have Royal blood, there is always a difference between people," King George says, "but it's not a shame of you think differently. It's your land and this is mine. But i think you should send your son here sometimes. James can teach him a lot of things a man should know."

"I would appreciate that." Regina smiles. "Thank you for the offer." She looks up when a servant puts some delicious food on her tray. "Thank you." She nodds.

"My pleasure, Regina," King George says. "Is Snow married? And What about your Emma, do you have plans for her already?"

"Plans? No. She's thirteen years old. I'm not planning anything for her."

"Thirteen already and you don't have plans for her? Fourteen is the perfect age to marry a girl to a man. Abigail is late, she is fifteen."

"Excuse me?" Regina whispers. "I'm not marrying my daughter off to a man who could be three times her age." She looks down. "That's what happened to me and look what it got me."

"Young girls are good for our boys," king George says with a laugh. "You're Queen, so it got you so much. You have all the power of the land."

Regina gets up again. "I need to go." She startles when she sees Leopold coming into The Dining Hall in King George's Castle.

Leopold is followed by Dr. Anderson. "Regina?" she says surprised.

"What are you doing here?"

"Leopold wanted to say he won't go to the wedding of king George's son," Juli says. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm... I'm thanking King George for his invitation." Regina whispers.

"Al-right," Juli says, "then we will leave again. I don't think that you two together in the same room is a good idea."

Regina looks away.

"Are you okay?" Juli asks. Leopold and King George are talking

"I'm fine." Regina whispers.

"Don't lie to me okay, are you really fine?"

"I'm fine." Regina repeats, looking Juli in the eyes now. "I really am."

"Okay," juli says, "and if you're not fine you can always come to me, okay?"

Regina nodds. "I know." she smiles. "Thank you."

"Are you leaving?" she asks.

"Yes. Yes, I'm leaving. King George is nothing better than Leopold." she whispers.

Juli grins. "See you later then," she squeezes Regina's hand very shortly and then walks in the direction of Leopold and George.

Regina nodds towards King George and poofs away. She re-appears back deep into the forest.

No one is around.

Regina sighs with relief. This is exactly what she needs; a moment, a silent moment, alone. She starts to walk around.

The forest is calm, but the sky isn't. Soon it starts raining

Regina doesn't really notice. She just keeps on walking, one tree at a time.

Nature does its thing. It doesn't notice Regina at all and keeps doing nature-like things.

After a while Regina seeks shelter in a little house that seems abandoned from the outside. She pushes open the door and stumbles inside.

A man is working on some woodwork in his workshop: a clock. He looks up when he sees Regina, not recognizing her as Queen, he comes to her. "o dear come in," he says when he sees she is completely wet.

Regina flinches back. "I'm sorry. I didn't think someone would be out here. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"No problem, no problem," the man says, "come in, you cant be outside in this weather." He is an old man.

Regina softly smiles. "Only when you're absolutely sure."

"Yes of course, I won't let you stand outside," he says, "take a seat, I'll get you a towel."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you." Regina sits down and looks up when the old man comes back with a warm and soft towel. "Thank you." Regina repeats softly.

"You're welcome," he says. He now looks into Regina's eyes. "I know you from something," he says, but he doesn't remember from what.

Regina looks away. "I'm Regina." she whispers.

"You're the queen?" he says, now putting the pieces together.

Regina slowly nodds, not daring to look up. Is he one of her victims as well, one she has also hurt beyond repair?

"What makes you come here?" he says, "so deep in the forest."

"I... I just needed to talk a walk. On my own."

"That happens sometimes," he says, "to blow of steam." He places a cup of tea a front of Regina.

"You know who I am and you still offer me a cup of tea?"

"Yeah," the man says, "yeah of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you know who I am."

"I know who you are yes," the man says, "but that doesn't matter to me."

"It doesn't? Why not?" Regina just doesn't understand.

"No one deserves to stand outside in the rain," he says. Of course he know what the Queen has done. What she has done to him, but that was long ago

"I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't agree." Regina whispers.

"Maybe," the man says, but he knows it true.

Regina smiles a little bit. She takes a sip of her cup of tea. "Thank you, again. It's delicious."

"You're welcome," the man says, "I didn't even introduce myself did I?" he adds, "I'm Gepetto."

Regina nodds in appreciation. "Nice to meet you, Gepetto."

He smiles too. "You see something nice from my workplace, it would be an honor to give you a gift. I'm working on a clock with an apple tree."

"An apple tree?" Regina's smile lights up for real now. "I love apple trees."

"You do?" Gepetto says. He sees in Regina's eyes that she means it. "You can have it if you want."

"No, please. Let me pay you for it. Anything you want."

"No," Gepetto says with a laugh, "of course not. It's a gift."

"Really? You want to give me, The Evil Queen, a gift?"

"I want to give the Queen a gift," Gepetto says, "if that's what you mean."

Regina smiles, a little one. "Thank you." she whispers.

Gepetto smiles too.

"I really appreciate it, sir." Regina softly smiles.

Gepetto smiles again, "I'm glad," he says, "may I ask if you have children."

"I do. I have 2 daughters and a son." Regina smiles proudly. "Do you have children?"

A happy feeling runs through his body when he sees how proud Regina is. "I don't have children," he says, "not anymore."

"Did I....?" Regina wants to know.

"Yeah," the old man whispers. He looks at his hands, which are folded together on table.

Regina flinches. She gets up quickly. "I... I should go." she whispers.

"No no," the man says, "I won't do anything to you. I just answered your question, I meant nothing with it... I won't judge you."

"Why not? I killed your child. I'm a horrible person."

"I'm a horrible person too," Gepetto says, "join the club."

"You? I can't imagine you being a horrible person." Regina whispers.

"Well I can't imagine you being a horrible person right now either," he smiles.

"What did I do to your child?" Regina whispers.

"You well... kind of killed him," Gepetto says he looks up at the woman in front of him. "But he is not entirely gone. You see, my son was made of wood at first. A fairy turned him into a real boy. When you killed him he turned into wood again, but you can say that he never 'really lived.'"

"Can it be undone?" Regina whispers softly.

"I don't know,' Gepetto says.

"Can I see him?"

"I... I sold him," the man whispers, "to some wizard, rumple... Stilskin I think was his name. I made a deal."  
He looks away. "So I'm just as horrible as you were."

"Rumplestiltskin?" Regina whispers. "No, Gepetto. You did what you had to do. That's not horrible at all." She smiles softly now. "I will get your son back for you. And I'll do everything in my power to make him a real boy again." Regina gets up, smiles to Gepetto and, with a confident look on her face, poofs herself to the old Castle of Rumplestiltskin. She doesn't know if he's in the same land as her, but looking around doesn't hurt anyone. Right?

"Looking for something, dearie?" sounds a voice from a dark corner.

Regina turns around quickly. "So you are here?"

"Yes and the rest of Storybrooke is here too," Rumple says, getting into the light, "now tell me, what are you looking for?"

"Gepetto's son."

"You mean, Gepetto's doll," Rumple says. "It's nothing more than a wooden figure."

"Yes. Yes, that's what I mean. What do you want in return?"

"You know that captain Hook? You cut off his hand years ago." Rumple says. He lets a box appear in his hand "give this to him and you'll get your doll."

"What's that?" Regina asks, pointing at the box.

"That's my business."

"Alright." Regina nodds and poofs away. She re-appears on the ship of Captain Hook. "Hook? Are you here?"

"It's Captain Hook," he says when he appears from inside the ship.

"Well, Captain Hook, I have something for you." She throws the box towards him. "Rumplestiltskin says hi."

"And you don't say hi?" Hook says, "how rude." He walks towards her with the package in his good hand. "What's in it?"

"I don't know and I don't care." Regina takes a step back. "So if you want to know what's inside, you should open it."

Hook raises his eyebrows and grins. He opens the box and closes it again immediately. He throws it back to Regina, "tell him I don't want it."

"I don't care if you want it or not. I was only hired to get it to you."

"Then you didn't do your job because I don't want it." Hook snaps.

Regina throws the box back at him. "You have to." she snaps back. "What do you want for you to accept this box?"

Hook grins by the idea. What does he want? 

"Why is this so important to you?" he says.

"Because it gives me the chance to undo something I did wrong." Regina whispers, looking down now. "So... What do you want?"

"Weapons," he says, "the best weapons you have, I feel like killing." He grins.

Regina shakes her head. "I can't tolerate killing in my Kingdom."

"Says who?" Hook laughs, "the woman who killed whole villages, murdered families and burned cities to the ground... Very convincing indeed."

"I'm not that woman anymore. I don't tolerate killing." she repeats.

"I see," Hook says, "one little detail I want to add... your daughter is an exception? She can kill but we don't, that's unfair in my opinion." He sees in Regina's eyes that she knows nothing about this.

"What... What are you talking about?" Regina asks, stunned by his words.

"You don't know, do you?" Hook says, "your daughter, the one from around 13 years old I think, has murdered some people in the last few days."

"Lies!" Regina shouts out.

"Really?," Hook says, "or do you just refuse to see it?"

"I'm not letting you going to fool me." Regina's voice sounds dangerously low.

"I can see how she became a murderer," Hook says, "you're a very good example for her."

"Stop it!"

"I'm just telling you the truth," Hook says, "you could just have given me those weapons..."

"You're not getting them!" Regina snaps. She pushes the box back into Hook's good hand and poofs away, back to Rumplestiltskin. She will deal with Emma later. "Hook received your package. Now give me that doll." she snaps to the man with the golden skin in front of her.

Rumple lets the doll appear in his hand. "There you go," he grins. "Have a good day."

Regina just nodds. She notices it's almost time for school to end. She knows the coach will pick the children up, so Regina decides to confront Emma immediately when she arrives at the Castle.

The door opens and Emma comes in, alone, because she wanted to walk again. But instead of walking home, she ran. Out of breath she immediately runs up to her room.

Regina follows her. She knocks on her bedroom door and enters without awaiting the response. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm totally fine," Emma snaps. She stands with her back towards Regina.

"But you feel better when you killed someone?"

"Oh yes definitely," Emma says, a normal tone now.

"Emma? What is going on?"

"What? Nothing," Emma says.

"Emma!" Regina now shouts. "I'm asking you one more time and I promise you, you do not want to get me angry. What is going on?"

"Nothing!" Emma shouts back. "Leave me alone!" She doesn't care anymore...

"Emma, please. Just... Just tell me what's going on. Why are you killing innocent people? I... It needs to stop. How can I help you? Please, tell me how I can help you."

"Didn't you hear me?" Emma says, "leave me alone!"

Regina startles now. She just nodds and leaves Emma alone. She hurries downstairs, away from the people, away from everyone. "Love is nothing but weakness." she mumbles in front of her.

"True," one single sparkle whispers in her ear. "Very true."

"Weakness. Nothing but weakness." she whispers again.

"True," the sparkle keeps whispering and now more and more surround Regina

"Robin?!" Regina calls out. But she's downstairs, where the cellars are. "Robin? Please, where are you?!" she shouts around her.

Robin just comes home from his work at the hospital, but he doesn't hear Regina from upstairs.

"ROBIN?!"

Now Robin hears Regina. He runs downstairs and find Regina. "Are you okay?" he says, a bit out of breath. He takes her body in his arms and looks at her. "What's it?" he adds.

"Love is weakness. Love is weakness. It keeps saying it, repeating it. I... I can't..." Regina whispers, before leaning completely into his touch.

"Take a deep breath," Robin whispers, holding her close. He softly strokes her hair.

"Emma." Regina whispers. "Emma is killing people. I... I don't know... what to do."

"She, what?" Robin says, "are you sure? How do you know?"

"I went for a walk in the woods. It... It started raining. An old man, Gepetto, offered me tea. He told me what The Evil Queen, what... what I did to his son. So I want to make it right. Because I need to make it right. Hook... Hook told me. About Emma."

"What if he is lying?" Robin says, still filled woth disbelieve, "he could be wrong."

"He isn't. She basically admitted it to me, Robin. Emma is killing people and I don't know what to do about it."

Robin takes Regina closer. "Think of yourself. You killed once too, what made you stop? What helped you stop?"

"You did." Regina whispers softly.

Robin can't help but smile, "and what did I do to make you stop?" he whispers.

"You loved me. You just... loved me."

"Then maybe what she needs is you showing her you love her," Robin says, he remembers the time Regina was like that very well. "It won't be easy, but you must never give up."

"What if I can't do that, Robin?" Regina asks. "I mean I love her, with all my heart, but I want it to end right now." Regina looks up at him.

"We all want that," Robin says, "but the only thing we can do is try to stop her. And I don't know if that's right now... But we have to try."

Regina nodds. "You're probably right." She softly smiles. "Let's get ready for dinner. Tomorrow I need to visit Gepetto again. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine of course," Robin says, "I'll help at the hospital again. I think we can finish it tomorrow."

"You do?“ Regina smiles brightly now." You're too good for me." she giggles.

Robin grins and kisses Regina, without saying word.

Regina giggles. "So... What now?"

"Well maybe we need to make sure Emma stays in the palace," Robin says, "so she doesn't kill more people. "And then... We can do whatever we want."

Regina makes a complicated wave with her hand. "There. She isn't getting out of The Castle unless I give her my permission explicitly." Regina smiles. "It's almost time for dinner. Maybe we should eat something?" she then suggests.

"Great plan," he says and they walk to the dining room together. On the way they meet Juli. "Am I on time for dinner?" she asks. She smiles and leaves her coat in the entrance hall.

"You are. How was work? How is... Leopold?" Regina wants to know.

"Leopold is... Well, confused, maybe that's the right word," Juli says, "he doen't understand himself fully." She smiles, "but I think this is good for him, he stays in the hospital now."

Regina shakes her head. "It's all an illusion. He's up to something. Something bad."

"You don't know that," Juli says, "so I'll give it a chance, but you don't have to do the same."

"He doesn't deserve a chance!" Regina shouts out.

"I don't agree with you," Juli says.

"Excuse me?" Anger rises in Regina's eyes. "You don't agree?"

"I'm not you," Juli says, "I understand completely that you don't want to give him a chance, but I do. I think everyone deserves a chance."

"Well, I don't and especially not Leopold."

"That's your opinion, not mine," Juli says with a small smile, "I'll keep him away from you, don't worry."

Regina nodds. "I would appreciate that." she smiles.

Juli smiles back. "Alright," she says. They sit down at the table and dinner is served.

Regina looks at Emma when she joins everyone for dinner. "What are you wearing?" Regina asks, stunned about the change in Emma's wardrobe.

Emma looks at her mom, annoyed, "something more suitable than my previous clothes," she only says.

Regina just nodds. "Alright then." she tries to smile.

"You like it?" Emma says. The first normal words she says to her mother.

Regina smiles again. "I do. I really do." She doesn't, but she doesn't let Emma know that. "You're as beautiful as ever."

Emma nods and focusses on her food again, which she can't eat because of her corset...

Regina doesn't mention Emma not eating. She takes Robin's hand beneath the table and squeezes it in order to remain calm. She looks him into his eyes.

He squeezes her hand too. He smiles at her and takes a deep breath, just to show her she needs to take a deep breath too and indeed calm down.

Regina slowly takes a deep breath and breaths back out. She feels she's getting more relaxed. She starts to eat now and she eats good.

Robin always feels happy when he sees Regina eating and he smiles. They all eat what they want and after that the most of them go their own way.

"I have to visit Gepetto." Regina smiles. "I'll come to the hospital when I'm done, alright?"

"Yes, great," Robin says. "I'll be there."

"You will? You promise?" Regina watches Henry and Emma take off to school.

"Yes, I promise," Robin says with a wink. Juli and Robin go to the hospital together, because Juli needs to go to work again.

Regina smiles when she sees the both of them walking away together. She feels blessed those two get along fine. She waves Henry and Emma off to school and then turns towards Snow. "How are you doing, sweetheart?" Regina smiles softly.

"I'm doing good, I guess," Snow smiles. "I saw Henry and Emma got an invitation for the wedding too this morning, did you arrange that?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. We are all invited; Robin, you, Henry, Emma, Juli and myself." Regina smiles.

"Wauw, I'm impressed," Snow says. She smiles too, "I can't wait for you to meet James," she says. She starts to blush, "although we can't be together, I still hope you like him."

"I don't approve of this marriage. Princess Abigail is only 15 years old. I have to talk to King George again because this just isn't right." Regina mumbles softly.

"James and I don't approve either, but I don't think you can talk king George out of it," Snow says, "he is a very difficult person... I know from James."

"I'll make him listen to my story. Maybe it will help."

"Maybe," Snow says, but she isn't really sure, "what will you tell him?"

"My story." Regina whispers.

"Can I hear it too?" Snow softly asks, "I never heard the whole story, I always had the feeling you didn't tell me everything because I... Loved my father when I was a kid."

"Of course you loved him. I wouldn't blame you if you still do. He's your father. That has to mean something." Regina whispers. She sits back down at the table. "Do you want me to tell you my story now?"

"Yes," Snow says. She sits down too, "if you want to. I would love to hear your side of the story."

"I didn't want to marry your father." Regina whispers. "I just... wanted to be happy." She looks down.

Snow keeps quiet, so her mother can go on.

"But my mother, she... She wanted me to be Queen. She made me believe Daniel was dead. I loved Daniel so very much." Regina looks up with tears in her eyes now. "I married your father because I had to. And he... He wasn't very nice."

"Daniel," Snow softly says, "James mentioned that name once, he is still alive, isn't he?" She takes her mother's hand in hers, to comfort her mother, but also to seek comfort herself.

Regina nodds. "He is. Apparently I have a sister... A half sister. He married her and they have two children together. Daniel... Daniel has become everything I despite."

"But do you think he is happy?" Snow asks.

"I honestly don't know. He's hard to read. I really don't know, Snow. I hope he is." Regina looks down now. "Your father, he... He was at least 40 years older than me. I was barely 18 years old. He... He asked a lot from me."

"What did he do to you?" Snow asks carefully. The age-difference hits her, she just never thought of that... It gives her an unpleasant feeling.

"He wanted an obedient wife." Regina whispers.

"So he made you do everything he told you to do?" Snow says, "but what did he ask from you?"

"I needed to be very thin. To fit the dresses." Regina decides to start off with something easy.

Snow feels sad, "I remember you were very thin, I remember wanting to be as thin as you, but I never had enough power to make myself stop eating." She smiles softly.

Regina smiles sadly. "Good. Because it's no fun at all." She then looks down. "He also wanted me to sleep with him." she whispers.

"And you did what he wanted?" Snow asks, already knowing the answer.

"I had no choice." Regina whispers.

"You didn't want it then? You didn't want to sleep with him?"

"He could have been my father. I didn't want to. But he... He made me listen."

"He raped you," Snow whispers, letting the truth sink in. She looks away. "And the cuts I saw on your skin every morning when you came to wake me... He did that?"

"He or one of his servants." Regina whispers now.

"I didn't know," Snow softly says, "I never knew how things were for you."

"You were just a child, Snow. It wasn't your job to know."

"I'm so sorry," Snow says. She feels tears coming up but doesn't let them flow.

Regina strokes Snow's cheek. "It's alright, sweetheart. It really is."

Snow tries to smile. "How did you stay so kind to me, I never noticed a thing of what happened to you. You always stayed nice."

"I loved you like you were my own." Regina whispers. "I still do."

Snow now really smiles and hugs her mom. "You're happier now? Now Leopold is gone?"

"Yes. I'm not afraid now." she smiles.

"I'm glad," Snow says.

Regina smiles and hugs her eldest daughter.

"You want to hear something happy?" Snow whispers.

Regina nodds. "Yes, please." she smiles brightly.

"Henry came to me yesterday," Snow says, smiling too, "he said he liked it here, but that he missed me. He told me he loves me." Then she bursts out in tears, not knowing why exactly, but all her emotions flow out of her all at once.

Regina takes Snow close against her body. "Sweetheart, that's amazing." she whispers in her daughter's ear. "You see? You see he loves you?"

"Yes, you were right," she whispers back and she lets her mother's warm arms surround her.

"I'm so happy for you." Regina smiles again.

"Thanks," Snow whispers.

Regina smiles and just holds her daughter close.

"You have a dress already?" Snow whispers after a long time, "for the wedding?"

"I don't. The seamstress will make us one."

"And Leopold is going too?"

Regina shakes her head. "He isn't. King George wants the ruler of these lands to go... which is me and my family."

Snow is surprised, "that's great," she says.

Regina smiles again. "I shall inform the seamstress to make dresses for you, Emma, Juli and me and tuxedos for Robin and Henry."

Snow grins. "We will look great. I'm looking forward to it."

Regina nodds. "First I have to talk to Gepetto. What are your plans for the day?"

"I'm meeting James," Snow says, "I really have nothing else to do. Maybe when James is married I'll try to find a job or something."

Regina slowly nodds. "Alright sweetheart. I'll see you at dinner." Regina hugs Snow again and then, with a smile, poofs away to Gepetto's little house in the woods. She knocks on the door and waits for answer.

Gepetto opens the door and reacts surprised, "I didn't think you would come back," he says.

"I promised, didn't I?" Regina softly smiles. She walks inside, holding the doll, Gepetto's son, carefully in her arms.

"You have him," Gepetto says, looking up into Regina's eyes, "how?"

"I made some deals. It doesn't matter. I've got your son." Regina smiles again.

"That's... that's amazing," he says. He really is speechless. "Thank you so much, you really didn't have to do this."

"I haven't done anything yet." Regina winks. She puts the doll carefully on the sofa. She then starts to speak a language only she understands. Within minutes the wooden boy becomes a real boy.

Tears appear in Gepetto's eyes, "my boy," he whispers. When the wooden doll is a complete boy, he runs into his father's arms. "Pappa!" he exclaims.

Regina takes a step back. She knows the boy will remember her as the last person he saw before she turned him into a wooden doll.

Gepetto thanks Regina a thousand times, but the boy stays in the background

Regina nodds. "It's alright. I... I have to go now." she whispers.

"You're in a hurry?" Gepetto says, "please drink some tea with us, it's the least I can do."

"Only if your son wants me to."

Pinocchio shakes his head after his father's back. "Of course he wants that," Gepetto says and he lifts his son up, "she saved you."

"I should go, really. It's nothing." Regina whispers. She saw the boy shaking his head in denial.

Gepetto doesn't notice his boy shaking his head, he just thinks Regina has better things to do, which he fully understands. "alright then, I don't want to bother you," Gepetto says with a smile.

"You never bother me." Regina slowly approaches the old man and Pinocchio now.

Gepetto smiles. "I'll get us some tea," he says and he goes to the kitchen, singing from happiness.

Regina sinks down on her knees to be at the same height as the little boy. "You remember me, don't you?" she softly whispers to him.

"Yes," the boy whispers, not stepping away this time, "you killed me."

Regina slowly nodds. "I can imagine it felt that way." she whispers. "Would you accept my apologies?"

"I would," the boy says. "You made my pappa happy."

"I do hope I did." Regina softly smiles. "Your pappa is a very nice man."

"He is," Pinocchio says, "and you're not evil anymore."

"How can you tell?"

"You brought me back."

"I did." Regina smiles brightly now.

Pinocchio smiles too, "thanks."

"Can I give you a hug?"

Pinocchio doesn't answer, but gives her a hug instead.

Regina smiles when she holds the boy close to her body. "Thank you for giving me a chance." she whispers.

"Thank you for changing your mind about me," Pinocchio reacts.

"You're a very sweet boy, Pinocchio." Regina smiles. She gets up when Gepetto gets back with tea for the three of them. "Thank you." Regina nodds towards the old man.

They drink their tea together and have a good time.

After a couple of hours Regina says goodbye to both Gepetto and Pinocchio. She waves to them before she poofs away, back to The Royal Castle. She heads over to the seamstress to ask her about making a dress for her, Snow, Emma and Juli.

"Yes of course," the seamstress says, "for when?"

"For the wedding of Prince James and Princess Abigail."

"They're coming too?" she says, "how great," she gets all exited. "Tell them to come around here so I can measure them."

Regina smiles now. She nodds. "Thank you. I will certainly do that. Do you have time to measure me now?" she then asks, with hesitance in her voice.

"Yes," she says, "yes of course." She takes her supplies and comes back. "You know how this works right?"

"I... I do." Regina whispers, still with the same hesitance in her voice. She looks at the door, which is unlocked so anybody can walk right in.

"Can I start?" she says, not knowing if Regina wants something else.

Regina slowly nodds. "Yes. Yes, you can." She just keeps standing still.

When she lifted up some of Regina's clothes, she starts to measure Regina's waist. "Oh dear," she whispers and then she moves on to her upper body.

"Is something wrong?" Regina whispers.

"No no, not at all," the seamstress says.

"Please. Tell me." Regina asks again.

"Just... you're skinny," the woman says, "you're still very skinny."

"I... I am? I... I thought you'd say I'm still too fat." Regina whispers.

"No, dear, no," the seamstress says. "You've never been fat, you've always been too skinny."

Regina remains silent and lets the seamstress measure her completely.

"Thanks," she says, when she is done, "You have any wishes for your dress? Color? kind of fabric?"

"I trust you know what's best for me." Regina winks.

"I'll try my very best," the seamstress says. "and can I just say you're beautiful? I just want you to know that."

Regina turns away. "Thank you." she whispers, not really believing her. She has to say that, doesn't she? Regina slowly walks away, back upstairs. She's alone in The Royal Castle and that scares her a bit.

But this times the walls don't whisper, the sparkles don't appear, but mirror's appear on all the walls, showing Regina's beauty.

Regina crawls away into a corner. She doesn't want to see it. "Lies." she whispers. "All lies."

"No lies this time."

Regina curls up in her dark corner. "Please, go away."

Poof. All the mirrors disappear.

Regina sighs with relief when she hears them disappear, but she keeps lying curled up in the corner. She startles when someone strokes her hair.

"Don't be frightened," Robin whispers.

Regina sighs with relief again and holds onto him, very tightly. "Please, don't leave me. Stay with me." She almost begs.

"I will," he whispers.

"Promise? You need to promise."

"I promise," Robin says. He holds her even closer.

Regina cries from relief. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm such a mess."

"That's okay," Robin says, "just try to relax."

"Lies, everywhere lies." Regina whispers.

"What kind of lies?"

"Not beautiful. I'm not beautiful. I'm too fat. I'll be an obedient wife and lose weight, I promise." Regina mumbles.

"You are beautiful: real." Robin says, "you're fat: not real, you need to be an obedient wife: not real, you need to lose weight: not real."

"Stop with the lies, please." Regina mumbles. "Stop lieing to me."

"You're lying to yourself," Robin clearly states.

"I'll be good. I promise. I'll be very good." Regina whispers.

"Stop it, Regina," Robin whispers.

Regina startles. She wants to crawl away again, but Robin keeps her close against his body. "P.Please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

"You don't have to do this Regina," Robin whispers, "I'm here with you, I'll never judge you." He strokes her cheek gently and whispers, "apologies accepted."

Regina looks up now. "Robin." she whispers. "Everyone keeps telling me I'm beautiful. Why won't they listen to the truth?"

Robin grins, "Did you ever consider that maybe they are telling the truth?"

Regina shakes her head. "They can't be. Leopold made that very clear. I'm fat and ugly." she whispers.

"You think I'm a liar?" Robin says. It's not a judgement, just a simple question.

Regina startles. "No. You're not." she whispers

"I don't think your fat and ugly," Robin says, "I think you're beautiful and so does everyone else."

Regina sighs. "I'm tired now." she mumbles, sinking against Robin's chest and clinging to him.

"Okay," Robin whispers. When Regina has fallen asleep in his arms, he lifts her up and carries her to her bed. He stays with her.

Regina clings to him in her sleep. She doesn't let him go.

Robin puts a blanket over the both of them and holds her close. He doesn't sleep, but watches Regina. He loves to look at her when she is sound asleep. She is just so calm right then, away from everything.

After a couple of hours Regina hears a voice talking in her head. It whispers, it threatens. Her body goes rigid.

Robin feels Regina is tensed and he holds her closer to his body, staking her hair. "It's okay," he whispers.

"No." Regina begs, whispering.

"It all a dream," Robin whispers. He strokes her cheek and shakes her shoulder a little, trying to wake her up.

Regina focuses on the voice inside her head. She needs to know what this person is saying to her.

"Something bad is happening," the voice whispers, it's a familiar voice. The voice of a little girl. "something very bad. You need to wake up!" It's the voice of Josie, the little girl from town.

"What is happening? Tell me. I want to help." Regina whispers back.

"You're daughter," Josie says, "She is gone, nobody can find her."

Regina shoots straight up in bed now. "Emma." is the only name, the only word, she says.

Robin startles, "what's it?" he asks immediately. "What happened?"

"Where is Emma?"

"I don't know," Robin says.

"We have to go to the village of her school. She's gone. She's gone, Robin!" Regina panics. She poofs the both of them to the village. "What is going on?" Regina asks the nearest villager.

"It's your daughter," a woman says, panic in her voice, "she is killing people and burning everything to the ground!"

"I don't understand." Regina whispers. She runs to the area where people are screaming. "Emma! Please, stop!"

Emma looks around when she hears her mother. Her dark eyes reflect the fire in her hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Regina asks, taking a step closer towards her youngest daughter.

"Why do you care?" Emma reacts. "I know you gave up on me."

"Give up on you? I would never do such a thing!"

"You already did!" Emma shouts and she poofs herself away.

Regina stumbles to a dying person and starts to heal her. It requires a lot of her strength, but she refuses to let this woman die by the hands of her daughter. "Come on." she whispers, a bit of blood running down her mouth.

The woman starts to heal. She takes a deep breath and opens her eyes: she is alive. Robin runs towards Regina.

A small smile brightens Regina's face. She wipes away the blood with the sleeve of her dress. "I'm so sorry." she whispers to the woman.

"Apologies accepted," she whispers with a small smile and then she hugs her children, who came running towards her immediately.

Regina takes a couple of steps back and almost falls into Robin his arms. "I.. We need to find her. She will keep on killing if no one stops her. I... I know that look in her eyes. It's the same... The same as I had." Regina whispers.

Regina's words frighten Robin, "how did that happen?" he whispers, holding Regina upright. "Where do you think she went?"

"To the next village. She can't be far. Making yourself disappear is advanced magic. So she can't be far." Regina poofs them to the next village.

Emma is sitting underneath a tree, holding a heart in her hand like it's some sort of toy.

"Emma?" Regina asks softly. "Please. Don't."

Emma looks up and grins, crushing the heart. She drops the ashes on the ground. "You don't have any power over me anymore," Emma snaps.

"You are darkening your heart with every kill, Emma. Why? Why are you doing this?" Regina asks softly, lowering to the ground so she's at the same height as her daughter.

"Because nobody likes me," Emma states, "So why try to be kind if evil feels so much better." She lets a new heart appears in her hand.

"Emma, please. You need to stop." Regina whispers. "Once you reach a certain line, there is almost no coming back from. Trust me... I know." She looks Emma deep into her eyes. "Please. Please, Emma."

"I don't want to come back," Emma says and she crushes the next heart to. You can hear a scream coming from the village, a loved one...

"Emma, please. Please! Tell me what it will take for you to stop doing this!"

"Nothing!" Emma shouts, "just leave!"

"I'm not leaving you alone, Emma. You only kill people when you're not feeling good. I've been there so I know how it feels." Regina softly explains. "I don't know what exactly it is that you're feeling but I do know it's not something pleasant. Please, Emma.. Sweetheart, I'm here for you. I didn't have anyone but I am here for you. Please, let me help you."

"No I'm not feeling good, but killing makes me feel good again, so there's no way to stop me," Emma says, "I don't need help, I'm fine alone."

Regina shakes her head slowly. "That's exactly what I used to say to myself." she whispers, hoping she will get through to her daughter. "But it's a lie. You're lieing to yourself. No one is fine alone."

"I don't care," Emma says, "I feel great, so I'm good." She stands up, "goodbye." A smile appears on her face and she starts walking towards the village.

Regina doesn't stop her because she knows it won't help. Instead she slowly follows Emma.

Emma walks into the village where everyone is already afraid of her. They walk away, but Emma already grabbed someone's arm.

"Emma, please." Regina just whispers.

Emma rips the boy's heart out.

Regina remains silent now and just looks her daughter in the eyes. Not with anger or hatred, but with softness and care in her own eyes. "Don't." she mouths, not using any words.

Emma doesn't crush it. Not yet.

Regina doesn't move and just keeps looking Emma into her eyes.

Emma starts to crush the heart.

Regina doesn't avert her eyes. No, she keeps looking with kindness and love in them. "You can do this, sweetheart." she whispers now.

"Can you never just be mad at me?" Emma says. She can't handle the love.

"I can. But me being mad at you isn't going to help you right now. It will only push you farther away. If you want me too, I'll be mad at you when we're back home."

"Just be mad now and shout, so I can shout back," Emma says, "I don't need help."

"I will, as soon as you give that boy his heart back." Regina whispers.

Emma pushes the heart back in the boy's chest.

Regina slowly smiles before she takes Emma into her arms. "I knew you could do it." she whispers.

"Get off me!" Emma shouts.

Regina lets her daughter go. "You're grounded."

"How frightening," Emma snaps.

"No school, no Juli and no books." Regina snaps back.

Emma keeps her eyes pinned on her mother. She never thought she would forbid her to go to Juli. It hurts her, but she doesn't show it. "You can't stop me," she says.

"Yes, I can." Regina waves with her hand, bringing Robin, Emma and herself back to The Royal Castle, straight into Emma's bedroom. With another wave of her hand all of Emma's books disappear. "No school, no Juli and no books." she repeats. "And no invitation to Prince James and Princess Abigail's wedding."

"You're very good at ruining my life," Emma snaps. She is hurt, she is hurt so very much. "Goodbye then," she shouts and she starts to play with her magic in her empty room.

Regina seals Emma's bedroom with blood magic, which Emma can't open. She turns towards Robin. "Maybe no Juli is a bit harsh?" she whispers to him.

As soon as her mother leaves her room, Emma bursts into tears. Robin looks at Regina and shrugs, "it's hard, but also a clear statement," he says, "we need to show her she can't do this."

Regina nodds. "Alright then. No Juli as well." She turns towards Emma's bedroom door. "If you want to talk, Emma, you just call my name. I will be able to hear it, no matter where I am. I'll bring dinner into your room."

"I want nothing from you!" Emma shouts.

Regina doesn't answer this. She turns towards Robin now. "I... I'm tired." she whispers.

"I can imagine," Robin says. He knows Regina just woke up, but the happenings must have made her tired again.

"I'll just bring her some food before I go to bed. Is that alright?"

"Yeah of course."

Regina nodds. She gives Robin a kiss on his lips and a soft smile. She then poofs some food into Emma's bedroom. She knows it isn't a good idea to go into her room right now. Regina then slowly walks towards the bedroom she shares with Robin. She's already asleep when her head hits the pillow.

Emma sets the food on fire and creates a dark fog of the ash that remains. She drops herself on her bed and falls asleep. Robin holds Regina close, her body feels cold.

The minute Regina falls into a deep sleep, a familiar voice whispers in her ear again.

"This won't be over," Josie whispers into Regina's ear. "Emma is a tough one."

"It will be over." Regina whispers in her sleep. "She needs to stop this. I can't let her become... me."

"Good," Josie whispers, but no more words come, even though she wants to say more.

"You don't believe me?"

Josie doesn't answer anymore.

Finally Regina falls into a deep sleep.

Robin falls asleep too. He doesn't hear Snow, Henry and Juli come home.

Regina wakes up the second she hears people entering The Royal Castle. She quickly puts some warm clothes on before heading downstairs. "You're all home sound and safe." she smiles.

"O man," Juli says, "I looked for Emma everywhere but I couldn't find her. Is she home again?" "We're safe," Snow adds. They all know what happened, all the people know what happened.

"Emma is in her bedroom, which is sealed with blood magic. Only I can go inside. I've forbidden her to see you, Juli. She needs to know this behavior is not acceptable."

Juli is surprised, "oh, alright," she says, "I'll stay away from her then." She knows Regina is Emma's mother and if she wants this, so be it. "I'm glad she is here," she adds with a deep breath.

Regina nodds. "She's safe. For now. Because this isn't the last act of darkness she'll pull. It doesn't work that way." Regina looks down.

"You think she will do the same as you did? You think she is that far already?" Juli asks.

Regina sighs. "Emma is a very smart kid. Yes, I do believe she's capable of casting The Dark Curse. Or at least some version of it." Regina looks down again. "It wouldn't surprise me if she figured out a way to cast that curse without having to kill the thing she loves most."

"Can she do that with her magic only? Doesn't she need potions or something? Do you think she is that smart and powerful?"

Regina nodds. "She can and she is."

"We need to watch her then," Juli says, "we can't take the risk...".

"It won't matter if we watch her or not, Juli." Regina whispers. "When Emma has made up her mind, there is no one or nothing that can stop her from doing it."

"You can't just let her do this, Regina," Juli says, "You're not even going to try?"

"I'm not saying she will, Juli. I don't know for sure if Emma knows how powerful she is. But she is... She is extremely powerful. Even for me..." She looks down again. "I can feel it when I'm near her. I can feel her power radiating off of her."

Juli takes a deep breath. "Let's hope she won't find out," she says.

"If she will, we can't do anything about it. We can't prepare ourselves. We can't do a thing. If Emma is capable of casting The Dark Curse, which she is, without a doubt, we won't remember anything. It will be a world in which she wants to live. But like any other curse, it can be broken."

"You won't try to get her back then?" Juli says, "you'll just wait for her to cast it? Or will you talk to her?"

"Of course I'm going to try." Regina looks back up. "But I'm not going to talk about The Dark Curse. I'm not going to put that idea into her head."

"No of course," Juli says now with a relieved smile. "I almost thought you would do nothing, which is not really who you are, but still... I'm glad you will talk to her."

Regina softly smiles now. "She's asleep now, but I will talk to her in the morning. I promise. I suggest you all get something to eat before going to bed." Regina hugs the three of them before returning to her own bedroom. She sighs with relief when she lays back into Robin's arms. She falls asleep quickly and manages to sleep straight until the next morning.

Robin falls asleep very soon too. He could use some sleep. Juli gets some paperwork done of her patients before she goes to sleep. Snow and Henry go straight to bed.

When Regina wakes up the next morning, she can smell the magic all around. She quickly jumps out of bed and heads over towards Emma's room. "Emma? Sweetheart, can I come inside?"

"Yes please, come inside," Emma says. Her spell is almost done...

Regina walks inside. "What... What are you doing?" she whispers.

Before Regina can say or do anything more Emma rips her mother's heart out and holds it in her palm.

Regina gasps for air. She didn't expect this. "Emma?" she asks, fear in her voice.

"Don't worry," Emma says, "I won't kill you." and with a simple twist of her hands she breaks the heart in two.

Regina gasps for air again. "Emma, you don't have to do this. I'm here for you. I'll help you with whatever you want me to." Regina takes a step closer. "Please. Don't tear our family apart." A tear runs down her face now. "Please. I've worked so hard to get our family back together. I killed my father to make that happen. Please, Emma." Regina begs and cries now.

"That's a lie," Emma says, "no one is here for me. I would be honored in these last moments you remember me that after everything you did to me, you're still the one I love most."

"Emma, please." Regina cries now. "Please, you don't have to do this. I promise it will all get better." she whispers. "I can't stop you. You're more powerful than I will ever be. But please... Please, let this family remember each other. Including yourself. That's all I ask for." Regina looks up at Emma with a spark of hope in her eyes.

"It won't get better," Emma whispers. The hope in het mother's eyes hurts her more than anything else so far, but at the same time her mother is so hopeless, she is the one with the power.

"Please." Regina begs again.

"I'll think about it," Emma says.

Regina looks into Emma's eyes. "You've made up your mind haven't you?" she whispers.

"No," Emma states, but there is hesitation in her voice.

Regina looks away.

"I hate you," Emma then snaps and she burns the left half of the heart in her hand. A purple smoke starts to appear. A cloud that only goes bigger and bigger...

Regina gasps for air when Emma pushes the right half of her heart back into her chest. A tear runs down her face. "I love you. I always will." she whispers.

"Good luck with that," Emma says and then they both disappear into a purple smoke.

The last thing Regina sees is the look of hate on Emma's face.


	25. The New Dark Curse

Emma grins while the smoke surrounds her. She lets them appear in a completely different realm. Something she read about in a book.   
It's a big city at the sea. Drowning is a fun killing and besides that reading at the edge of the water is quite nice.   
Emma places herself in a huge castle, but not just a castle, It's filled with all the books in the world and reaches so high that it touches the sky. She lives there alone with her guards, and maybe in the future some boys to play with. And although she is young, she read her mother's story often enough to know how to get those and how to deal with them. It's more like a challenge than a desire. Her mother gave her a lot of inspiration.   
She places her mother in a small old building, under some palm trees. She is the head of an orphanage now. Let's see if she still likes kids when she has 50 of them. She made sure she killed a lot of parents, so Regina will be busy. No husband for her, no love of her life, a well-deserved curse.  
Robin is married to a beautiful woman (the fairest of the land?) and doesn't remember Regina at all. Not that Regina remembers him, no one remembers a thing of their past. He is unhappy, but his wife is loved by everyone so he pretends to have a perfect life. He is a postman and often comes to the orphanage with bills, the most terrible job, because he knows the orphanage has very little money, not enough to pay the bills he gives them. The children there always come to him to ask if he has any letters of their parents, but he always has to answer no to that question...  
Snow and James are together (she likes some love she can ruin). They are very good friends with Robin and Samanta (his new wife).  
Henry lives with a group of lost boys in the jungle now. She had never liked him very much and he doesn't deserve a comfortable life. Besides that. The jungle is far away from the city so there is a very small chance he will ever come across Snow or Regina.   
Emma keeps Juli in the castle. Just... no she doesn't need her. She doesn't need anyone, but still.

This morning is like any other morning Regina can remember. She goes to bed tired and she wakes up, still tired. Hours before the sun rises she's already busy making breakfast for the, currently, 45 children in her orphanage. She loves them all, each and everyone, but it's hard. Life hasn't been easy for her up until now and it doesn't seem it will be better soon. She has one light in her morning schedule. When the postman delivers the bills. Bills she can't pay but he somehow never comes to collect the money. He's a gorgeous man... Too bad he's wearing a wedding ring.  
This morning, like every other morning, Regina looks out of the window to see when this postman arrives. When she sees him in the distance, she quickly refreshes her face. She looks down at her dress. Brown and filthy but it's the only one she has. She shrugs. It's not like he's interested in someone like her. When the postman, she doesn't even know his name, arrives, Regina opens the door with a bright smile on her face.

This is the only moment on the whole day, Robin feels insecure about his appearance: the moment he knocks on the door of the orphanage and sees this beautiful woman. At home everyone always says how good he looks and if he doesn't there is always someone to fix it, but here... He just isn't sure anymore.   
He smiles when she opens the door. "Same as always," he says. He hands over the letters. Should he tell her how good she looks? No, of course not that's ridiculous... Her just keeps quiet and stands there.

"Thank you, sir." Regina nodds her appreciation. He looks so handsome, again. A shy blush appears on her face. "Thank you." she repeats. She looks away. "I already said that." she whispers.

Robin grins. "You're welcome, madam," he says. "Well... I should go, have a nice day."   
He walks away but his eyes keep focused on her... Too long...

Regina keeps staring at the postman until he is out of sight. She sighs. There goes the best part of her day. She turns around and walks back into the building. It's an old and big one. Legend tells it's haunted by the spirit of one of the most evil man who has ever lived. Regina herself has never felt comfortable in this house but it's the one she inherited, along with the orphanage that's inside of it. She sighs again when she rings the bell for breakfast.

All the children run into the kitchen at once. Pushing each other, fighting at the best place at the table.  
"Madam Mills," a girl says, "Charlie hit me."

"Charlie, how many times do I have to punish you before you realize it's never okay to hurt someone?" Regina asks, with a soft but stern voice.

"She started," Charlie exclaims, "she called me names."

Regina sighs. "Can't you all just get along for one day? Please?"

The girl sighs angrily and sits down at the table. "No give me the bread!" Someone shouts, "he has more food than I have!" "Madam he is on my place." "I was sitting here!" All the voices fill the room, one big chaos. One girl starts to cry.

Regina hits her fists on the table. "Please!" she starts. "The Princess is coming to visit us today. That's the first time in... Well... Forever. Can you please all be at your best behavior, starting right now?"

Everyone falls silent when Regina hits the table. Some children startle. "Is the princess coming?" A boy asks. "Why," another boy asks. Everyone starts to whisper.

"If you would all stay silent, I can explain." Regina waits for the noise to stop. "Yes, the Princess is coming to visit all of you. To see what kind of work I do here. Maybe she'll even show you one of her magic tricks. But you'll all need to be very good then, alright?" Regina doesn't mention a thing about the payments she's behind and will never be able to pay. Children don't need to worry about that. She does. She just hopes that isn't the main purpose why Princess Emma is coming to visit the orphanage. She smiles now. "So please, for just one day, try to be friends with one another. Can I count on you all?"

Most of the children nod. "But then Andrew has to stop stealing my candies!" a boy shouts and it doesn't take long before the whole table is chaos again. Chaos until they hear a knock on the door.

Regina startles. "Be good now, alright? Please? If you are, if you all are, I'll have a little surprise for you tonight." She quickly gets up and hurries to the door. She opens it.

The kids immediately stop talking. They love surprises and are too curious to ruin this opportunity of a surprise. They all keep sitting on the table, while the eldest kids clean up the breakfast table.  
"Madam Mills, greetings," says a guard. Princess Emma steps out of the coach in a beautiful long black dress.

Regina nodds to the guard but her eyes are focused on the girl stepping out of the coach. She's a stunning girl, barely older than 13. "Princess Emma." she nodds towards the girl. "Thank you for visiting us today."

"It's not just a visit, I'm here to claim the money you owe me," Emma says. She walks inside without asking and comes into the room where all the kids sit silently around the table. "I assume you have the money," she says, gracefully picking up one of the bills she created.

Regina follows Princess Emma inside. "Please, can we discuss this in private?" she softly asks.

"Private?" Emma says, "I don't see the point in that. I came to this dusty house, which isn't even cleaned and is full of dust. So if you don't make your house suitable for a princess, unfortunately, I won't listen to what you have to say."

Regina looks down, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Emma." she starts. "I'm up since 4 AM to prepare breakfast for 45 children. I don't really have time to...". But she can't finish her sentence.

"You don't have time for what!" Emma snaps, now moving closer towards the children. "How dare you to call me Emma, it's Princes Emma and nothing else. Bow for me!"

"I... I'm sorry, Princess Emma." Regina makes a very small bow. She notices the children are getting afraid. "It's alright, sweethearts. It's alright." she whispers.

"It not alright," Emma snaps, "this woman right here doesn't pay her bills. Isn't that unfair? Everyone should pay their bills don't they?" When she doesn't react she says it harder, more threatening, "Don't they?"

"Please." Regina whispers. "They're just kids. They don't need to worry about my bills. Please."

"They do need to worry about them, because if you don't pay them, there will be consequences," Emma snaps. She walks away from the room of kids into a small office, the private place Regina wanted. The children look at Regina, frightened.

"I will take care of this. You just finish up cleaning the table and play nicely, alright? Don't forget the surprise!" Regina smiles, more confidently than she's feeling inside, and follows Princess Emma inside her small office. "This job doesn't bring much money to the table." she whispers. "I can barely give them enough to eat on a daily basis. There are days I can't eat myself so all of them can eat at least something. I... I'm doing the best I can, Princess Emma."

"Then you need to get your money somewhere else," Emma says. "You're lucky someone is paying a part of the money for you, otherwise you wouldn't even have a house anymore."

Regina's eyes flash up to those of Emma. "What... What are you saying? Who... Who is paying part of the money? I don't know anything about this."

"You don't?" Emma grins, "well it seems someone feels pity for you or something. He calls himself Robin. His wife is one of my dearest friends."

Regina slowly nodds. She doesn't know of any Robin. "Thank you. Thank you for telling me this, Princess Emma." she whispers. "I... I'll make sure I'll get the rest of the money as soon as possible."

"One week," Emma says, "I'll give you one week to pay and otherwise you'll be living on the streets with all of your little beasts."

Regina startles from the harsh tone in the voice of this, still little, girl. "I... I can't promise anything." Regina whispers. "But I'll try my best."

"I don't need a promise," Emma says, "One week and this house will be gone."

"Please, Princess Emma. You can't just put 45 children on the street. Please." Regina begs.

"Of course I can if you don't pay," Emma says, "I'll be back in seven days and I'll see if you have what I want." She poofs away and soon her coach and guards leave too.

Regina stays behind, stunned. She feels the sense of magic around her. It feels somewhat... familiar? That can't be. Regina has never been able to perform magic through her entire life. But still... She can't shake the feeling of familiarity completely. "Don't be so crazy." she whispers to herself. She heads back to the children. "After your surprise tonight, you all have to go to sleep and be very good, alright? I need to be somewhere, just for a couple of hours. Can you do that for me?"

"You're leaving us?" a little girl asks. She clings to her teddy bear. All the children look at Regina, not knowing if they have to be frightened or happy.

Regina starts to giggle. "Come on, now. Would I ever leave you? You don't need to worry, sweethearts. I just need to be somewhere that will give me the money I need. I promise it will all work out. You don't have to worry about a thing." She smiles brightly. "Now, if you'll all go outside and play nicely, then I'll prepare the surprise." The kids don't know how to get out of the house fast enough. Regina smiles again. She then starts to work on her very own recipe; lasagna.

The children play outside. They're all talking about what happened. Some stay close to the house, so they can flee inside if the princess will come back. Charlie falls while they're playing football and starts to cry.

Regina checks everything in the kitchen to see if it's safe to go outside and see what all the crying is about. "Oh, Charlie. You're my little clown, aren't you?" Regina smiles. She takes care of the little wound on his knee. "There you go. All better." she smiles. "I'm almost done. Just a couple of minutes now." Regina goes inside to finish the lasagna. She then rings the bell for dinner. She has worked in the kitchen all day now.

All the children are exhausted and hungry. When they go inside they all get blown away by the amazing smell. They all sit down and they are all silent (which is a miracle). They look into Regina's eyes full of happiness. This is the best thing they got in days.

"I do hope you like the surprise." Regina smiles, while getting the massive lasagna out of the oven. She's made 2 of them, so everyone will have plenty. "And I do hope it's good." She smiles brightly.

The children all eat their lasagna and for the first time in weeks their stomachs are full. "Thank you," the boy next to Regina whispers. "It's delicious," an girl says. When all the lasagna is gone, the youngest kids fight over who will get to lick the last pieces out of the bowl.

Regina giggles. "Alright, alright, alright." she smiles. "Time to go to bed now. I'll ask Lady Tremaine to watch over you until I get back. Please, don't give her a hard time. She's an old lady. I know you can do that." Regina gives every single one of the kids a kiss goodnight. She then walks over to the little house not far from the orphanage. She knocks on the door.

"Yes?" a voice comes out of the house.

"Lady Tremaine? It's me, Regina. I need your help tonight. Is that alright?" Regina asks politely through the door.

Lady Tremaine opens the door. "Oh Regina it's you," she says. She smiles and gives Regina a hug (as good as she can) "what do you need help with, sweetheart?"

"I need someone to watch over the kids for a little while. Just until I'm back. I... I need to be somewhere. But they are all fast asleep and I asked them to be good. Most of the time, they do that." Regina smiles softly.

"Yes of course I can watch over the kids," lady Tremaine says, "it has been a long time since I've seen them. What do you need to do?"

"I need to find some money." Regina mumbles. "But I know where I need to be. Thank you for your help, Lady Tremaine." Regina helps the old lady to walk to the orphanage. "Thank you again. I'll be back as soon as possible. It should take me just a couple of hours." Regina nodds to the old lady and disappears into the night. She walks for a very long time, until she has reached one of the larger villages in the city. She looks around and heads for the tavern. The famous tavern. She heard some rumors about women getting paid very good money for their... services. She knows she needs the money and she can't bare the idea of 'her' kids getting put on the street because she couldn't find the money for them. So Regina enters the tavern.

A few men look at her when she comes in. They're all a bit drunk and let her eyes go over her body and her filthy dress. "A new one," one of them grins. He and the other man laugh.

A shy blush appears on Regina's cheeks. She doesn't go to the men herself. She knows this, she has heard of this. Men choose their girl, not the other way around.

One man stands up, clearly the leader of the gang. "This one is mine," he says with a wink. He walks towards the new woman, who still looks delicate and pure and lays his arm around her back. He leads her to a darker room.

"I... I need money." Regina whispers softly. "A decent amount of it."

The man takes an amount of money out of his pocket and pushes it in Regina's hand, "good service and I'll give you more," he says, his lips very close to Regina's.

Regina slowly nodds. "I... I've never done this before." she whispers.

"I like new ones," the man whispers, "just let me lead at first and then you take over. It's not that hard." His lips touch Regina's and his tongue slips inside of her mouth.

Very slowly Regina follows his moves. The rest of her body stays almost frozen. But she needs to do this, needs the money.

"Relax," the man whispers with a grin and he pulls out Regina's dress.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry it's an ugly and filthy dress." Regina whispers. She protects her body for as long as she's able to. "I need the money." she whispers again.

"I don't care about the dress," the man says, "clothes can be taken off." He lets his hands go over her body, forcing her to show her body to him.

"Please." Regina whispers. "Don't hurt me." Her voice sounds small and fragile.

As an answer the man kisses her neck and lets his hands go down to her hips.

"I need the money. I need the money so bad." Regina whispers again. Her body reacts to the touch of this man. She leans towards him.

The man kisses her now, so Regina will stop talking and start doing. He moves his hands down and touches her at exactly the right place.

Regina can't help but to open her legs for him. It's like her body functions on its own now. She kisses him back and starts to pull out his clothes as well.

"You're a quick learner," the man whispers in Regina's ear. He moves his hands to her back and lets Regina undress him. He slips inside her, but lets her lead.

Regina's body freezes again after this act of him. "I... I don't know... what to... do..." she whispers softly.

"Just do it," the man whispers, "it's not that hard". He now leads and waits for Regina to take it over.

Regina just keeps following his lead. She doesn't take over.

The man starts to move more heavily. "Take over," he says and he squeezes her flesh with his nails.

"I... I can't... You're hurting me. Please." Regina whispers.

"You want money or what?' the man says, kissing her full on her lips and not letting her escape from his arms.

Regina nodds heavily. She tries to take over but fails miserably.

"Come on, don't be afraid," the man says, helping her a little. He helps her a little, but he already grows impatient.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is my first time. I don't know... I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

"Just do it," the man says, "don't hesitate." He takes over the lead again. "You've one more chance."

Regina really tries her best.

It's getting better and the man now kisses her heavily. His arms tightly around her, he is not planning of letting her go soon.

"You're hurting me." Regina whispers again, very softly.

"Stop talking," the man says, "I thought you needed money? This is the price."

Regina leads the both of them to the bed that's standing in the dark room. He lays on top of her. She moves in his rhythm and lets him reach his climax.

The man reaches his climax and now he helps her to reach hers. But after that he doesn't let her go, he is hers now.

Unwillingly, Regina rides out her orgasm. She didn't want this, but if it gets her the money she needs... She looks up at him. "Can I get the money now? Please?"

"Don't worry about your money," the man says, "you're talking to much." He strokes body and lets his lips go over her skin.

Regina's head falls into her neck. Her body likes this kind of touches. "P.Please. What... What are you doing?" she whispers.

He doesn't answer. He just goes on to show her he doesn't like talking.

Regina's body moves closer to his lips. "Hmmm." she whispers.

He kisses her over her whole body, his hands on her waist.

Regina quickly rides out her second orgasm. "I liked that." she whispers. "Thank you. Are... Are we done now?" She looks him deep into his eyes.

"Come back tomorrow," the man whispers, putting some extra money into Regina's hand. "The fun just started."

"Tomorrow? I... I don't know if I'm available tomorrow." Regina mumbles, quickly putting her dress back on. She notices him standing closely behind her when she's done. "I... I'm sorry, I don't think I can manage to come tomorrow." she whispers, leaning into his touch because her body still seems to function on its own. Her body already misses the touches of this man.

"I thought you needed the money," he whispers in her ear. He moves his hand under her dress and softly strokes her skin, "and I know you like this." He stands so close to her that his lips touch her cheek.

"I do need the money." Regina whispers, leaning closer into his touch now.

"Then come back, I have the money you want," the man whispers with a grin. "We both know you like this," he adds and he moves his hands from her waist to her legs.

Regina softly moans. "Please. The children. I can't leave them alone." she whispers.

The man says nothing, but just goes on.

"Please." Regina mumbles. But she almost reaches her third climax.

The man stops just before she really reaches her climax and now just holds her close to his body.

"Please. Just a little bit more." Regina whispers now.

Then he lets her reach her climax. He grins and stays close to her while they leave the dark room.

Regina gasps for air while having her third climax. She leans on the man when they enter the tavern again. "I need the money." she whispers again.

"Tomorrow," he whispers and then let go of her. He joins his friends again, who're still drinking and laughing. The man winks at Regina before she leaves the tavern.

Regina leaves the tavern with the money in her hands. It's nearly enough, but maybe tomorrow... She hurries back to the orphanage. Before she enters she washes herself at the little river nearby; she feels dirty. She then walks into her home, the orphanage. "I'm back." she says softly to Lady Tremaine.

"Come here," lady Tremaine says. She is sitting on the couch with a cup of tea. All the kids are in bed and the only light in the room comes from candles.

Regina slowly approaches her. It's hard to walk because of what activity she just did. She sits down next to the old woman. "I do hope they were good?" she inquires softly.

"They were don't worry," lady Tremaine says. Even though Regina washed herself, she can still smell the perfume of a man. She knows exactly what Regina has done. "but I know someone who didn't do a very good thing," she adds. She looks at Regina. "Promise me you won't do it again."

Regina looks down, her cheeks red from shame. "I can't let them live on the streets because I can't pay the bills." she mumbles.

"But you can't do this to yourself either," lady Tremaine says. "how much did you get?"

"Not even close. Tomorrow... Tomorrow I can get more." she whispers.

"You can't go back there. Once you get in there it's so hard to get out of the community again. They will always want more," lady Tremaine says. She looks at the money Regina got, it's almost nothing.

"I can't let those kids down." Regina whispers now.

"What they need is you, Regina," lady Tremaine says. "what if you lose yourself in this, what do they have then?"

"I won't lose myself. I promise. Can you watch the kids tomorrow again? Please?"

Lady Tremaine takes a deep breath. "Alright," she then says, "but you need to know how to do this." She points at the money. "That man must have known you were desperate, because this is almost nothing. Tomorrow you decide the price, I know arrogance is not in your nature, but you need it now. Do you understand?"

Regina slowly nodds. "I... I'll try."

"Good," lady Tremaine says, "show them they can't intimidate you." Regina needs to be confident, because otherwise they will pay her nothing and she wants Regina to get enough money as soon as possible...

Regina nodds slowly. "I promise. Thank you for taking care of the children tomorrow night." Regina hugs the old lady. "What would I do without you? You're the closest thing to a mother I have ever known. Thank you for everything you do for me."

"Always, sweetheart," lady Tremaine says, "I know how difficult things are for you right now, so I try to be there when I can." She smiles and squeezes Regina's hand.

Regina smiles back. "Thank you. Shall I walk you home or do you want to spend the night in the guestroom?"

"I'll go home, thank you," lady Tremaine says, "I'll manage it by myself, you can go to sleep. I can see you need it." She winks.

"Are you sure?" Regina asks softly.

"Of course," she says and she walks to the door, slowly, but she reaches it.

Regina watches Lady Tremaine leave. She then falls asleep on the couch. She's exhausted. The next morning she startles when one of the kids wakes her up.

It's still dark outside because it's very early. "I can't sleep," a little girl whispers. She holds her bear in her arms and looks at Regina with big sleepy eyes.

"Come on. You can come sleep with me." Regina scoots over so the little girl can lay in her arms. "Here you go." she whispers. She softly strokes the girl's hair. "Did you have a nightmare?" she asks with a soft voice.

The little girl seeks the warmth of Regina's body. She nods. "I dreamt the princess came to throw us out of the house." She heard the conversation Regina had with Emma, because she listened to them in secret. "You won't let her take our house, will you?" she whispers.

"Of course not. I promise I'm doing the best I can, sweetheart. You don't have to worry about a thing. I'm right here. You can go to sleep now. I'll watch over you." While Regina tells the little girl this, she gets the scary feeling someone is watching at her right at this moment. She looks into the mirror but shakes the idea off of her...

Emma is afraid her mother saw her through the mirror, but that feeling soon disappears. She now realizes her face is wet because of her own tears. She wishes to be that girl, curled up in her mother's arms. But she can't be weak... she just can't. The girl soon falls asleep in Regina's arms.

Regina softly smiles and keeps stroking the little girl's hair until she herself falls asleep as well.

The morning comes and the kids wake up...

Regina is already up before the crack of dawn to take care of the breakfast. The little girl is still sleeping on the couch, but is also waking up slowly by now. The breakfast today is nothing fancy. Just a couple slices of bread for everyone with a bit of syrup. Regina herself doesn't eat.

The kids are all chatting and fighting again, like every morning. Someone steals a piece of bread from another kid...

Regina doesn't have the courage to say something about it today. She's lost in her own thoughts, thoughts about tonight.

"Madam Mills, he stole my bread," the girl cries. Another girl is angry because a boy dropped water onto her dress.

Regina just remains silent between all of this chaos and stares in front of her.

The girl starts to cry harder. The older kids try to comfort her, but the chaos that's starting is uncontrollable. Two boys are even fighting now.

"Please, stop." Regina whispers softly. A tear runs down her face now.

"Madam, what's going on?" one of the oldest boys asks. No one else hear Regina, because the kids are making a lot of noice.

"I'm asking you all to please, stop it." Regina whispers again. "I'm trying so hard to pay the bills, to make sure we can all stay here, stay together, but you're not making it easy for me." Regina's voice never rises higher than a soft one.

"They don't hear you, madam," the boy says. He is wondering what's going on.

"If they would listen, they would hear me." Regina continues with the same soft voice.

"Yes, but they can't listen, because they're making to much noise."

"Then they need to stop." Regina looks up now, her voice rising a bit higher.

The boy doesn't know what to say.

Regina gets up from the table and walks away. "You can clean the tables. I'm done for today." She makes her way upstairs, to her room, and locks herself inside.

The kids are confused. Some don't even notice Regina is gone, but after a while they are all looking at Regina's empty chair...

Regina undresses herself and washes her dress in the sink. She doesn't make it completely wet, because it's the only dress she owns, but she manages to get the most dirt off of it. When she hears the postman arrive, she quickly puts it back on and heads downstairs. She opens the front door at exactly the same moment when the postman, whose name she still doesn't know, stands before it. Regina smiles, a shy smile. She doesn't look him into his eyes.

The postman looks into Regina's eyes. She looks so tired, but still her eyes seem to sparkle. He moves his hand into his bag to pick up the bills like always... He can't do it. He pulls back his hand with nothing in it. "I just wanted to tell you there are no bills today," he lies. He smiles and curses himself for his stupidity.

Regina looks up at him. "There aren't?" she asks softly. Relief shines through her voice and in her eyes. "That's nice. That's really, really... nice." she then whispers. She puts her arms around her waist, as a way to protect herself from the cold outside. It's a cold day.

"You should go inside, you look cold," the man says. How much he wants to take this woman into his arms and give her all the warmth he possesses.

Regina looks down again. "Inside isn't really better than outside. I haven't been able to pay for electricity for a long time now." She looks down again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't burden you with my problems."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the postman says, "I wish I could give you some of my warmth." Seriously... did he just say that? He wants to hit himself in his face. "I mean... Shall I help you making a fire?"

"You... You know how to make a fire?" Regina looks up at him again. "We... I don't really have wood in the house. I don't know which wood I can use or how to make a fire."

"I'll be right back, I'll get you some wood," he says. "see you." He smiles and goes to his house to collect some wood, nobody will notice some missing pieces from a pile of hundreds of wooden branches.

Regina walks back inside and cleans up most of the mess in the living room. She orders the kids to play somewhere else in the orphanage; it's big enough for all of them.

"I'm hungry," Charlie complains, not wanting to leave the room.

"I know, honey, I know." Regina takes Charlie into her arms. "I'll look for something after that nice postman helps me with making a fire so everyone can sit around and get warm."

"A fire?" Charlie says, immediately forgetting his hunger.

"Yes, sweetie, a real fire. Do you want to help making it? I'm sure this nice man would love that."

"Yes, I would love that, can I really do that? make a real fire?' he can't believe his ears.

Regina nodds. "But you have to listen when this man explains it to you. Can you promise me that, sweetie?"

Charlie nods silently. Some other boys who heard what Regina said, come too, "can we learn it too?" they ask.

Regina smiles softly. "Let's ask him when he gets back, alright?"

Now all the children come inside and sit down around the fireplace. They have never seen a fire burning in there and it's awfully clean for a fireplace. They all wait in silence for the man who will give them warmth.

Regina quickly opens the front door again when she hears someone knocking on it. "You're back." she smiles to the postman. "Thank you so much for doing this for us. I... I can't give you money though." she whispers.

"That's okay, I don't need money," he says. He comes inside with a bag of wood and is stunned by the huge amount of children around the fire who all seem to expect him.

"They... They would love to watch and learn. Is that alright?" Regina whispers.

Robin smiles, "yes of course," he says. "I'll show it to you first okay? and if you want to practice with me, to help this beautiful madam of yours to make her and your house warm, we can go outside afterwards." He says it softly and winks to the kids, who get all exited, but stay silent like Regina told them.

Regina's cheeks turn a bit red. "You don't have to say that." she whispers. "But thank you." She looks away. If only he knew what she does in the middle of the night... He would despise her.

The children have a wonderful day 'playing' with fire. Especially boys, but some girls too go outside to try for themselves. The younger ones warm up some food, so they can have a true warm dinner. The old bread becomes crispy and nice and they can even make warm soup.

Regina looks at the kids with tears in her eyes. She loves seeing them like this.

"You're okay?" the postman says, not because she is crying, but because it looks like she can barely keep standing on her feet.

Regina nodds slowly. "Yes. Yes, I am. Thank you, sir." She softly smiles at him.

He smiles back, not saying anything more. He just stands next to her.

Regina keeps herself upright against the wall. She hopes he doesn't notice anything.

The man doesn't say a thing. He doesn't want to seem rude, it's not his business...

"I'm really grateful for what you did today. If there is anything I can do to repay you..." she whispers.

The man looks at her, "It was my pleasure, madam," he says, "I don't want anything in return. It was the best day I had in weeks, maybe even months."

"Really?" Regina smiles softly. She takes his hand and squeezes a bit. "Thank you, really." When her hand touches his, a warm feeling flows through her. Suddenly her head hurts. Like something wants to claw its way out of her, but isn't able to.

The postman freezes a little when Regina touches him. Her hands are cold and it feels like he can crush her fragile hand with just one squeeze, but her own squeeze is strong. It makes him feel... nervous? stupid? wonderful?

Regina takes a step back. Everything is twirling around her suddenly. She has to grab the postman's arm or otherwise she would have fallen to the ground. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

The postman holds her upright. "No problem," he says, "are you okay?' he dares to ask again.

"Just a major headache all of a sudden. I'm sorry."

"Maybe you have to lie down doe a little while," he says, "I'll look after the children if you want." Did he just says that? Yes. Did he regret it? Absolutely not.

"I can't ask you that." Regina whispers.

"You don't have to ask me," Robin says with a smile, "I ask you."

"You really don't mind? Isn't anyone expecting you at home?"


	26. The New Dark Curse 2

"They're expecting me home for dinner, which is in a few hours," the man says, "so that enough time for you to lay down for a while."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that very much." Regina whispers. She takes his hand to squeeze it again, but again she gets a burst of pain in her head.

The postman startles a little when he sees Regina is in pain. "Headache again?" he asks. He keeps holding her hand, so she doesn't fall down.

Flashes of memories that have been lost appear before Regina's eyes. A big white house. A young girl with black hair. Another young girl with blonde hair who looks exactly like Princess Emma. She's holding a beating human heart in her hand. How does Regina know it's a human heart? "Yes. Headache." she whispers.

He walks inside with her to her bed. He doesn't know where it is, but together they reach it, "Maybe it will be better after some sleep," he says. When he looks into her eyes he sees something familiar. He knows she is having a vision, but how does he know that...?

Regina shakes the visions away. It feels like memories but that can't be. She look up at this man, exhausted. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." she whispers while laying down on her bed.

"It's Robin," he says. He lays a blanket over her body, not touching her at all, just kindness. He doesn't want to bother her.

"Robin?" Regina asks, unsure if she heard that correctly. 

"Yes," he says. 

"Nice to meet you, Robin." Regina softly says, remembering what Princess Emma told her about some Robin paying part of her bills.

"Nice to meet you too, Regina," Robin says. He already knew her name. "You want me to close the curtains?" he asks.

"That's alright. I'm actually feeling better right now." She smiles at him. "I'm fine. I... I need to get ready for tonight though." she whispers.

"You have plans for tonight?" Robin asks, just out of curiosity.

"I... I need to be somewhere. To... To get the money I need for Princess Emma." Regina speaks those last two words out with a lot of hate in them.

"In the evening?" Robin says, but at the moment he asks it he realizes what she probably is going to do.

Regina nodds slowly. "I need the money." she whispers now.

"I'm sorry," Robin says. He wishes he had more money, so he could pay all her bills instead of only half of them.

Regina shrugs. "It's my fault, really. I... I don't expect you to understand." She looks down, ashamed.

"I don't want you to go there," he then suddenly says. "I'll pay the bills for you." He just can't let her go there... he just can't.

Regina looks up. "Robin... That's really kind of you but you don't owe me a thing. I promise I'll look out." she whispers.

"No I can't let you do that," Robin says. He does care for her, he doesn't even know why. "I will figure it out." He is already making plans in his mind, he doesn't know what to do, but he will do something.

Regina takes his arm, touches it lightly, but a spark springs between them which causes her to flinch. "I'm sorry" Regina whispers now.

Robin is stunned for a moment. He takes her hand in his. Her hand feels hot and a weird kind of energy flows from her hand to his. How much he wants to take off his wedding ring right now...

Regina's eyes look deep into his. "I... I'm sorry."

"Did you feel that too?" Robin asks.

Regina nodds slowly. "You're married." she whispers.

"I know..." he whispers.

Regina slowly pulls back her hand. "I... I need to go. It's almost time for me being there."

"Don't go," Robin says. "I told you I'll pay for you." He looks at her, but then looks away, "unless you like to go there of course, then... then I'll go."

"Of course I don't. But I can't accept your offer. You need your money as well. You have a family. You can't put that on the line for... for someone... someone like me."

"I can never forgive myself if I let you go there," Robin says.

Regina looks down. "I'm sorry." she whispers again. "I... I need to go now."

"Please," Robin says.

Regina looks up at him. Doubt in her eyes. She doesn't know what to do.

Robin takes a deep breath and just looks at Regina. Should he let her go? This was none of his business. She must think of him as a creep who is only bothering her...

"I need the money. And I can't ask you to pay my bills, so really, it's the only option. For now.

"Yeah okay," Robin says. "But if you want me to pay the bills, I will. Just ask." He adds, he wants her to know he can do that for her, but maybe pushing her isn't a good idea. Maybe she just wants to pay the bills herself and not to be dependent on someone...

Regina nodds. "That's very kind of you, Robin. Thank you, but I can't accept it. It's too much."

"Alright," Robin says softly.

Regina leads him to the front door. "I'm really sorry I can't." she whispers again. "I'll be there in one hour." she quickly adds, before she doesn't dare any longer. "In the next village." Regina quickly picks up Lady Tremaine again. "The kids are asleep, so it will be calm."

Lady Tremaine sighs, "okay," she says, "remember what I told you, You decide the price this time."

Regina nodds. She quickly makes her way to the tavern again. When she walks in, she looks around.

A girl immediately comes towards Regina when she sets foot in the tavern. She pushes her outside again before anyone sees her. This woman in front of her looked exactly like the image she formed in her mind when the man described her. "You're Regina, right?" she says and she hands over an envelope. "A man told me to give this to you." That man gave her some money for it so she was glad with the small job. It's an envelope with the money Regina needs and a small note.

"Who... Who gave this to you?" Regina asks while opening the envelop. She startles from the amount of money in it. It's more than enough to pay all of her bills. She starts to read the little note.

The note says:  
‘I know you don't want me to do this, but you can't stop me. Just like I can't stop you from going in there. But I at least wanted to give you a reason not to go into the tavern. So please take this from me and I promise I won't bother you ever again. 

Best regards.

Robin.’

Regina sighs with relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much." she whispers softly. She looks up but the girl who gave her the envelop is gone. She looks up to someone else.

"Interesting envelop you have there," a man says. The man from the tavern, they already met yesterday.

Regina quickly hides it away in her dress. "It's mine. I... I have to go." She turns around.

The man simply grabs her arm and makes her stay. "I thought we had a good time together yesterday," he says with a grin.

"We did. But... Not... Not tonight. I need to go."

"Yes take me, John," says the girl who gave the letter, "you can't just leave me for her."

Regina looks up at this John. "Please." she whispers.

The man lets go of her arm and looks at his girl. She desperately needs money, so she really needs this night with him.

Regina takes a step away from him. She bumps into someone else.

"Hello there," a man winks as she bumps into him.

Regina looks down. "I'm actually leaving right now."

"How unfortunate, why?"

"Because." But Regina can't find a reason fast enough.

"Great, that means you're free," the man says with a grin.

"N.o."

"No?"

"I'm leaving." Regina whispers.

"We could have a pleasant night together," the man whispers, taking his hand in his.

Regina just looks at him.

"Come on," he whispers. "I'll pay you well."

Regina feels for the envelop and doesn't find it any longer. "W..What?" she mumbles.

"I said, I'll pay you well," the man grins, holding the envelop in his hand, "because I think you need this."

Regina slowly nodds. "I'll get that envelop with all the money in it if I go with you for tonight?" she whispers softly.

The man grins. "Of course you will," he says.

Regina nodds again, following the man inside and to one of the darker rooms upstairs.

"Show me what you can do," he whispers, while laying his hands on her waist.

"I... I can't really do anything. Just... Just this." Regina whispers. She kisses the man and allows his tongue inside her mouth.

The man kisses her back, satisfied for now, but he wants more...

Slowly Regina pushes her dress off her shoulders. She looks at him with big brown eyes. "The envelop, right?"

"Just give me everything you have and you'll get more," he whispers, immediately kissing her again, because he can't stand the innocent eyes that stare at him.

Regina slowly undresses the man in front of her as well. She moans out of fear. She thinks of Robin, how he gave that money so she wouldn't have to do this and she lost it. She hates herself.

The man grins when Regina's hands gently touch his skin. When she's undressed him completely he lays his hands on her body.

"Please. I just need that money." Regina whispers softly.

"Then give me all you have," the man says, pulling her closer to himself.

Regina guides him to the bed. She pulls him above her. "Go on. You can have all of me." she whispers.

He slips inside her, holding her body close to his. He grins and takes all of her, just everything... like she is no human being, but just a toy, worth nothing.

Tears stream silently over Regina's face. When he's done and throws the money at her, Regina makes herself small and curls up.

"What is this for behavior," the man grins and he gets Regina out of her position by a simple, painful pull on her arm.

Regina moans of pain. She scrambles the money together. "Please. Is it done?" she whispers.

He grabs her waist and pushes her against the wall, kissing her violently, making it unable for Regina to breath.

Regina almost screams. "Please, I gave you what you wanted."

"You don't know what I want," the man snaps.

"Please, just take it so I can go. Please." Regina begs.

"I don't like begging women," the man states and he gives her another kiss. He lets his tongue go over her skin.

Regina remains silent now. She lets him do what he wants.

He does everything he wants and then just pushes her out of the room into the bright light of the hallway. He looks at her as if she is worth completely nothing, just something dirty and rotten. Sweat covers his face.

Regina, half naked because this man teared her dress while being very brute, hurries away, downstairs and through the door. She hides in a nearby little forest. She clings to the money as if it's the only thing that matters. She cries and cries and makes herself small against a tree, hidden from sight.

Nobody finds her because she is completely out of sight... The wind is very cold and raindrops start falling down.

Regina just keeps sitting. She knows she can't go home with a dress like this. She doesn't even dare to move, afraid someone will see her like this.

"Regina," lady Tremaine whispers. She started looking for her when she didn't come home. 

Regina startles when she hears someone calling her name. She hides even further away in the darkness. A darkness that, strangely, feels very... right?

"Regina are you there?," lady Tremaine whispers again. She shouldn't have let her go...

Regina keeps very quiet. She's too scared.

"Let's go home," lady Tremaine says, "we will get you back together, the kids can't see you like this."

"No. I can't go. Please, just let me be. I'll be fine." Regina mumbles.

"Will the kids be fine too," lady Tremaine says. She sits down next to Regina. "You can’t leave them like this." She knows she is hard, but she has too.

"Here. This is for the bills. I... I'll come back. Just not now. Not tonight. I'll be there tomorrow morning, I promise."

"Promise me you will," lady Tremaine says, taking over the money from Regina. "Don't do stupid things."

Suddenly Regina takes the money back. "No. I will bring it to Princess Emma. I will do it right now. It's not that far. I promise I'll be back before the sun rises." Regina grabs her dress and covers herself as best as she can. She walks towards the Great Castle. It's a bit of a trek but within 2 hours she manages to reach the front gate. She knocks on the heavy door before entering. It's late, but not that late for a Friday night. Regina asks the guards for Princess Emma and tells them she's here to pay her bills from the orphanage.

The guards hold her back. She can't enter in this appearance, their princess wouldn't agree. "We can't let beggars in," the guard states, but before he can throw her out, Emma appears on the top of the big stairs in the middle of the hallway. "Let her through," she says and the guards move aside.

Regina slowly moves forward, handing the money to the Princess. "Princess Emma." she whispers, while making a bow. The signs of how Regina got this money are clearly visible on her body.

Emma looks at the woman in front of her and knows what her mother has done. It hits her and almost hurts her. This was all her fault, but the darkness that has taken over her body refuses to feel bad about it. "Keep it," she than says, her eyes soften a bit, because a memory flashes by. She is so confused... Like her mind is playing games with her. "Get yourself a new dress and the rest... Use it for something good," she whispers.

Regina looks up, stunned. "You... You can't be serious." she whispers. Then anger and even rage take over. "My dress is this way because of what I had to do to get this money for Your Highness!" She spits out those last two words with hate. "And now you're not accepting it, telling me to buy a new dress that would have been fine in the first place if you decided 3 days ago that you don't need this money!" Regina almost launches herself to the girl to attack her but she manages to stay where she is.

Emma then grabs the money and lets it slip into her small golden bag. "Now that you say it, or do I have to say snap it, I indeed need this money. Thanks, good luck with your children and your dress," she says. "You may go now." She walks away from Regina, her mother, who fought so hard to forget about all the things Leopold did to her and now it just starts all over again. She closes her eyes while she walks away. When she opens them they are dark again.

"You're nothing more than a little brat!" Regina screams now. "How can you live with yourself? You're a monster!" 

"I don't care what you think of me," Emma says, turning around on the stairs. "I don't care what anyone thinks of me." She walks on.

"You can pretend that's true. But after a while you'll see that's not true." Regina mumbles, turning around. On the way out she trips over her dress and falls to the floor.

"We will see about that," Emma snaps, now poofing herself away. The guards throw Regina outside. 

Regina quickly runs over to a nearby little village. She doesn't enter it, but she hides in the bushes. She's so tired, so tired. She needs someone to repair her dress but she doesn't dare to go into the village.

Loud voices come from a pub nearby. They're all drinking and laughing, but nobody notices Regina. The people may not notice her, but a fairy does. She appears next to Regina. She wears a green dress and has flowers in her hair.

Regina startles. She doesn't dare to look up.

The fairy flies up and places herself on Regina's shoulder. She carefully starts fixing Regina's dress. "What happened dear?" she asks with her high, fairy-like voice.

"What... What are you doing?" Regina asks with a soft voice. She doesn't answer the question.

"I saw your dress was broken," the fairy shrugs.

"Thank you." When the dress is repaired, Regina turns back into herself. "Thank you." she whispers again.

"You're welcome," the fairy says with a smile. When Regina doesn't react she says, "You look unhappy...".

"I want to be alone."

"Oh," the fairy says disappointed, "are you sure? Won't you be lonely? Maybe that's what makes you so sad, being alone."

Regina laughs sarcastically. "I have 45 kids to take care of. I'm not alone nor am I lonely."

"Oh," the fairy says again, "then what's it?"

"Go away!" Regina shouts out.

The fairy startles and falls of Regina's shoulder. She flies up and sits down on a branch of a tree close to Regina. She looks at the injuries she got from the fall, not much, just a few scratches. 

"Can't you listen? I want to be alone. Please." Regina's voice sounds softer now.

"Yes I can listen," the fairy says, "I just wanted to look at my wounds for a little bit, but I'm not bleeding, so I'll go soon. Don't worry." She wipes the dirt of her dress.

Regina doesn't look up anymore. She freezes because she hears heavy footsteps, from men in heavy boots, coming her way.

The man laughs very hard and is a bit drunk. He sees Regina and looks at her. "Feeling sick?" he laughs, "come on in, no reason to sit here." One of his companions stands with him now and he laughs too. "Looks like someone has had a little bit too much alcohol." Now the both of them laugh.

Regina gets up and starts to walk away. Flashes of forgotten memories go through her head but she shakes them away again.

The men start to pee against a tree and don't pay attention to Regina anymore. Morning is almost arriving...

Regina slowly makes her way back to the orphanage. She sees Robin already approaching with the mail. She walks the last distance with him towards her house.

Robin doesn't say a thing. He looks at her and sees that she went into the tavern.

"They took the money from me." Regina whispers.

"I'm sorry," he whispers back. 

"It's not your fault. Thank you. For the money. Really. I... I don't know how to repay you."

"It was a gift," Robin says, "you don't have to repay me."

"A gift? How rich are you?" Regina smiles softly.

Robin grins a little, "rich enough," he says.

Regina just smiles back. "Really, Robin. Thank you." Regina smiles at him, a bright smile this time.

"You're welcome," Robin just says. "I have no letters for you today." His bag is full of bills for Regina, but he doesn't tell her. He wants her to have a comfortable day and he doesn't want her to worry after what just happened to her.

"Again? Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure," Robin says.

Regina smiles, relieved. "Thank you, Robin." She looks up at him. She then gives him her hand, to shake it, as a sign of respect and acceptance.

Robin smiles. "It's my pleasure, madam Mills," he says and he accepts her handshake.

A spark of electricity flashes through both of their hands. Regina looks up at him again. A memory flashes in front of her eyes. A kiss that's being shared between her and this man in front of her. Love. Real love. She shakes her head. "It can't be a memory." she whispers.

Robin sees it too. he sees flashes of memories but he can't really get them together. "What did you see?" he asks. 

"Real love." Regina just whispers. "Me and... and you." She looks away, red on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it's not appropriate. You're married."

"You did?" Robin says. He can't believe it. Could it possible she feels the same for him as he feels for her... 

Regina slowly nodds. "Yes. But like I said, you are married." she whispers now. She startles when the black coach of Princess Emma suddenly arrives at the orphanage.

"What's this?" the princes says when she gets out of the coach. She saw Robin and Regina together through her mirror and that's not a good thing.

"I... I'm sorry?" Regina asks softly.

"Ariël came with me this morning, telling me her husband has interest in another woman. It looks like she is right." Emma snaps. "I forbid you two to see each other again."

"Excuse me? You, little brat, have nothing to say about my life. After that stunt you pulled on me, you have no right to be here!"

"I have all right to be here," Emma says, "this is MY land. And Ariel is my friend, I can't let her husband go with someone else."

"We are doing nothing wrong." Regina simply states, turning her back to the young girl.

"You're keeping this man from is work," Emma reacts, "and this man is keeping your mail from you, so... you're both quite wrong at this moment."

"You're not only a brat, you're also a liar!" Regina turns back around in anger and raises her hand to slap this kid right in her face, but that's without considering Princess Emma's guards. 

The guard immediately grabs Regina's arm and moves it to her back. He holds her so she can't run away. Emma only grins. "I'm no liar," she says, "and I won't let you get away with this."

Regina's eyes shoot fire. "Let go of me!"

The guard doesn't let go of her. "Show some respect," Emma says with a grin.

Regina spits on the floor in front of the Princess.

"Take her to the castle," Emma says. Robin wants to protest, but the other guard doesn't let him. "and send him home," Emma adds.

"Let go of me!" Regina shouts out now. But it's no use. Within minutes she sits across of Princess Emma in her coach, in between the two guards. Regina looks at the Princess with hate in her eyes. 

Emma smiles at her mother. Then lady Tremaine appears in front of the coach. Emma got her there with her magic. Tremaine looks at Regina through the window, knowing something bad is going to happen to her.

"No! Stop the coach! Please!" Regina screams. "Please, you can't do this, she has nothing to do with this!"

"She does have something to do with this. She will take care of your little children when you're gone and I don't want that," Emma states and with a twist of her hand she kills Lady Tremaine. The old woman smiles at Regina before she falls on the ground, dead.

"NO!" Regina screams. "She did nothing wrong! You.. You... You're a monster!" Tears stream down Regina's face.

Emma looks her mother into her eyes. "Whoops," she grins.

Regina keeps on crying. "How have you become like this?" she whispers.

"My mother taught me," Emma says, "she never wanted to, but she did." 

"I feel sorry for your mother." Regina spits towards this girl again.

"I feel sorry for her too," Emma laughs. "she promised to protect me from the dark side, but she failed, such a shame."

"The way you are acting right now, and all of the time for that matter, I'm starting to wonder if you even gave your mother a chance." Regina snaps.

"It's none of your business," Emma snaps back. "and fighting the darkness isn't about giving someone a chance...".

"I need to go back to the children." Regina whispers now.

"Not going to happen."


	27. The New Dark Curse 3

"They can't take care of themselves!" Regina snaps again.

"Then you should have thought them to take care of themselves," Emma states.

Regina just stares out of the window of the coach now. She doesn't look at this girl anymore.

They arrive at the castle and the guards lead Regina to the dungeons. Emma looks at her mother from a distance.

"How long are you planning on keeping me here? You can't lock me up forever. Even you are not that cruel!"

"No I'm not that cruel at all," Emma laughs, "I'll keep you here as long as I want. I want to see your children bleed. Did you hear of my new law already?"

"What new law?"

"Every person who talks to one of your children, will be killed," Emma says, "and if your Robin talks to any of them, they all will be killed." She grins.

"NO!" Regina screams now. She pulls away from the guards and runs towards Princess Emma. She strikes her in her face. Regina startles; the moment she touches the young girl pain shoots through her head. Regina grabs her head and sinks to the ground in pain.

Emma softly touches her cheek and eases the pain with her magic. Emma startles too when her mother touches her and a big headache comes up. Not as bad as Regina's, but it's quite unpleasant. "Get her out of here!" Emma shouts and the guards push Regina towards the dungeons

"Please! You can't do this to them! Monster! You're nothing more than a monster!" Regina keeps screaming until the guards push her into one of the cells.

Emma just walks away, not caring about her mother at all. It's so much easier to hate someone then to love someone...

Regina cries softly. How can she have failed so bad?

A week passes before Emma returns to Regina's dungeon. She looks inside through the small window.

Regina lies curled up on the wooden bench. She stares in front of her.

"You have a visitor," Emma says and one of the little girls from the orphanage steps inside. She looks up at Regina. In her hands she has a little box.

"Julie!" Regina runs over to the little girl and takes her in her arms. "How are you? How is everyone?" she needs to know.

The girl smiles brightly when Regina takes her in her arms. She wraps her arms around her too. "We are okay," Julie says. Her eyes are filled with tears. "The rest is here too, but the princes only let one of us in." She looks up at Regina. "Are you hurt?" she whispers.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. Worrying is my job. The Princess let you in?"

"Well... a guard convinced her," Julie says she doesn't say how. She turns her eyes to the box in her hand. "I brought something for you," she says, a little blush appears on her cheeks.

"What is it?" Regina asks softly, taking over the box.

"Just open it," Julie says, "we worked for it, together." In the box is a long pink ribbon, it's shiny and has some glitters in it.

"I... I love it." Regina smiles brightly. "Thank you, Julie, really." She hugs the little girl again.

"It's for your hair," Julie says smiling shyly and she adds with a very soft voice, "for when you see the postman again." She giggles and looks into Regina's eyes.

Regina smiles softly. "I love it." she repeats again. "Who is taking care of you now?"

"No one," Julie says. "no one can talk to us." Then she moves her mouth to Regina's ear. "but Robin gives us money in secret," she whispers.

"He does? That's... That's good. Just don't, don't get caught, alright?" Regina whispers back. She looks up when the door opens.

"Will you come back to us?" Julie asks desperately before the guard grabs her arm. They need Regina back, surviving is so hard right now. "We miss you so much," Julie starts to cry.

"I'll come back, sweetheart, I promise I will." Regina shouts at the girl before the door closes again and she's alone with Princess Emma in the dungeon. Regina looks up at her.

"How sweet," Emma says. She feels hurt but doesn't show it.

"Can I go home?"

"No," Emma says. She then looks at the ribbon in Regina's hand. "What's that?" she snaps.

"They... They made it for me." Regina whispers, holding on to the ribbon as tight as she can. "Please, don't take it from me." she whispers.

Emma lets the ribbon appear in her own hand and looks at it.

"No! Please!"

Emma poofs away, leaving the ribbon in the dirt of the cel. She doesn't destroy it, maybe next time...

Regina picks the ribbon from the floor and holds it close against her body. She cries herself to sleep that night.

Three weeks pass and Emma just lets Regina sit in her cel. She forgets all about the ribbon and never comes to get it.

In those 3 weeks Regina sleeps a lot. It's not like she has anything else to do.

After exact 4 weeks Emma comes to get Regina. She opens the cel door and comes inside.

Regina looks up. She remains silent.

"You can go," Emma states.

Regina gets up. She doesn't say a word. This brat doesn't deserve any more of her attention.

Emma remains silent too. She looks at her mother. She just looks, but wishes her mother would wrap her arms around her and say it was all okay, that they would get through this together.

Regina walks past 'the Princess' without looking at her. Because Emma is standing in the doorway, Regina's arm touches hers while passing by.

When Regina touches her it feels like a burn is appearing on her skin. Emma takes a step back and looks at the red spot on her arm.

Regina looks at it too. "I'm sorry. I don't know how I... It wasn't my intention to hurt you." She looks up to the girl now.

"Forget about it. Just go," Emma says, not wanting her mother to know anything. She quickly heals the wound.

Regina nodds and walks away. She turns around one more time to look at the girl. What happened in her life to make her such a monster?

The girl looks back, feeling extremely alone.

"Where are your parents?" Regina startles when she hears herself asking this question out loud. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"They're gone," Emma says and she looks away. This was all her own fault.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose you have someone taking care of you?"

Emma now looks up at Regina, a bit startled. "No," she whispers, "I don't. I... I can take care of myself."

Regina nodds quickly. "I'm sorry, of course you can. I don't mean to intrude."

"I know you don't," Emma says and she walks away from her mother.

"If you ever... If you want... I mean... You can always visit the orphanage." Regina softly adds.

"Yes sure," Emma says sarcastically, "I expect a warm welcome when I arrive."

"But you will. Those kids have seen more than an angry teenager. No... No offense." Regina quickly adds.

"Angry teenager?" Emma says and she turns to face Regina. "I... I- "

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Regina lowers her head. "What I meant to say is that those children have seen worse than you being a strict ruler."

"Go away!" Emma shouts. She bursts into tears, not knowing why. Well... She does know. Her mother just told her she was nothing more than an angry teenager, but she doesn't want to admit it.

"Emma..." Regina walks over to the young girl in front of her and, without hesitation, takes her into her arms. "You have every right to be angry. Sad. Disappointed. Whatever you feel is valid." she whispers.

"Just go away," Emma whispers through her tears. She loves the warm arms of her mother around her, but she can't be weak like this. She frees herself from Regina's arms.

"If that is what you really want." Regina whispers. She takes a step back but not before she strokes Emma's cheek. "You can come by any time you want."

"So you can lock me up? and treat me the way I treated you?" Emma snaps. She knows it's not true, but she must show her power.

"No, of course not. On the contrary, to let you sit and eat with us. It's not much but it's nice and cosy, at least when they all behave, which they can if they want to." Regina speaks softly but her voice is full of love.

Emma walks away from Regina. The love is too much for her. She can bare it.

"I do hope to see you soon, Emma." Regina says before leaving the Palace. She hurries back to the orphanage.

"Regina?!" Julie says full of excitement. She runs toward her and wraps her arms around her neck. The other kids who are outside follow.

"Sweethearts." Regina lets her tears flow. "I'm so happy to see all of you again!"

"Yes yes yes, we love to see you too," Julie says and she hugs Regina tighter. "We need your help."

"Tell me. What is going on?"

"Charlie isn't well," Julie says, another girl adds, "he is so hot and he has red dots on his skin. He can only sleep."

"Take me to him." Regina softly says. She knows this can be deadly when not treated well.

They take Regina to the couch where Charlie lies. He is covered in sweat and breathing superficially. "Daisy has the red dots too since yesterday," a boy says, "we don't know what to do."

"All of you, go outside and wash yourself in the river. Burn your clothes and put on your good ones. Then don't come inside until I say so." Regina states clearly.

The kids hurry outside, not asking why they have to leave.

Regina takes care of Charlie and Daisy. She puts some sort of herbal creme on all off the red dots of both children before she gives them hot milk with honey to drink. When they are asleep, Regina walks outside.

"Are they going to be alright?" A boy asks, the children form a circle around Regina now.

Regina smiles. "They will be. But I need to make sure none of you has those red dots as well. Did you check yourself thoroughly?"

The children nod.

"Alright then." Regina smiles. "What happened while I was away?"

"We missed you," a girl says. "We tried to stay alive without you."   
"Nobody wanted to talk to us."  
"Every thing went wrong...".

"Oh, sweethearts, nothing went wrong. You managed to get through this without me. I couldn't be more proud of you all."

"But Charlie almost died," Josie whispers.

"He'll be fine. And so will Daisy. You did really good. I'm just happy none of you killed one another." Regina smiles.

They start to grin. There had been a lot of fights, but no one was killed. When Regina says it like this everything seems so small.

Regina laughs now. "So... Did Robin came by?"

"He did," Josie says, "in secret." They all grin, it had felt like a small adventure everytime Robin handed over the envelop with money. "He brought us money and he wrote letters, they were very funny sometimes."   
"And he brought us wood," someone else adds.

"That's good. That's very kind of him." Regina smiles.

"Yes he is very kind," they whisper. "And he likes you!" Julie then says: All the children start to giggle at once.

Regina's cheeks turn a bit red. "He does not. He's married."

"He does," the children keep on saying. "He likes you better than his own wifw." They keep giggling.

"How.... How do you know that?" Regina wants to know.

Julie grins, "He wrote about you sometimes," she says. There is a pile of letters inside of the house. It was the only kind of company from the outside the children had for a long time, until now.

"He did?" Regina smiles softly.

The children nod, smiling.

Regina smiles softly back. She startles when someone calls her name. She turns around.

Robin looks into Regina's eyes and smile appears on his face. "You're back," he says.

"I... I am." she whispers softly.

"Are you all right?" he asks. "Did she hurt you?"

Regina shakes her head. "No, she didn't. Not really." She smiles. "It's kind of you to come by."

"I was just about to deliver a new letter to the kids," Robin says, "looks like that's not necessary anymore." He smiles and some of the children start to talk with him.

Regina smiles back and her smiles gets even more bright when she sees the way Robin interacts with her... Well, not her, but still... children.

All the kids really want to read Robin's letter and after a lot of complaining he gives in. He hands over the letter with the money and winks to the kids. "Use it well, alright," he says. Josie stands with Regina. "You need to put the ribbon in you hair," she whispers, "he will like it."

"Will you help me?" Regina asks the girl softly. She sinks through her knees to be at the same height as Josie and lets the girl help her.

The girl binds Regina's hair in a small tail. Not all the hair fits, but that makes her look even more charming. Robin smiles when he catches her eye.

Regina smiles back, very shy all of a sudden.

"He likes your new hairstyle," Julie whispers with a small giggle.

"Does he now?" Regina giggles back.

"Don't you see it?" Julie says. She can barely hold in her excitement.

"What is it that I need to see then?" Regina giggles again.

"The way he looks at you," Julie whispers.

"How is that?" Regina winks at Robin, as a sign she knows exactly what Julie is talking about, but loves teasing her anyway.

Julie almost explodes from excitement, "Yes," she whispers. Robin winks back and Julie's eyes sparkle. "I told you, I told you," she whispers .

Regina shyly looks away now. "You're married." she whispers to Robin.

Julie startles by Regina's words and tears appear in her eyes immediately. "I know," Robin says.

Regina looks away again. "So...".

"So... I should probably go," Robin whispers.

Regina nodds slowly. She had hoped he would say something else, but well...

"Or I should break up with my wife," he whispers with a smile, hoping she will return one.

Regina immediately looks up at him. "Would you do that? For... For someone as common as me?" she whispers.

"You're not common to me," Robin says, "and if you want me too... yes I would do that."

Regina shakes her head. "I can't ask you to do that. It has to be your own choice."

"Do you want me?" Robin asks softly, "because I want you. My choice is easy to make."

"Y...Yes." Regina whispers, looking up at him now. A small smile comes across her face.

"You do?" Robin smiles.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Regina smiles brighter now.

Robin can only look at Regina. He doesn't know what to say or do. It's the happiest moment in his life.

Regina does the same. She just looks at him. "How is it possible we have a connection this strong?" she whispers.

Robin shrugs, but before he can say something Julie whispers: "true love."

Regina looks down at the little girl. "How do you know that?" she smiles.

"I can feel it," Julie says. "I know you feel it too."

Regina smiles again. She looks at Robin again, who is now standing closely in front of her.

He takes her hand in his and looks her into her eyes.

A huge headache shoots through Regina's head immediately when Robin takes her hand in his. She doesn't let go though. "Do you see that too?"

Robin feels and sees it too. He holds on to Regina's hand, he wants to see all of it. But then it stops... Emma stands a little distance away from them.

Regina startles and turns around to Princess Emma. "Princess Emma." she says softly.

"Yes it's me," she snaps. "Now get away from each other or I'll kill this little boy right here." She holds on to the arm of a small boy.

"No, please. You can't do this." Regina begs, stepping away from Robin. "Please."

"Step away from him!"

Regina steps further away from Robin. "Please, Emma. Why are you doing this?"

"That's non of your business," she snaps.

"Let him go. He's just a kid, he has done nothing wrong."

"Promise me you two won't talk to each other ever again! You won't even see each other ever again," Emma says, "promise me or he will die."

"Emma, please!" Regina shouts out now, desperate. "Can't you see we are in love? Why does it bother you so much?"

"Promise me," Emma only says and she takes away the air from the boy. She starts to choke him, just a little bit.

"I promise! I promise! Please, don't hurt him!" Regina cries out, sinking to the ground.

"Leave immediately or there will be consequences." Emma lets go of the boy and Robin immediately runs to him so he won't fall. "You're cruel," he whispers before Emma poofs away.

Regina also runs over to the little boy. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asks him, taking him into her arms.

The boy nods, accepting Regina's embrace. Little tears make his face wet, he was really scared.

"It's alright now. You're alright now." Regina keeps whispering to him. She looks up to Robin. Sorrow lies in her eyes.

"Will you be alright?" he asks Regina softly.

Regina shakes her head. "I won't." she whispers. She leans towards him, slowly, while holding the little boy close against her body.

Robin holds her and the boy close to him. He lets Regina's hair go through his fingers and smiles when he sees the pink ribbon. "The children will take care of you," he whispers.

Regina leans into his touch. God, how she misses someone to hold her like this. Her lips come close to those of him.

Robin moves closer to her, but before his lips touch hers he appears in his own house. Emma poofed him away from Regina. "You promised," Emma whispers, walking towards the boy again, ready to kill.

"No! Please!" Regina shouts out. "You can't do this! Please, Emma!"

"You didn't keep your promise," Emma snaps.

"I'm sorry, please. Please." Regina stands in front of the boy to protect him.

"Promise me you and Robin will never have any contact with each other ever again," she snaps.

"Why? Why is that so important to you? Don't you want your people to be happy?" Regina doesn't understand.

"You two just can't be together," Emma says. She can't explain it, although she almost wants to.

"Why not?"

"I won't tell you," Enma says, "but it's a good one."

"I promise I won't see him again." Regina whispers softly. "Just.... Just don't hurt my children."

"Very well," Emma says and she poofs herself away.

Regina takes the young boy in her arms. "I'm so sorry." she whispers to him. "I won't let anyone hurt you, ever." She looks up to all of the kids who are standing around her now.

"I know," the boy whispers. The other kids only stare at Regina, some stunned, some in tears.

"It's alright, darlings. Why don't you all play a game while I make dinner, alright?"

The kids look at each other. It has been such a longtine since dinner was made for them. They always had to made it themselves the last month. They all nod and run of together so they can swim in the lake. "Thanks," Julie says before she runs after the others.

Regina smiles. Before she starts dinner she checks on Charlie and Daisy. They are both asleep. Regina feels their forehead and notices they don't have any fever. That's a good sign. "Princess Emma could cure you both with just a flick of her hand." she mumbles to herself. "Such a brat. A monster." Regina turns around, walks over to the kitchen and starts on dinner.

After half an hour the kids come back. They're completely wet and they start fighting over the few towels that there are. Dirty towels, because they hadn't been able to clean them without Regina's skills.

"Please, I have an headache. Can you all please calm down? After dinner I will wash the tows, but for now I need you to be a bit more calm. I've put on the fire, like Robin taught us, so you can all dry up there." Regina softly explains.

The kids sigh and sit down in front of the fire. They're dry in no time. Some of the kids who didn't jump into the water already start to prepare the table. "We won't see Robin ever again, will we," an older boy asks Regina.

Regina shakes her head. "I'm afraid not. The Princess won't allow it and I can't risk her hurting one of you." she explains.

The boy looks sad, "I liked him," he says with a sigh.

"Me too." Regina whispers. "I like him very much." She sighs.

The boy now hugs her. "Maybe one day the princess will let us see him again," he says full of hope.

Regina smiles at him. "Maybe." She doesn't want to crush the hope of this boy, who is almost a man, but she knows Princess Emma has made up her mind.

When dinner is ready everyone is dry again. They have dinner without fights. The children want Regina to tell them what happened to her in the month she was away.

"Nothing really happened. Princess Emma locked me up and I got 3 meals a day. She sometimes came to see me. That's all."

"What did she do when she came to see you?"

"Talk. Just talk. Now finish your diner before it gets cold."

Three months pass and the orphanage runs again as before. Charlie and Daisy heal completely and the children are happy Regina is back. Only one thing is different: the postman. Now an old angry man, who gives Regina all the bills.

Regina nodds to the postman. "Thank you." she whispers. The previous money, the money Robin gave her, is already gone to the Princess and the Kingdom. Regina knows she needs more money. She asks one of the older boys to look after everyone at night. "You don't have to do much. Just be there is something is wrong. I'll be back before sunrise, alright?"

The boy nods, not knowing what else to do.

"Thank you, Matt." Regina smiles. She puts the pink ribbon into her hair because it's the only item she has to make herself a little more... Beautiful? Regina sighs. It won't get any better than this. She makes her way to the tavern. She enters silently.

A man catches her sight and walks towards her.

Regina looks up at him.

"Hello there," he says, "I haven't seen you here before." He grins and comes very close.

"I haven't been here much." Regina lets him come close.

The man nods, "so you have been here before," he says, placing his hands on her waist.

"Yes." Regina whispers. She looks him deep into his eyes. "Are you a real man? Or are you just here for some fun?"

"What do you mean by that," he says, interested.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

"No I'm not that kind of man," he says, "I'll make it pleasant for the both of us." He winks.

Regina tries to smile. She keeps looking at him.

"Let's go, you know how this works right," he says and he leads her to a room, much lighter than most of the rooms here.

Regina doesn't move once they are in the room. She looks at him and waits until he tells her what to do.

"I have all night," the man says, "so you don't have to hurry." He just waits.

"What... What do you want me to do? You... You're going to pay me good money, right?"

"I will if I have a good time," the man says and he walks closer to her, "and if you have a good time too," he adds in a whisper.

"No. First the money. I need to see the money before we start." Regina whispers.

"How much do you need," the man grins. He takes his purse and opens it. There is a huge amount of money inside of it.

Regina's eyes grow wide. "That should do it." she whispers. She slowly takes off her dress.

"Very well," the man whispers, slowly moving his hand over Regina's arms. His lips touch her neck.

Regina pulls at his trousers. "Off." she mumbles.

The man grins, almost laughs. He helps her undress himself.

Regina looks him deep into his eyes. "What now?" she asks softly.

"Just relax," he whispers and he kisses her. At the same time he moves his hands from her waist to between her legs. He knows what she likes.

Regina moans. "That's... That's..." she whispers. She leans into his touch.

"What is it?" the man whispers.

"Hmmm.." Regina moans. "More. Please." She hates herself for begging for more but she can't help it; she likes his touch.

The man smiles against her lips and goes on.

Regina kisses him back. Softly. She allows him to come into her mouth with his tongue.

He moves his hand to her waist again and pulls her closer to his body.

"I need the money." Regina mumbles.

"Then fight for your money," the man whispers back.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want," the man says, "you came here knowing exactly what was expected from you, so don't act like you're stupid."

Regina leads the both of them towards the bed. She pulls him above her.

The man winks, looking into her eyes.

Slowly, very slowly, Regina opens her legs. "Go on."

And so he does... He makes sure they have a pleasant time together...

Regina likes it, this man touching her the way he does. "Please. I'm tired." she whispers after almost 3 hours.

"You're tired?" the man whispers. He kisses her, like he has done so many times before.

"Yes. I'm tired. You're exhausting me." She smiles now. "In a good way, I think."

"Very well," the man says and he lets her go. He comes off the bed.

Regina leans on one hand. "I get the money, right?"

The man throws the money at her like it's nothing.

Regina looks at him. "Thank you." she whispers. She puts her dress back on, takes the money and wants to walk away. She looks at him when he takes her by her hand.

He looks at her and grins, "can I offer you something to drink?" he says.

Regina looks at him, doubt in her eyes. "Sure. Why not?" She smiles at him and follows him to the tavern. It's a lot more crowded than a couple of hours before.

They sit down at a table with some others. The man buys Regina and himself a drink.

Regina looks around.

There are a lot of people in the tavern, most of them are talking very loud and are half drunk. A girl sits lonely at the bar and stares at her drink. The barman is chatting with a girl and laughs very hard.

Regina looks up at the man next to her, who lays his hand on her tigh.

The man doesn't even look at her. He just softly strokes her.

"I don't like that." Regina pulls away.

The man just keeps his hand on her and pulls her back.

"I don't like that." Regina repeats, pulling away again.

"I don't care," the man says. His voice is harsh and raw.

"Let go of me." Regina demands now.

The man now pushes Regina so hard, she falls on the ground together with her chair. Everyone in the tavern laughs, except for the girl at the bar, because she doesn't notice a thing.

Regina gets up quickly. "I said I don't like that!" she shouts.

"And I said I didn't care," he says. Pulls her up and pushes her against the wall. His body is squeezing her and he hits her in her face.

Regina turns her face away in pain. "I'm sorry! Please, you don't have to hurt me!"

The man doesn't listen at all and hits her again. A crowd starts to form around them, all yelling to go on.

Regina's eyes search for someone to help her, to stop this man from hitting her, but she doesn't see anyone willing to help her. "Please!"

The man throws Regina on the ground and starts kicking her until she bleeds. He will show her who rules this place.

Regina curls up her body to protect herself. "Please. I'm so sorry." she whispers.

The man kicks her a few more times, until the woman, who sat on the bar walks into the circle, "You showed your point, Arthur," she says and she keeps standing between Arthur and Regina. Arthur walks away and so does the crowd. The woman sighs and takes her seat at the bar again.

Regina crawls away in a dark corner of the tavern. She's close to losing conscience, but not yet. She has trouble seeing clearly.

Nobody pays any attention to the woman in the corner. The conversations started again and some other girls are picked up by men.

Regina doesn't dare to come out of the corner. Too scared to be noticed.

"Get up, girl," the woman from the bar says, "you're making a fool of yourself." She reaches out her hand. She wears a black jacket over a light pink dress. The smell of alcohol surrounds her but she isn't drunk.

Regina gets up, with the help of this woman. "Thank you." she mumbles. She then quickly starts to make her way outside of the tavern.

The woman doesn't say a thing and helps Regina to get outside. "Take care," she says. She stands in the doorway and watches Regina leave.

Regina flees from the village. She seeks up the river to wash herself again and to wash off the blood.

The night makes the river look black and only the moon is there to make it sparkle. The water is ice-cold and nothing can warm it up right now.

Freezing from cold Regina steps out of the water and puts her dress back on. She startles when she hears a sound behind her. "Who's there?"

The small green fairy appears. Her clumsiness gave her away. She makes her way to Regina, "it just me," she says, while getting the leaves of her.

Regina sighs. "You again. Can't you just leave me alone?"

"I can leave you, if you want me to," the fairy says a bit disappointed.

“That's what I want!" Regina snaps now.

"Okay, I'm sorry then," the fairy says. She turns around and flies away.

Regina sighs with relief. The last thing she needs is a useless fairy. Those creatures never do anything good. Regina rubs her arms to get a bit warmer but it doesn't really help.

No one is around, but a blanket appears next to Regina. The fairy did it without being seen and now she is flying away, out of the forest.

Regina pulls the blanket over het shoulders. She tries to stop the bleeding of some wounds. Most of it does, but one wound, on one of her upper legs, doesn't stop. "Please." she whispers in front of her. "Robin would know what to do." She softly cries now.

"I heard your wish," a voice comes out of the forest. A blue light followed by a small green light appear for a little moment: fairies. It doesn't take long for Robin to come by. He makes a walk, looking for his wife who didn't come home last night.

"R... Robin?"

"Regina?" Robin says, recognizing her voice at once. He looks around him and sees Regina sitting by the water.

"I'm so cold."

"What happened?" he says, "what are you doing here at this hour?" He makes sure the blanket is covering the most of her body and he takes her close.

Regina clings to him. "Money. I needed money." she just whispers. "It's cold. My leg won't stop bleeding." Suddenly it hits her. "We can't be seen together."

"I know," Robin whispers. He takes of his jacket, then takes of his shirt and bandages Regina's wound with it. After that he puts his jacket back on, because of the cold.

"Thank you." she whispers. In one hand she holds onto the money she got. "I needed the money." she whispers again.

"I'm sorry I can't give you money anymore," Robin says, "I can't risk it." But now he takes some money from the bag he is carrying. "Take this," he hands over his whole purse.

"No. No, I have enough for the bills of this week." Regina mumbles. "You should go. We can't be together."

"One week, yes, but after that..." Robin says, "just take it and I'll go."

"I can't. You need it as well."

"You need it more than I do," Robin says. "Please take it." He is still holding Regina, hoping she will get warm.

Regina slowly takes over the money. "I don't know how to thank you." she whispers. She doesn't leave his arms.

"You staying alive and well is anough thanks for me," he says and he smiles.

Regina smiles softly. She looks him into his eyes. "I... I don't want you to leave." she whispers.

"I don't want to leave either," he says and he stays with her.

"Good." She smiles at him, softly stroking his arms which are holding her.

Robin holds her and stays quite. He lets her wet hair go through his fingers. Little curls start to appear in her black hair, he never noticed those before.

"Your wife?" Regina asks softly.

"I went out to find her, she left and didn't come back..." Robin says, "but I found you."

"But... Did she... leave you?"

"Well... we had a fight," he sighs. "She said she never wanted to see me again."

"Because of me?" Regina wants to know.

"Because of you."

Regina looks away. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"You're sorry?" Robin says, "it's not your fault, it's mine, but I'm not sorry."

"You're not? Why not? I... I don't understand. You have a good life. Why put it all on the line for... for someone like me?"

"A life isn't good when you can't be with the one you want to be with most," Robin says. "You mean a lot to me, Regina, you mean more to me than my wife...".

Regina looks up at him. "But Princess Emma." she whispers.

"I know," Robin says, "I know we can't take the risk. We can't let her kill your children." He takes a deep breath. "But it feels good to be with you right now...".

Regina nodds. "It does. It... It feels familiar." she then whispers.

"It does," he says, "but that can't be, right?"

Regina shrugs. "I guess not."

"I think it's best that I bring you home now," he whispers. He hates himself for saying it, but he has to.

Regina nodds slowly. "Yes. Yes, I should go. But you don't have to walk me home, Robin. I'll be fine." she whispers.

"I insist, I don't want something to happen to you on the way," he says.

Regina softly smiles. "That's very kind of you. Thank you." The both of them walk towards the orphanage.

Robin drops Regina off and before he leaves he says, "Have you seen a women with read hair, a light pink dress. Maybe a black jacket? I know it's not very fair to ask you this, but I want to find my wife before dawn."

"I... A women helped me, in the tavern. She looked like the person you're describing right now." Regina looks down.

"In the tavern?" Robin says. He looks away. "Alright I'll see if she is there then, thanks."

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers.

"No it's okay," Robin says.

"It's not. Robin, it's not." Regina looks up at him. "Your wife shouldn't be at a place like that."

"She shouldn't, you're right," Robin says, "I'll go to her."

Regina nodds. "Be safe." she whispers. She nodds to him and disappears into the orphanage. She thanks the boy who watched after the kids for her and she then climbs into her bed and falls asleep.

The next morning the children let Regina sleep and they make breakfast for her and themselves. There is some bread left which they warm up by the fire, because they don't dare to buy something from the new money.

Regina wakes up to the smell of roasted bread. She pulls the blanket over her head. "It's just a dream." she whispers to herself.

The children make the table ready and wait until they eat before Regina comes to join them.

After a while Regina does get up. She puts her dress on and makes sure there's nothing to see off the little wounds on her body. Thank God she was able to protect her face last night. She slowly makes her way downstairs, careful not to wake the children. She startles when she sees all of them sitting at the table, waiting for her. "Did you all do this? For me?" she whispers, tears in her eyes.

The kids smile and nod. "Yeah," they whisper.

"Thank you." Regina whispers, her voice raw from emotion. "Thank you so much."

The kids keep smiling and they share the bread. They have a wonderful breakfast, a peaceful one.

Regina enjoys every minute of it, because she knows it can be over just as quickly.

The postman arrives and knocks on the door.

Regina sighs softly, without the children hearing it. She slowly opens the door. She looks at the old, cranky man.

"No bills," he says drily, but he hands over another letter, clearly an invitation.

"Thank you." Regina accepts the letter and opens it immediately.

"AN INVITATION FOR REGINA MILLS, this evening Princes Emma will celebrate her birthday. You will be invited to join for dinner at 7pm." Then a handwritten note follows. "If you want to come, you can take your children with you, there will be plenty of food."

Regina stares at the invitation. She just... stares.

"What's in it?" some girls ask.

Regina quickly turns around. She shows the invitation to the girl in front of her, one of the oldest.

"Princes Emma invited us?" the girl says. She looks up, stunned. "Are... are we going?"

"I don't know. Should we? Can we?" Regina looks at the girl, desperate for her help.

"You think it's a trap or something? Do you trust Princes Emma?" she asks. "she says there will be food." She smiles a little.

"I don't think it's a trap. But there will be many people, important people. We don't exactly have the outfits to go to such a thing, do we? On the other hand... She knows we don't have that, so maybe we should go?"

"Yeah, she sends us the bills herself, so she knows we don't have money," the girl states. "I say we go," some younger girls say.

"Then we go." Regina smiles. "Before we make ourselves ready, which will take a long time, I know, we need to think about a gift for her. Who has an idea?"

"A ribbon?" Julie says, "just like yours?"

"That would be nice. I think she would like that." Regina smiles. "Do you know where to find one?"

"Yeah I do," Julie says, "can Daisy come with me? We got yours together too."

"Sure. She and Charlie are better now. Just be careful, alright?" Regina smiles.

"Yes we will," Julie says and she and Daisy go off to the shop where they bought Regina's ribbon too. After that they start to decorate it with some patterns. There is some black thread left from the last ribbon and needles are not hard to find.

In the meantime, Regina gets the other children ready for the evening party. Everyone is excited and young kids tend to pull out their clothes again once they're ready and Regina turns her back for just a second, but she manages. When it's almost time to leave, everyone is ready, including Regina herself.

Daisy shows the ribbon to Regina. "Do you think she will like it?"

"It's beautiful! She will love it, I'm sure. After all, she's not only The Princess, but also a teenage girl, right?" Regina smiles. "Is everyone ready?"

The children all smile at her, all dressed at their best. They're looking forward to the party and the excitement can be seen on their faces.

"Let's go then." Regina smiles. All of them walk towards The Castle of Princess Emma. Regina enters first and tells the guards who they are and that they arrived. She shows the invitation to them.

"Very well," the guard says and he lets them in. There is no one in the castle (well... not yet.) When Emma hears voices she comes into the entrance hall stunned. "mo- Regina. You... You really came." She smiles a little. "Welcome."

Regina bows a little bit and urges the children to do the same. "Thank you for the invitation, Princess Emma. We're honoured to be here to celebrate your birthday. We have a small gift for you. It's nothing much though." Regina whispers those last words.

Julie looks a bit hurt, she had worked all day on the gift. "Thanks," Emma says, her voice sounds royal again. "My guards will lead you to the dining hall. I'll be there in a minute." The dining hall was completely decorated and there were just enough chairs for every kid, Regina and Emma.

"Julie?" Regina takes the little girl apart for a second. "I saw that look of hurt on your face. I didn't mean it like it sounded. It's a really beautiful ribbon and you've made it very special. I do hope Princess Emma sees it thay way as well." She hugs the girl.

"Okay," the girl whispers and she gladly accepts the hug. "You really think it's special?" she whispers then.

"It really, really is." Regina smiles. She takes Julie by the hand and leads her to the table where everyone else is sitting already. She notices there's only room left for one person: Princess Emma. "You should all stand up when the Princess joins us, alright?" she instructs the kids.

The princes comes in in a beautiful dress. Her hair is bound in a high ponytail and has a lot of smal gems in it. She smiles when all the kids stand up. "Thank you," she says and she takes a seat.

Regina and the children sit back down after Princess Emma took her seat. "You look beautiful." Regina smiles. "Is anyone else joining us for your party?"

"Thank you." Emma says politely. "There will be guests after dinner," she says, "but for now it's just us."

"It's really kind of you for inviting us."

Emma only nods. Then she waves with her hand and all kinds of food appear on the table. There is so so much. All kinds of meat, vegetables, sauces, fruit, bread, almost everything you can think of. The kids are so stunned, no one moves at all.

Regina herself stares at the table and all of the food as well.

"You can take everything you want and as much as you want, but watch out, so you won't get sick," Emma says.

Regina softly smiles. "Go on." she urges the children. "You heard Princess Emma." She smiles and nodds her thanks to the teenage girl on her left.

Emma doesn't notice the polite nod, because the only thing she does is look at the children. Some of them are around her age. She looks how much they enjoy all the food and how much they seem to need it.

"Thank you, Princess Emma." Regina softly says. She herself doesn't start to eat, afraid there won't be enough for the children.

When Regina speaks Emma gets back into reality. "There is more," Emma says, "everyone will get enough." She sees the look into Regina's eyes and she knows she doesn't eat because of the children. "You love your children?" she asks.

Regina nodds. "Every single one of them."

Emma feels a bit jealous, but pushes it away. "Why do you love them?"

"I... I don't know. Because I just do?" Regina smiles.

"And you love Robin too?"

Regina remains silent and stares at her, still empty, plate. "I think I do. But I... I won't see him again. I promised you that." she whispers.

Emma stares in front of her. "And... do you think you could ever love... well... someone like me?" she asks, looking at all the kids who have Regina's love.

Regina looks up to the teenage girl. This girl, who is The Princess of this land, but seems to have nobody to love her. "I could." Regina smiles.

Emma nods. She bites her lip and fights the tears. "That's kind to say," she says. "because I wouldn't."

"Why not?"

"I don't think you have to ask that question," Emma says, "I'm sure you know."

Regina looks up again. "I actually don't, Princess Emma."

"That's a lie," princes Emma says.

"No, it is not. I don't lie. Why wouldn't you be worthy of love? Everyone is."

"Because the only thing I can is hate, all I have is hate and darkness," Emma says, "how can anyone probably love such a person."

"Maybe love is the thing you need to fight against the darkness. I... I don't know much about that, but I do know no one should be alone. You shouldn't have to deal with your hate and darkness on your own."

Emma smiles a little when she hears her mother say she doesn't know a lot about darkness. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I have no choice."

"There is always a choice, Princess Emma." Regina whispers.

"The people hate me already," Emma says. "But nevermind," she looks at the food again, "please enjoy the food."

Regina starts to eat slowly. "Thank you again for inviting us."

"You're welcome," Emma says, she herself doesn't eat a thing.

"You're not hungry?" Regina softly asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Not really," she says.

Regina takes a deep breath. "Princess Emma, I don't want to offend you, but you... You look very tiny." she whispers.

"Well that's exactly how I need to look, so thank you," Emma says.

"You need to look so tiny? Why? I don't think it's very healthy."

"Then the dresses will fit properly," Emma says.

Regina sighs softly. "I don't understand why that is so important to you."

"Of course you don't," Emma sighs.

Regina looks down. "I'm sorry. Like I said, I don't want to offend you." She looks at the kids when they are all done eating.

Two of the kids start fighting over a piece of bread now and run after each other through the hall. Some others start to play hide and seek. They make a lot of noice.

"Children, please. You need to behave, we're not at home. Come on!"

None of the kids hear Regina, only the one who already behaved well.

"I'm sorry, I think it's time for us to go. They aren't behaving good." Regina apologizes to Princess Emma.

"No no, it's okay," Emma says, she startles from her own words. She is the princess... she can't accept this... but she does. She is so happy to have their company.

"Are you sure? Because we can leave whenever you want, I promise." Regina asks softly.

"O no that's not necessary," Emma says. She sits down on a chair at the table and looks at the kids. She sees the older kids play with the younger kids, boys play with girls. She feels lonely. How much she wants to play with them.

Regina sees Emma looking at the kids. "The older kids are your age, Emma. Why don't you join them?" She smiles at her.

"I'm a princes," Emma just states.

"Yes, you are. But that doesn't mean you can't have fun as well."

"I can't run on these shoes and in this dress," Emma says. She tries to find excuses for herself, reasons she can't join.

"Put on some other shoes and a more comfortable dress?" Regina suggests softly. "You can, you know, it's your home."

Emma bites on her lip and poofs herself in more comfortable clothes, but she stays in her seat. She pulls up her knees to her chest. "I'm sure they don't want to play with me."

"The only way to know for sure is if you ask them, Princess Emma." Regina softly answers. She knows her kids won't say no.

Emma looks at Regina, her mother and then stands up.

Regina watches Princess Emma try to join the kids.

Emma want to pull pack but then Julie offers her the ribbon and starts to talk to her. Julie always talks. A lot of kids join them, because they want to see what Emma thinks of the gift.

Regina smiles when she sees Princess Emma relaxes. A bit, but still. After all she's still a young girl.

Emma really likes the ribbon and is stunned that the girls made the pattern themselves. She even lets Julie place te ribbon around her ponytail.

Regina smiles. She enjoys this sight so much.

After Julie tied the ribbon, Emma's eyes meet Regina's and she smiles a little

The smile on Regina's face only brightens. She winks at the girl.

Emma quickly looks away, but she saw the wink and that fills her with a bit of joy. It reminds her of her mother, the mother who loved her.

Regina keeps on smiling. "You're always welcome at the... at our home, Princess Emma."

"Thanks," Emma says and she looks down, "and Robin is welcome at your home too." She says, "you two can see each other again if you want." Then she walks away.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. "If you're tired, we can let ourselves out, if that is what you wish, Princess."

"There will be other guests tonight, there will be some kind of ball with all the royal families of the neighbors of my land. So tired or not, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters. It's your birthday so you get all the saying." Regina winks again. "But if you do want to go ahead with the ball, I'm sure the children would love to stay a bit longer."

"Yes, that would be nice," Emma says, "but feel free to go home at any time, I don't want to hold you up." She smiles.

Regina smiles back. She hears a lot of noise coming from the front door. "I think your other guests have arrived."

"I think so too," Emma says, "I'll see you around." She poofs herself back into her other dress and walks to the gates.

Regina urges the kids to behave now. "A lot of important people will be here so we all need to behave, alright? Can you do that for me?"

The children nod and keep quite now. They stare at Regina.

Regina smiles at them. "Thank you. Now, if any of you want to leave this party, this ball, at any time, you come find me and we'll leave, all together. Deal?"

"Deal." they say all together.

Regina smiles brightly again. "Then let's go. Let's find out who all those people are."

The children all walk to the ballroom, which is already full of people in amazing dresses and suits. The light is sparkling and you can clearly see this people belong to the elite. They are royal. The children just stop when they enter the room. They haven't seen something like this before...

"It's alright." Regina whispers. "I promise it's alright."

A little girl grabs Regina's hand a bit frightened. Some of the kids dare to actually enter the room.

Regina stays with the little kids. She softly tells them a story to keep them occupied and to distract them from all that's happening in the ballroom.

The bigger kids start to look around. They stick together and try to get used to people staring at their appearance. They just smile and order some drinks on the bar. After about an hour, Emma silently joins them, not knowing if they will take her in. All the usual questions are done and now she can 'enjoy' her party.

Regina looks at Emma when she tries to join the older kids again. She smiles. She raised the kids as polite and kind so she knows they won't ignore Emma.

The kids indeed accept her, but Emma can feel they don't really feel like playing with her. She looks at them, while they play card games and after a while she even plays cards with them herself

Regina nodds to one of the older kids when he looks up at her. "Thank you." she mouths. Regina looks up herself when someone approaches her.

The older kid smiles. Then a woman talks to Regina. "You're here too?" the woman from the tavern says, placing herself next to Regina. Her appearance completely changed, she now wears a perfect dress. In her hand she holds a glas of wine.

Regina nodds. "Princess Emma invited us. It was very kind of her." she softly smiles.

"Yeah indeed," the woman says. "so you're Robin's... mistress, aren't you?"

"I'm... Excuse me?" Regina's eyes grow big. "I'm no one's mistress."

"You aren't?" The woman says with a laugh, "than what are you? Lover? Wife? Whore?" She spats out the last word.

Regina startles. "I'm.. I'm nothing." she whispers.

"Right, nothing," the woman says.

Regina looks down. "We did nothing wrong. I promise."

"Define 'nothing'".

"Nothing. Nothing happened. He brought me home after that night in the tavern. He was looking for you. I told him I saw you in the tavern. That's all."

"Liar," she says, "don't say that's the only time you two have been together, I know very well what's going on."

"He's our postman. Or he was. Of course we saw one another, but nothing happened." Regina repeats again.

She hits Regina in her face. "You're a liar!" she shouts.

Regina startles a lot. She takes the little kids behind her. "You don't need to make a scene. We'll leave." Regina urges all the kids to come with her. She looks at Princess Emma.

"I understand," the woman says, "because you don't want anyone to know you're a whore!" All faces turn to Regina. Emma looks at the ground and the children hide further behind Regina.

"Let's go." Regina whispers to the children. She gathers all of them with her and heads towards the big front door.

Emma follows them leaving the crowd alone. She watches them go and doesn't dare to say anything. She wants to say 'thanks for coming,' but her insides won't let her.

Regina notices Princess Emma following them. She smiles at her. A warm smile. "Thank you for inviting us, Princess Emma." Regina bows and lets the children bow as well. "It was really nice. You are welcome at out home, any time you want. Right, kids?"

The children softly nod. They're still a bit afraid of the princes. "Thank you..." Emma gets out, "thank you for coming."

Regina smiles again. "It was our pleasure, Princess Emma." She softly pushes the children outside. "Thank you again. And I mean it. You're welcome any time." Regina says to Emma before leaving The Castle.

Emma poofs to her bedroom and watches Regina and the children go. 

They walk a long time in silence, then one of the girls looks up at Regina, "is that how you get the money?" she whispers, clearly remembering the woman's words.

Regina remains silent. She feels so ashamed of the way she got the money.

The girl looks up, wanting an answer. She doesn't judge, she just wants to know.

"I can't let you live on the streets." Regina whispers.

"Does it hurt?" the girl asks.

"Does what hurt?"

"When you do... it with a man," the girl says, she doesn't dare to say what she means.

"I... I don't want to talk about it right now" Regina whispers softly.

The girl startles, "Oh," she brings out, "sorry."

"It's alright." Regina mumbles. When they arrive back at the orphanage, Regina puts every single of the kids to sleep. She then collapses on her own bed, making herself as small as possible. She cries softly.

The night falls. Then the morning comes again and the kids wake up.

Regina lays in the exact same position as she went to bed. She didn't sleep much.

One of the older boys knocks on the door of Regina's bedroom and softly opens it. "Regina?' he whispers.

"Hmmm?"

"We don't have bread anymore."

"Is there something else?" Regina asks softly.

"No," the boy whispers. "We don't even have water anymore."

Regina sighs softly. "I'll be down in a minute, alright?"

"Okay," the boy whispers and he softly closes the door again

Regina slowly descends the stairs. She manages to find some eggs and makes the kids scrambled eggs. "I know it's not much but I'll be going to the village right now. You eat while I'm gone, alright? I have some money on the side to buy food. I'll be back in the afternoon. Please be good. Can you do that for me?"

The children are a bit stunned, but accept it. "Before you go," one of the older kids says, "we wanted to tell you that.... no matter what that woman said, we don't see you differently." She smiles shyly, "you're still the same person for us and we love you."

Regina smiles softly. "Thank you." Her voice sounds harsh, like she has cried for the most part of the night. "Now be good for me. I'll be back and I'll make a big dinner."

The kids all watch her go and then go back inside to make a fire.

Regina makes her way to the village, the nearest one, which has a little market. She enters the house in which the market is located and gets everything she needs. She startles when she almost bumps into a group of women.

The women back away from her, startled, and inspect her as if she is something disgusting. Some of them recognize her as the woman from the party, the whore... That rumor has gone very fast. Then the women start to grin.

"Excuse me." Regina mumbles while trying to find a way through the group of women.

"So it's true then," one of the women says. They are very wealthy woman, who never knew anything about having no money.

"It's not true but you're not believing me either way so no point in talking to you." Regina mumbles.

"You are rude," the woman says, "and dirty." They all laugh.

"I don't have the wardrobe you obviously have. I wasn't that lucky." Regina snaps.

"Or you just didn't work hard enough," the woman says. "Seems like you're wasting your time."

Regina looks up now. "Wasting my time?"

"With things you do for pleasure," the woman laughs.

"If you're so curious you would know it's not for pleasure." Regina whispers. "It was the only way to keep the kids of the streets. For them I'd do anything. And yes, what I did isn't one of my proudest moments but it got me the money I needed to keep my family safe."

The women are stunned by this answer. "Very well..." the woman says and she and the rest of them start to walk away. They have nothing to say anymore.

Regina sighs with relief and does the rest of her shopping. When she wants to pay for everything she notices she's couple of dollars short. She sighs again and looks at the things to decide which she can leave behind.

"Never mind that," the cashier says to Regina when she sees she turns around. "Those things are on me."

"You don't have to do that." Regina whispers softly. "But I appreciate it. Thank you very much." She nodds and smiles, a warm smile. Regina then hurries back to the orphanage but gets hold up along the way.

"Excuse me," a woman says. She has black hair, lips as red as blood and a skin as white as Snow. "Do you know where the nearest hospital is?"

"It's right over there." Regina points at the village she just came from. "Are you alright?"

"Thanks, I'll manage she says. She lays her hand on her stomach, you can clearly see she is pregnant. Then she moans a little and a bit of blood comes dripping down her leg.

"You need help." Regina whispers. She manages to carry the bags on one shoulder and support the woman on her other shoulder. "Come on. I'll help you to the hospital."

"I'm totally fine," she says, "I don't want to bother you."

"You don't." Regina smiles now. "Come on. We're almost there."

The blood is getting worse and the woman is very afraid.

Regina manages to get the woman into the hospital. "She needs help!" she shouts.

A few nurses immediately come. They get her to a bed and run out for a doctor. The woman fights the tears, her hands shake and she doesn't dare to look.

Regina keeps waiting until one of the doctors comes with her to tell about the girl.

"Do you know her?" the doctor says. "Are you familie?"

"I'm not. I... I just bumped into her on the road. Is she alright?"

"She will be alright, but I'm not sure about the baby," the doctor says, "they're still trying to safe them both. you're sure you don't know her or someone from her family?"

"I... I don't know. Like I said, I don't know her. I've never seen her." Regina whispers.

"Alright, I just wanted to be sure," he says, "I'll come back when I know more." He disappears into the room again.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. She decides to stay a while longer. There is still time before she needs to go back to prepare dinner for the kids.

The doctor comes out of the room again. "The mother is alive," he says.

"And the baby?"

The doctor shakes his head. "We couldn't save her," he says.

A tear runs down Regina's face. "That's... That's horrible." she whispers.

"We did everything we could, I'm sorry," he says.

"Thank you. I... I need to go now. Take good care of her, alright?"

"We will, thanks for bringing her here."

Regina nodds. "Is it alright if I visit her tomorrow? She needs to rest now, I assume?"

"She does," the doctor says, "and that's alright, we'll try to find her family."

Regina nodds. "Thank you, doctor. I'll see you and her tomorrow." She then leaves the hospital, carrying all her bags towards the orphanage. "I'm back!" she shouts throughout her home.

The kids all cheer and run towards her, happy to see her.

Regina smiles as well. This is where she belongs, here with her children. "I'll start on dinner, alright?" she suggests.

"Yes yes yes!"

Regina smiles even more bright now. "Go on. Go heat up that fire. Robin taught you well, didn't he?"

The children laugh and they start to create a fire, looking forward to dinner.

Regina makes her delicious lasagna again, because she knows the children love it. An hour later she calls the kids to the table. "Time for... lasagna!" she smiles brightly.

All the kids storm into the kitchen all exited. They can't wait to get their plates full.

Regina gets excited as well when she can give each and everyone, including herself, a big portion of food.

No one says a thing during dinner. They're all too focussed on their lasagna, the best lasagna in the world.

Regina enjoys this moment of silence and seeing her kids enjoy their meal. She loves it.

"You're the best," a boy, who is sitting next to Regina whispers.

"I'm far from the best, sweetheart. I'm just... doing the best I can." she smiles back.

"Which makes you the best," the boy giggles.

Regina winks. "I just want to give you all a good example. Always try your best."

They all smile and finish their dinner in silence.

Regina does the same. After dinner she's really tired.

"We will clean the table," the kids say. "you can sleep by the fire."

"Really? You mean that?" Regina whispers.

"Yeah," they say, "Of course we do."

"Thank you." Regina smiles. She slowly makes her way to the couch, the only one they have, and lays down. She quickly falls asleep.

The kids lay a blanket over her and go to bed themselves too. Only Julie stays by the fire, not wanting to leave Regina alone.

Regina sleeps straight on until the next morning. She smiles when she feels the sun shining on her face through the window.

All the kids are still sleeping, Julie is lying on the floor next to the couch, also asleep.

Regina gets up very softly so she doesn't wake up anyone. She walks outside and startles when she sees someone in front of the door.

"Regina hi," Robin says, not expecting Regina to come outside.

"Robin." Regina smiles softly. "It's a beautiful day, I've had a great night's sleep and the kids are still all sleeping." She winks.

Robin laughs, "I'm up early, my wife is out for a party and I have plenty of time."

"Your wife." Regina flinches. "That's right." she whispers.

Robin raises his eyebrows.

"I... We can't... We can't do this. Not while you're married." Regina whispers.

Robin nods. "Yeah," he whispers. He hands over a package.

"What's this?" Regina asks softly.

"From the palace," Robin says, "there is a note on top."

Regina starts to read the note.

"Dear Glenna,  
I got this book for my birthday, but I already have it in my library. You told me you liked so I want to give it to you.   
I hope you...".

There the note stops, because the darkness had taken over in that point. Emma couldn't write kind words anymore.

Regina smiles. "Glenna is going to be so happy with this. It will be her first book she owns herself." She looks up at Robin.

"That's great," he says with a smile.

Regina smiles. A tear runs down her face from happiness.

Robin smiles back. It's good to see her so happy, it gives him a good feeling.

"Thank you for bringing it. I... I'll see you later." Regina mumbles. She doesn't look up at Robin.

"Yeah," Robin says, "have a nice day." He doesn't want to go, but he does. When he is almost out of sight he looks behind him one more time.

When Regina wants to close the door, she waits to see if Robin will turn around. She smiles when she sees he does and slowly closes the door, the smile never fading from her face.

Robin grins and walks on.

Regina quietly makes breakfast. Crispy bread using the fire she made burn brighter again.

The kids start to wake up and they come down the stairs with their sleepy faces. The smell of bread makes them smile.

Regina smiles when she sees 'her' kids smiling like that.

"Good morning," they whisper.

"Good morning." Regina smiles brightly. "Did you all have a good night's sleep?'

The children nod. "You too?" asks a girl

"Yes, I actually did. Thank you for asking, Glenna." Regina smiles at the girl. "Robin brought something over this morning, addressed to you." She slowly gives Glenna her present from Princess Emma.

"For me?" she says surprised. She really doesn't believe it.

"Yes. It's from Princess Emma. Go ahead. Read the note." she smiles.

Glenna reads it for herself. Her eyes grow big as she reads it. She unwraps the package and sees a brand new book. Glenna almost starts to cry from happiness, she just can't believe she really has a book for herself now.

Regina takes the girl closely against her. "That's nice of her, isn't it?" she smiles.

"Yeah," Glenna whispers, "she remembered that I love books."

Regina smiles. "She did."

Glenna gives Regina a hug and holds her book close to her body. The other kids look at her with a smile. They don't feel jealous (alright. Maybe a little bit), but they're happy for Glenna, because they know how awesome it would be to get such a thing.

Regina's smile couldn't be brighter. She's so proud the other children don't get angry. They're genuinly happy for their friend, which is more than Regina can ask for.

After the delicious breakfast Regina made, Glenna starts reading by the fire. Julie is reading with her over her shoulder. The rest of the kids go out to play outside. Winter is coming so try to make themselves warm by using some blankets as scarves. They don't have much, so they have to improvise.

Regina realises winter is coming. She's anxious because she, indeed, doesn't have much to protect herself or the kids from the cold.

The kids return after a few hours. Their insides are hot, because they ran a lot, but their hands and feet are freezing.

"Quickly, come sit by the fire. That way you'll warm up soon enough." Regina giggles.

The kids sit down together, trying to warm themselves up.

Regina smiles again. "We've had two great meals the last two days, so I suggest to skip dinner this night and enjoy another nice meal tommorow. What do you say?"

The children nod, although they're very hungry.

"Good." Regina smiles. She puts everyone to sleep. When she's sure they are all in a deep sleep, she sneaks out of the house and makes her way to the tavern. She knows she needs money to get through the winter and it's the only way to get it. She walks inside.

"Well well well," one of the men immediately says. "Today you're mine." The talble he is sitting on is full of cards. He won Regina with a game of cards.

"I need money. A good amount of it." Regina mumbles.

"What are you willing to give for that money?"

"You can have everything of me." Regina whispers softly.

"Be more specific," he whispers.

"I can show you. But not here. Not in front of... everyone." Regina whispers.

"Why not," the man says with a wink. "I have a lot of money," he whispers in her ear.

"You... You do?" Regina whispers, looking up at him.

"Just show yourself to everyone and it will be yours," he whispers in her ear, "show what you can do."

"I need to know for sure I get the money." Regina whispers.

The man grins and gives her a pile of money, a lot of money.

Regina puts it in the pocket of her dress. She looks up at the man again. "Do you want to undress me yourself?"

"It would be my pleasure," the man says and he leads her to a table in the middle of the tavern where everyone can see them. "Ready?' he whispers and he slowly starts to undress her.

Regina slowly nodds, not looking at anyone but the man in front of her.

The man undresses her completely and lays his hands on her hips, pinning her to the table.

Regina slowly strokes his chest.

He now follows her hand and starts to kiss her.

She softly kisses him back.

"You said I could have everything of you, now show me," he snaps.

"I... I follow. Please. You'll love it." Regina whispers.

The man likes it rough. He lets Regina undress him and then he takes every single piece of her. Not human at all...

Regina moans of pain but lets him take her. She needs the money.

The people around them laugh, they're drunk and while the man takes Regina, some other men touch Regina too. They want to use this opportunity to get the best from her.

Regina leans into their touches. Her body likes this.

They go on for hours. Every time another man enjoys her and when one man is done another one will come in to take her.

Regina feels exhausted. "Please. Enough. I... I can't anymore." she whispers.

No one pays attention to her. It takes hours to satisfy every man.

"P.Please." Regina mumbles. A bit of blood drips out of her mouth. "Please."

They don't stop and they won't stop soon.

"Please!" Regina starts to struggle against the men.

"Stay down bitch," a man snaps and he pins her down to the table.

"You're hurting me! I gave enough!"

"You didn't," the man snaps. He starts hurting her even more.

Regina shouts now. "Stop! I gave enough! I gave enough!"

The man kisses her to prevent her from talking. "You behave or I'll hurt you more," he whispers between kisses.

"I gave enough." Regina whispers again.

"Just a little bit more," he whispers and he gives Regina a very pleasant moment.

Regina gasps for air. "You... You're the last one." she whispers.

"I'll make sure I am," he whispers, "if you give me a little bit more too."

Regina gives him the last thing she has. She allows his tongue into her mouth; he is the only one she allows that this night.

The man is very satisfied now when he allows him to kiss her fully. He takes the best of it and then lets Regina go.

Regina immediately sinks down to the ground, crawling away into a corner, taking her dress with her and dressing herself along the way. "Please. I gave everything. Just leave me alone now." she whispers in front of her.

The man all laugh and let her be.

Regina falls asleep on the ground, hugging herself tightly because she feels very cold.

The next morning the kids wake up, but Regina isn't home...

Regina startles awake in the tavern when someone strokes her cheek. She looks up, protecting her body.

"It's okay," Robin whispers. He only takes her hand in his, not wanting to startle her even more. "You're safe now."

"Robin." Regina whispers. Her eyes scan the tavern, panic clearly visible.

"Yes I'm here," Robin says. The tavern is empty, because morning had arrived. Only some men, who were too drunk to go home, are still there. A girl is cleaning up the mess from the night before.

"I... I can't go home like this." Regina whispers.

"I told the children to do something for themsleves, so don't worry," Robin says, "we're not in a hurry."

"Are they alright?" Regina wants to know.

"They are," Robin says, "I told them I would find you."

"Thank you."

"Can you stand?" Robin asks.

"I think so." Regina whispers. She tries to get up but the minute she stands she sinks through her legs. Blood drips down her legs. She holds on to Robin. "I needed the money." she whispers.

Robin lets her sit down again. "I know you did," Robin says. He sits down next to her and takes her hand in his. He wipes the blood away with his sleeve, he looks if he can find a wound or something.

When Robin and Regina touch, memories flash before their eyes. Memories of a forgotten past.

Robin lets go of Regina's hand. The memories hurt. He looks at her, wondering if she saw those flashes too.

Regina looks up at him. "What was that?" she asks with a soft voice.

"I don't know," he whispers. "What did you see?"

"You. Me. Us." she whispers. "A kiss. Love."

"Me too," Robin whispers. He takes Regina close to his body, looking for her warmth. He is freezing.

Regina leans into his touch. Their faces are close together. She looks him deep into his eyes.

He just look back at her, trying to remember this beautiful face. He moves even closer.

Regina doesn't flinch away. She keeps looking at him.

He softly touches her cheek and then moves his lips towards her. He looks at her this whole time.

Regina leans into his touch. She smiles softly, letting him come closer.

His lips touch hers. He feels a strange kind of energy, but doesn't pull back at all.

Regina gives in into his kiss as well.

When Robin kisses Regina fully, the energy starts to spread.

Memories become clearer and clearer.

Robin looks into Regina's eyes, remembering her. His smile grows brighter.

Regina looks up at him again, remembrance in her eyes, as well as confusion.

"You... You remember me?"

"Robin." she whispers. "I... I remember everything. And you?"

'I do too," he says and he hugs Regina tightly.

Regina clings to him as if she's never going to let him go again.

He holds her close and almost starts to cry. "I love you so much," he whispers.

"I love you too. I love you so very much." Regina cries now.

Robin holds her, just enjoying this moment together. "Do you know what happened? Was it a curse?" he whispers after a long time.

"Emma." Regina grabs her chest. "She crushed half my heart to enact the Dark Curse. My Curse."

"She did?" Robin says, "how is that possible? You're still alive with... half your heart."

Regina nodds. "She taught herself well." She then realizes what Emma made her do. What Regina needed to do to survive in this life. A spark of darkness appears in her eyes. "Emma." she whispers again.

"She has grown darker than I thought," Robin says. He doesn't add that she makes him think of Regina in her dark years. "What are we going to do?" he then whispers.

Regina remains silent.

“How do you see Emma right now," Robin says. He sees a bit of darkness in Regina's eyes and grows a little bit worried.

"I don't know. I don't want to see her right now."

Robin nods and takes a deep breath.

"She... She..".

Robin waits for Regina to finish her sentence.

"She ruined everything." she whispers after a long time. "Everything I fought so hard for."

"Yeah," Robin says and he squeezes her hand a little bit. "I wonder what made her do this."

"Me. It's my fault." Regina whispers.

"This is not your fault," Robin immediately says.

"I don't know. Maybe it is." Regina whispers. She looks up at him. "I don't want to see her. She knows what I've been through with Leopold, she knows how hard I fought to get our family back together after my mother ruined everything. She hurt me with this. She really, really did. I don't want to see her."

"I understand you don't," Robin says, "and you won't have to. You should take your time to get it all figured out a bit."

Regina nodds. "I will." She smiles softly at him.

He smiles back at her. "Shall we leave this place?" he then whispers.

Regina nodds. She startles when someone appears next to her.

"Oh I'm sorry to startle you like this," the small green fairy says.

"You again." Regina mumbles. "What do you need?"

"I'm just here to warn you," the fairy says looking down at her feet.

"Warn me? About what?" Regina asks, softer this time.

"Emma set the orphange on fire," the Fairy whispers, hoping Regina won't hurt her.

"The children!" Regina screams. She takes Robin's hands and tries to poof them away, but her magic fails. "Take us there. Please!" Regina shouts out to the fairy.

"Oh yes, right, Yeah," the Fairy struggling with her wand. "Yes of course." She tries to remember the spell...   
After a while she manages to poof them to the orphanage. The fire is immens and most of the children are standing outside, most of them...

"Who is missing?" Regina immediately asks one of the older girls.

"Julie and Daisy," she says, "Emma ripped their heart out and now she can't come outside on her own." She is panicking...

"Take everyone to safety. I'll get them out." Without any doubt, Regina runs into the burning building. "Julie?! Daisy?! I need you to scream, so I know where you are!" she screams throughout the building.

They don't make a sound. They want to, but they can't...

"Emma, please! Let them go!" Regina screams now. She starts to cough but doesn't give up to find Julie and Daisy.

Emma doesn't listen.

Regina runs deeper and deeper into the building, trying to find Julie and Daisy. She finds them in a room which is the farrest from the exit. "Come on, girls. We need to hurry. This whole place is coming down soon!"

Daisy is so relieved to see Regina. Julie is unconscious. "We can't leave by ourselves," Daisy says, she is crying.

"I'll carry you. Come on. Hop on my back. I'll carry Julie." When Daisy is on her back, Regina picks up Julie. It's hard but she manages to get them through half the building before sinking down to the ground. She coughs, harder this time.

Robin comes running towards her. "Come on," he shouts and he takes Julie and Daisy in his arms. "Can you get out of here by yourself?" he asks Regina.

Regina nodds. "Take them to safety. Please." She watches Robin leave with the 2 girls. Regina gets up and starts to make her way to the exit. Suddenly someone appears in front of her.

Emma appears in front of Regina. She looks into her eyes, but doesn't say a thing.

"You." Regina whispers. "Why, Emma? After everything I've worked so hard for!"

Emma poofs Regina outside of the building to safety, not saying a thing. She poofs herself away to the castle, the most lonely place in whole the realm

Regina collapses on the ground. She has inhaled too much smoke.

Some of the kids run to her, worried. Robin tries to wake up Julie and calm Daisy down.

Regina wakes up quickly, coughing. "Is everyone here?" she whispers with a harsh voice.

"Yes," one of the older boys says, "we're all here."

Regina sighs with relief. With tears in her eyes she watches the orphanage burn down.

Robin walks to her and wraps his arms around her.

Regina leans into his touch. The blood that dripped from her legs earlier is dried up on her legs now.

"Come to my house," Robin whispers, "we need to take care of your and the other's wounds."

Regina nodds and just clings to Robin.

Robin carries Regina to his home, while some of the older boys and girls carry Daisy and Julie together. The younger kids follow. A lot of them have burns, but they don't complain, although they hurt very much.

Regina mumbles to Robin. "Snow. Henry."

"We will find them later," Robin says, "we need to take care of you all right now. Maybe they'll find us." What Robin doesn't know is that Snow can't come because she is still in the hospital.

"Snow. I saw her. Hospital." Regina mumbles again. "So tired."

"We will find out about that later," Robin says and he leads the children to his house. Most of them are in the same state as Regina, tired and confused, but they keep walking....

Regina falls asleep in Robin's arms before they even reach his house.

Robin lies Regina on the couch and gets the other people (most of them servants his wife wanted) to help. They help the children first, because Robin knows Regina would want that. He takes care of their wounds and cleans them up. He doesn't have clothes for them, but they can wash their bodies, which are covered in ashes, in the bathroom. When everything is taken care of, after quite some time, he sits down next to Regina and starts cleaning her wounds.

Regina coughs again, but keeps sleeping.

Robin takes care of all her wounds, including the one on her leg, but he can't really discover where the blood comes from...

Regina takes Robin's hand in hers, not letting him go.

"You know where the blood comes from, don't you," Robin whispers.

"They hurt me so bad." Regina whispers, very softly.

"I need to take care of it," Robin says, "is that alright?"

"Hmmm..." Regina just mumbles.

Robin carefully takes a look. He then looks up at Regina. "We really need to let a doctor look," Robin says, "I don't want you to get a disease or infection."

"No. No doctor." Regina mumbles. Sweat appears on her forehead.

"Regina," Robin whispers, "we don't know what this is. Someone has to look at it."

"It just hurts. That's all. No need to look." Regina whispers.

"Yes there is," Robin states. "I'll let you rest now, but tomorrow I want a doctor to look at it."

"No. No, Robin, please." Regina begs.

"What if one of those men had a disease, then there is a big chance you have it to right now," Robin says, "we can't risk it...'.

Regina just shrugs. "Emma. Emma is alone." she mumbles.

"Yeah," Robin whispers.

"I'm a bad mother." Regina whispers, just when some of the kids walk inside the bedroom.

The kids look at each other, taking Regina's words in. They don't know if they're supposed to talk, but they do. "How can you ever say that?" a girl says.

"Aren't I?" Regina just asks.

"No," the girl says, "you're the best." She smiles.

"I'm not." Regina mumbles.

"You are!" the girl says, almost angry.

"Why? Because Emma clearly doesn't agree."

"Emma?" the girl says.

"Emma is... She's.. My daughter." Regina whispers. She looks down.

"What...?" the girl, Agnes, says, not angry, but curious, "you never told us that."

"I didn't remember. Emma... Emma cursed us. Everyone. She... She takes after me. You also don't know I am... I was The Evil Queen." Regina mumbles softly.

Agnes looks Regina into her eyes. "Emma cursed you, not us. We're still the same, we feel the same," she says, "and you were a queen?" Agnes wonders if Regina is dreaming or something.

"So you... You never lived in Storybrooke?" Regina wants to know. "I was The Evil Queen. I did a lot of awful, awful things in the past."

The girl shrugs, "I didn't know that," she says, "I didn't live in that Storybr... place, I don't even know that place. Why are you telling us you did awful things?"

"Because I did. I... I didn't remember, because of the curse, but now I do. I remember and I'm not proud of it."

"You were good to us, you're not evil."

"I try not to be." Regina softly smiles. "I really tried to do my best. I hope I'm doing a better job with all of you than I apparently did with Emma."

"You're doing a good job," Agnes says, "like I said you are the best, you really are!" She goes frustrated that she can't make it clear to Regina, that she can't show her how much they love her.

Regina smiles again. "Like I said... I'm doing the best I can." She hugs Agnes. "Thank you." she whispers in her ears.

Agnes smiles and enjoys the hug in silence.

"I love you all, you know that, right? And just because the curse is broken, I won't stop taking care of you."

"You won't?" the girl says, trying to understand the whole-cursething. Agnes hugs her tighter. "I love you," she whispers.

"I won't. I promise. I loved you all so much during the curse, but that love hasn't gone anywhere. It's still inside of me. One thing is going to change though." Regina looks serious at Agnes.

"What's that?" Agnes whispers, both curious and frigtened by Regina's look.

"We will have a better place to stay and we no longer have to worry about money or food." Regina pulls Agnes in a warm embrace again. "I love you too, sweetheart. Everything will be better from now on."

Agnes' thoughts light up by that idea. "That's great," she whispers. She wants to be close to Regina. "Can I tell the others?"

"Go on. Go tell them." Regina smiles. She and Robin watch the girl leave in excitement. Regina then sinks back down on the bed. She moans of pain.

Robin smiles, a sad smile. "Where does it hurt?" he asks.

"Down there." Regina mumbles.

Robin sits down next to her and nods. He takes her hand in his, wanting to get a doctor right now.

"No doctor. Promise me." she whispers.

"I can't promise that," Robin says.

"I. Say. No.. Doctor." Regina whispers before falling asleep.

A doctor is coming anyway, because a lot of children have serious wounds. The doctor makes sure they're all taken care of and takes some children with him to the hospital. Half Julie's face is burned and she still isn't fully awake. Daisy coughs more than she should and there are more with serious injuries. Robin lets Regina sleep at first. The doctor is a woman called Juli. Robin recognizes her immediately, but Juli doesn't recognize him...

Regina startles awake when Robin strokes her cheek.

"Hey," he whispers and waits for her to calm down a bit, "Juli is going to check what's wrong okay?" 

"Juli? Is Juli here?" Regina asks immediately. She looks up to the woman next to Robin. "You don't recognize me, do you?"

"I'm sorry no," Juli says, "you're friend here asked me the same thing already. Am I supposed to recognize you from something." Her voice didn't change. She is just as kind as she's ever been.

"Storybrooke? Does that ring bell?" Regina asks softly. She looks at Robin. If Juli doesn't recognize them, does that mean they are the only ones awake?

"No," Juli says, "it doesn't." Robin looks at Regina and shrugs, thinking the same thing.

"Alright." Regina whispers. She shakes her head. "No doctor."

"Regina... please," Robin says, "give it a chance."

Regina nodds very, very slowly.

"Try to relax, okay," Juli says. She smiles. Emma didn't really give Juli a good life either. She made her the only doctor in town and the towns that surround them. So she's always busy and doesn't get much sleep, but she stays kind and gets love out of her job.

Regina nodds again. She focusses on Juli.

Juli is very carefully and often looks into Regina's eyes when she is treating her to look if she is still relaxed. In the end she fully looks up at her.

Regina has closed her eyes when Juli was almost done. Sweat drips from her face. "I'm tired." she mumbles.

"That's alright," Juli says, "you can rest now, but before you go to sleep I want to tell you that you can't live on like this. You need some kind of medication." She looks Regina into her eyes. "You want me to stay and tell you what's wrong with you right now and what we can do about it after you wake up? Or do you want me to tell Robin?"

"I want to know now." Regina mumbles softly.

"Okay Juli says and after some more kind and calming words, as a doctor is supposed to do, she tells her what's wrong. "You have a venereal disease." she says, "There is a great chance that it will spread through your whole body and there is a risk that the bleeding will get worse if you don't do something," she says, not wanting to keep information from her patient. "it can be healed..." she says. "but the price will be high."

"What's the price?" Regina wants to know.

"A lot of money," Juli says, "besides that takes more than a month to recover and the medication is very strong...".

"If only I could heal myself again." Regina mumbles. "I want to go to my Castle." She looks at Robin now. "With the kids."

"You want the medication?" Juli asks. The green fairy appears on Juli's shoulder.

"I want to go to my Castle!" Regina snaps. "I need the money for the children. Not for myself. I can't afford it as long as I don't have my magic back and if I have my magic, I can heal myself."

"I'm sorry," Juli says, "I know this must be hard for you."

Regina looks at Robin again. "Can we go? To my Castle?"

"How?" Robin says, "because I don't know how we can get there. Emma changed it all."

Regina sighs. "I don't know. I don't know." she mumbles. She coughs up blood. Her eyes start to turn away.

Juli quickly prepares the medicines together with the magic of the green fairy. They're partners for a long time now. She gives Regina the injection.

Regina sleeps for a long time but eventually wakes up. She stares into the eyes of Robin. She smiles.

Robin sighs from relief. "O my gosh," he whispers with a smile, "I'm so glad you're here."

"I'm still a bit tired. How long was I out? How are the kids?" Regina wants to know.

"They're a bit better," Robin says, "you slept a whole week, I was so worried."

"A week? A week?!" Regina shouts out. "And Emma? Did she come by?"

"She did, she came for you," Robin says. "She came in and looked at you for a very long time, saying nothing. She just stood and looked... then she healed you and left. It looked like she lost her mind completely." It had been very weird.

Regina shoots up. "She healed me? What are we waiting for? We need to go to her!" She jumps out of bed, into her only, dirty, dress, and pulls at Robin's hand.

"Wow wait," Robin says, a bit startled, "what are we going to do?"

"We're going to Emma. She's all alone. She needs us."

"Yes you're right," Robin says and he walks after Regina. "I want you to know that she destroyed and killed a lot this week and... That your other children are longing to see you too."

Regina stops. "Yes. Yes, maybe I should see them first and then go to Emma." She nodds and walks into the living room of Robin's house.

"Regina!" a lot of the kids exclaim. They're happy to see her. "Are you alright?" they ask. They don't dare to hug her yet.

"I'm fine. I'm totally fine." Regina smiles. She opens her arms so they can hug her.

They all accept the hug gladly. They're so happy to see she is back and okay.

Regina smiles. "I need to go for a little while now. Can you all look after each other? I'm sure doctor Juli is around here somewhere, isn't she?"

"She is," Glenna says, "she is looking after Julie right now."

Regina smiles. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Alright?"

The kids nod.

Regina and Robin set off to Emma's Castle. Regina walks inside. "I need to see my daughter." she says to the guards.

"Princes Emma never told us something about a mother, so I can't let you through." But at the moment he says the last word he falls down on the ground, dead. Emma is standing at the top of the stairs, looking down.

"Emma." Regina whispers. She looks at her daughter. She wants to run to her and hug her, give her all the love and warmth she has inside of her, but she doesn't know if Emma wants that. Regina looks at her, waiting for a sign that will tell her what to do.

Emma only stares at her mother. Darkness is clearly visible in her eyes, but besides that sparkles of loneliness and even madness. She hasn't spoken a word this whole week and she doesn't know if she will ever find the courage to speak again. Deeds are more her thing than words.

"Emma." Regina whispers again. She kneels down and opens her arms, hoping her youngest daughter will come to her and hug her. Allow her to give her her warmth and love. "Please. I don't want you to be alone any longer." Regina says softly.

Emma's mind allows her to take one step forward, but the darkness is stronger... She can only stare.

Regina nodds, almost invisible, but Emma can see it. Regina waits and shows patience. She doesn't want to rush Emma. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere." she whispers.

Emma walks down the stairs, but when she is halfway down she stops. It feels so good and so bad to go down. She sits down on the step she is standing on. How much she wants to not be so alone anymore...

"Do you want me to come to you?" Regina asks softly. She avoids endearing words like sweetheart to not upset Emma.

Emma shakes her head, but she does want her mother to come.

"You do want me to come, don't you?" Regina softly says. She carefully takes a couple of steps towards het daughter, but the second guard wants to stop her. She looks at Emma.

Emma wants her to come so badly, but doesn't dare to react. The guard is stopping Regina now and Emma becomes frustrated. Her mixed feelings make her go out of her mind. Without really knowing it she makes the guard leave Regina alone, she unconsciously uses her magic for it. Her desire is too big...

Regina now runs over to Emma and takes her carefully in her arms. "Emma. Emma." Regina keeps whispering.

Emma's body is tensed, but she doesn't pull back. She tries to let the warmth come in.

Regina holds Emma close against her body for a long, long time. Until she feels her daughter relaxes a little bit and then still.

Emma's heart beats very fast and she feels almost frightened, but the longer her mother holds her, the more she calms down. She gets her breathing under control and allows herself to lay her head softly on her mother's shoulder.

"I'm right here, Emma. You're not alone anymore." Regina whispers softly. "I'm here. I'm right here."

Emma relaxes even more and moves her hand to her mother's. She doesn't touch or grab it... She doesn't dare.

Regina, unconsciously, takes Emma's hands in hers and blows them warm. "You're so cold." She hugs her again. "Let me hold you. You'll get warm soon."

"Yeah," Emma whispers. The first thing she says in days, maybe even weeks. Her voice is harsh, but honest and she finally dares to fully accept her mother's warm hug.

Regina, like she said, holds Emma very close to her. "Are you feeling a bit warmer?" she asks after a long time.

Emma shakes her head.

"That's alright, I'll hold you." Regina softly smiles.

Emma lets her mother hold her, really trying to let the warmth come in.

Regina gives all the warmth and love she has for Emma.

Emma didn't think her mother would have any love left for her, but now she warms up inside. It makes her startle and she pulls back.

Regina doesn't hold Emma captive against her. When she feels her daughter pulls back, she lets her go but looks at her with love in her eyes.

Emma starts to shake, the love is too much... She rips her own heart out and looks at it in her palm.

"Emma?" Regina whispers.

She hands over the heart to her mother and crawls away from her.

"What... What do you want me to do?" Regina asks with a soft voice.

Emma runs of the stairs and locks herself into a room. She is out of breath.

Regina follows her daughter but gives her all the time she needs. She looks up at Robin who has been by her side since they stepped into the Castle.

Robin smiles and wraps his arm around her. "You did a very good job," he whispers.

"Did I?"

"Yes you did," Robin says, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Regina smiles. She sits down next to the door where Emma disappeared into. She gives her daughter all the time she needs to get out of her own.

After a while a little note comes from under the door: Just go away. Crush my heart whenever you feel like it. I don't have the courage to do it myself. -Emma

Regina reads it, but doesn't do as been told. "No. I won't leave you alone again, Emma. I'll wait until you are ready to come home with us."

Another note appears: Go away! you have a lot of kids now, I'm sure you can miss one. You still have enough left to get all the love you want. -Emma

"It's not about getting love, Emma. This is about who I want to give my love to. And you are one of those people. I love you."

Stop loving me, I'm a terrible person. -Emma

"You are not. And I'll decide when I'll stop loving you. Which is never. Because you are my daughter and even though you made some terrible mistakes, it doesn't mean you can't come back from them."

You said I was a brat and a monster and you were right. Now go! -Emma

Regina looks up at Robin. She doesn't know how to respond to this one, because she indeed said those things.

Robin looks back at her. "Just be honest," he whispers, "you said she was a monster, but what makes you feel love for her right now? Is it really just because you remember she is your daughter?"

"No. I already started to love her when I didn't remember her. Emma is such a sweet girl. She can be, if she can let go of all the anger inside of her."

I WON'T SO GO AWAY -Emma 

"I would love to know why not, Emma." Regina whispers.

Because I don't want to -Emma says. It's a lie, but she tries to make herself believe it. Her anger gives her power.

"Why don't you want to? I really want to understand this, Emma."

Ask your former self. -Emma

Regina sighs softly. She knows the pull of darkness better than anyone. The promises it makes. But they are empty promises.

Emma keeps silent. Not having a heart feels so good. No feelings, no pain, just nothing. Her life is in the hands of someone else.

Regina slowly strokes Emma's heart. Without realizing it, she gives all of her love into the heart.

Emma's body grows colder and colder without her heart. So cold that eyes starts to spread from her fingers to the floor and it soon covers the whole door and the walls...

Regina feels the cold coming out from the room. "Emma? Are you alright?" she asks.

The ice keeps spreading and now covers Emma's whole body. She passes out, curled up against the door.

Regina jumps up and storms into the room. She takes Emma into her arms and pushes her heart back inside of her. "Stay with me, baby girl. I love you." she whispers.

The love Regina put inside of the heart starts to spread through Emma's body. It melts the ice and makes Emma breath again.

Regina smiles when Emma wakes back up and looks at her. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

Emma still doesn't talk, but she clings to her mother's body and looks into her eyes. Her arms are tightly wrapped around Regina.

Regina doesn't let go of her daughter.

Emma closes her eyes and tries to control her breathing.


	28. Getting Through

"I've got you. I'm right here, sweetheart." Regina whispers.

Tears start to stream over Emma's cheeks. It has been a long time since she cried, she always hides away her feelings.

Regina keeps holding Emma into her arms. "It's alright. It's alright." she keeps whispering.

"You still want me?" Emma finally speaks, her voice is very very soft

"I'll always want you, sweetheart. I love you."

These words make Emma break down. She can't hold it in any longer. The tears keep streaming over her cheeks. Her heart feels warm, because someone added love to it.

Tears stream down Regina's face as well. "Break the curse, Emma. The entire curse. You can do it." she whispers.

"Help me," Emma whispers and he lays her hand in her mother's. She squeezes it, softly at first but then harder. Power spreads from their fingertips.

Regina helps her daughter to lift up The Curse. Light energy spreads over the whole land.

When the last piece of energy flows out, Emma passes away again. Her body collapses and she stays unconscious.

Regina gets up, carrying Emma in her arms. She walks her all the way to Robin's house, Robin next to her.

"Let me carry her," Robin says. He takes over Emma, so Regina can walk freely.

"Thank you." Regina whispers. When they get home, Regina tucks Emma into her own bed. She lays down next to her and holds her in her arms again.

Robin takes care of the kids downstairs. While he leaves Emma and Regina together.

Regina keeps holding Emma into her arms, even when she falls asleep herself. She wakes up early the next morning. Emma is still sleeping. Regina walks downstairs and makes breakfast for everyone.

"What did you do yesterday?" Glenna asks.

"Goodmorning, sweetie." Regina smiles. "I went to pick up Emma and I've brought her with me."

"The princess is here?" Glenna says, "so I can thank her for the book then." She smiles.

Regina smiles again. "You can, later today, alright? Emma is not feeling very well right now."

"Yes of course I can wait," Glenna says. They enjoy breakfast together. When they're almost finished Emma comes down. She keeps standing in the doorway, not saying a thing, only staring. She has the ribbon Julie made for her tied in her hair.

Regina smiles brightly. "Do you want to join us, Emma?" She winks and points at the open place beside her.

Emma slowly walks to the empty chair next to her mother. She feels bad in her beautiful dress, she feels bad about everything.

Regina doesn't mention the dress. "Did you have a good night's sleep?" she asks softly.

Emma only nods.

Regina gives her a warm hug. She doesn't hesitate, even though the other children keep staring at them.

Emma accepts but doesn't return the hug.

Regina keeps smiling when she lets go of her little girl. "It's going to be alright, Emma. Everything is going to be alright. I'm here for you. I'll always will." She offers Emma some breakfast.

Emma doesn't eat. She only stares and it's hard to take in her mother's kind words.

Regina doesn't push Emma. When she notices the rest of the children are done, she looks at Robin. "Can you take care of the kids this morning?" she softly asks him.

"Yeah," Robin nods. "Hunting lessons in ten minutes!" he shouts with a smile then and all the children (except Emma) laugh and run off to get themselves done.

Regina giggles. She gives Robin a quick kiss before she turns her attention back to Emma. "Maybe you're more comfortable when it's just the two of us?" she asks softly.

"You don't have to do this," Emma whispers. She doesn't want her mother to give up her precious time and love for her.

"I don't. But I want to." Regina softly smiles. She hugs Emma again.

"Stop," Emma says, she looks her mother into her eyes, frightened. "I ruined your life and you're acting like I saved it...".

"You forget I have ruined quite some lives myself. Everyone deserves a second chance, Emma."

"You're right," Emma says, "but I don't want a second chance, because I can't do it alone," he admits, "I don't want to bother other. I don't want to waste their time and affords."   
She doesn't know why she is so calm all of a sudden, but she is.

"You're not alone. You have me." Regina just whispers.

"But I don't want to waste your time," Emma says with a sigh, "I don't want you to give up things for me...".

"I won't, Emma. And taking care of you is a far cry from wasting my time. I love you. Nothing for you is too much."

"But I just ruined your life! I don't understand...".

"You will, once you have children of your own." Regina smiles. She hugs Emma again.

Emma keeps silent. She makes a little note appear in her hand, not able to speak anymore: - how did you deal with it? -

"With what exactly, Emma?" Regina wants to know.

-with all the people hating you-

"I tried the best I could to earn their forgiveness. I'm not going to lie. It was hard. But it was also worth it."

-why was it worth it?- She likes the darkness, why would it be worth it to give it up...?

"The darkness is very tempting. It promises you the world and more. But those are lies. You end up all alone. Darkness doesn't keep you warm at night. Love does."

Emma keeps silent, thinking about this.

Regina gives Emma her time, to figure this out on her own.

-but what if I lost my love. If I give up my darkness I'll have nothing-

"There are some loves you'll lose, but never the true ones. I promise."

"How can you promise that?" she now whispers.

"Because Robin, Snow, Henry and I will always love you, Emma."

Emma startles when she hears the names o Snow and Henry. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," she whispers, creating a distance between her and her mother.

"I'm sure I will always love you, as will Robin." Regina softly corrects herself. "I can promise you that."

Emma fakes a smile and hides her face behind her hands.

"Tell me, Emma. What are you thinking about?"

"I..." Emma starts but then she turns away from her mother.

"Emma? You can tell me anything." Regina whispers.

Emma takes a deep breath.

Regina patiently waits. She doesn't want to rush her daughter.

"I killed Snow's child," she says very quickly and very softy, almost unhearable.

Regina just nodds. "Why?" she whispers.

Emma shrugs.

"You must have had a reason."

"I felt like it," Emma says, "I couldn't bare it that she smiles and laughed all day, it was disgusting."

Regina can't help but smile a little bit. "Snow does have a very optimistic personality."

"It's sickening," Emma says, leaning with her elbows on her knees.

"She does love you, you know?"

"No I don't" Emma says.

"Well, she does. She doesn't always know how to show it the right way, but neither do I."

"I just killed her daughter," Emma says.

"You did. But there is no going back. You need to accept what you did and try to find a way to live with it. Like me."

"Or you just kill me now and get over it."

Regina shakes her head. "That's not going to happen. You can live through this, Emma. I could. So can you."

"Yeah and you're life is so good," Emma says sarcastically, she turns away again.

"It is. Because I've got you and Robin."

"I brought you so much happiness, yeah I see," Emma says at the same tone.

"Emma. Please." Regina whispers.

"What?" Emma says, "it's true."

"I love you, Emma. I'll always will."

"Stop saying that!"

Regina remains silent now. She just looks at Emma.

Emma turns away from her. "Just let me go, You'll forget me one day. You can have new kids with Robin, and you can take care of the kids you have. Maybe one day you'll even forget I killed their parents...".

"Why can't you accept the fact that I love you, Emma? Why is that so hard?"

"I can ask you the same," Emma says, not wanting to answer that question "why can't you just let me go and live a happy life with the others?"

"Because I don't give up on the people I love. Including you."

"Stop saying you love me!"

"Why?"

"Just stop!" Emma shouts and she covers her ears with her hands.

Regina remains silent now and gives Emma time to get herself back together.

Emma doesn't calm down. She can't breathe and closes her eyes. Voices in her head start shouting and she doesn't dare to open her eyes again.

Regina knows the pull of darkness better than anyone. She doesn't hesitate and takes Emma into her arms, giving her warmth and love.

"Leave me alone!" Emma shouts, starting to panic.

"No." Regina whispers. "I won't let you fight the darkness alone. Not anymore. I'm right here, Emma, your mother is right here."

"No no no no," Emma whispers, making herself as small as possible.

Regina doesn't let go of Emma.

"The walls..." Emma whispers. The panic is extreme.

"Which walls, Emma?" Regina asks softly.

"The walls are bleeding," she whispers. She is completely out of her mind now. "The walls are bleeding, the walls are bleeding," she keeps whispering.

Regina keeps holding Emma into her arms. "I'm right here. Focus on me, Emma. Focus on my voice." She takes a deep breath. "Once upon a time..." Regina starts to tell a small story.

"They're bleeding mom, you need to run. It will kill us!" Her whole body is shaking.

"I'm not going anywhere. It's alright. We're safe, I promise."

"NO!"

Regina tries to poof the both of them out of Robin's house and into the garden. It works.

Emma starts to cry. She has had this before, when she was alone in the castle, but now someone is holding her. "Let me go," she whispers and she collapses.

"No. You're not alone, Emma. I'm right here." Regina whispers, still holding Emma into her arms.

"Please let me go," Emma cries.

"No. You're not alone. You're not alone, Emma."

Emma can't fight any longer.

"That's good. You focus on me, sweetheart. I'm right here."

"No, no, please no," she whispers through her tears. All the energy left her body.

Regina sinks to the ground, still holding Emma in her arms. "You go to sleep, little one. Mommy is right here. You can go rest a little bit. I'll keep you safe."

"No no," Emma keeps whispering. "Please."

"Sleep, Emma. Sleep a little bit. I promise I'll keep you safe."

Emma doesn't respond. Her body is shaking.

Regina looks at Robin, who is approaching them by now. "Sleep, Emma. You can sleep a bit." she whispers again.

"No," Emma whispers, "no the walls are bleeding!" her eyes grow bigger again, full of panic.

Regina waves her hand over Emma's body to make her sleep.

Emma's breathing calms down and she falls asleep. Not a very peaceful sleep, but it's something...

Regina keeps holding Emma in her arms until she wakes up again.

Emma opens her eyes, but the light is too bright. She closes them. She wishes she could just stay here in the dark and never come back.

Regina doesn't force Emma to come back. She waits until she's ready.

"Can't you just leave me alone," Emma whispers. "I want to go."

"No. I won't leave you alone." Regina whispers.

Emma starts to cry again. She is so done, so exhausted.

Regina holds her in her arms.

Emma lets her.

"Come back to me, Emma. Please." Regina whispers.

Emma softly moves closer to her mother.

Regina gives all her warmth, strength and love she has inside of her.

Emma for once accepts it. She lets her mother warm her up, because the cold inside is killing her.

Regina feels Emma is accepting her at last. "You're almost back, sweetheart."

"No no..." she whispers very softly, but she does accept more of the love, not knowing she really is almost back.

"I love you, Emma." Regina whispers now, pulling Emma from the darkness back into the light.

Emma looks up at her mother, tears in her eyes. "You did it," she whispers and she moves closer to Regina's body.

"No, sweetheart. You did it." Regina smiles back.

"I didn't," Emma says, "I'm not strong enough to do that."

"No? How else would you explain this then?" Regina rips out Emma's heart. "See? More light than darkness. The only one who can do that is you." She gently puts Emma's heart back in her chest.

"You gave it to me," Emma whispers, ripping out her heart again.

"Maybe, but you accepted it and that's the most important part. Now put your heart back, sweetheart, because it belongs right there." Regina points to Emma's chest.

Emma doesn't put it back. Her body won't let her. He holds it very tightly in her hand, almost squeezing it. "I can't," she whispers.

"Go on. It's the last step. You can do this. I believe in you."

Tears stream over Emma's cheeks, her heart stays in her hand, not tightly, but it's still there.

"Go on." Regina whispers.

"You can do it," Emma whispers. She is planning to run away (she is too exhausted to use magic) as soon as the heart is out of her hand and then hide herself where no one can find her.

Regina puts Emma's heart back into her chest and holds her in her arms immediately. "I know you want to hide but I won't let you. You don't have to. You're safe with me."

Emma looks at her mother. Her eyes show anger, because her mother doesn't want to let her go. She almost bursts inside.

"You're safe with me." Regina whispers again.

Emma now breaks. She starts to cry very hard and can't make herself stop. All her feelings stream out of her, she is finally able to let her feelings go and not hold them in anymore.

Regina keeps holding Emma in her arms. She's getting exhausted herself but she stays strong, for her little girl.

Emma stays close to her mother, slowly calming down. She thinks of her heart and the light she saw in there. The light and love her mother gave her. She feels safe in her mother's arms, finally admitting to herself that her mother does care for and that she still loves her.

"I'm right here, little one. I won't abandon you." Regina whispers.

"I love you, mom," Emma whispers.

Regina's heart melts when she hears those words after such a long time it seems. "I love you too, sweetheart." she whispers.

Emma closes her eyes and leans her head against her mother's shoulder. A really small smile finds it's way to her lips.

Regina looks up at Robin. She feels exhausted

Robin smiles at them. "You two should get some sleep," he says, now walking towards them. He didn't want to interrupt earlier, but now Regina looks at him he does.

"Will you watch the other kids?" Regina asks softly.

"Of course I will," Robin says. He takes over Emma from Regina, so Regina can move again. He carries her upstairs. He brings Emma to the room, which was his and Ariel's bedroom, and lays her down on the bed.

Regina lays down next to Emma and takes her in her arms again. "Is it alright if I sleep here with her? Isn't... Isn't your wife going to mind?"

"She is not my wife and no she won't mind," Robin says, "now the curse is broken, she is different." He smiles, "don't worry."

"But you... You must have loved her, didn't you?"

"I liked her, yes," Robin says.

Regina looks away.

"I was cursed, Regina," Robin says with a sigh.

"I know you were." she whispers. "I'm sorry."

"I never loved her the way I love you, Regina, please remember that."

Regina smiles softly now. "Thank you." she whispers, looking back up at him.

Robin smiles and gives her a goodnight kiss. "Sleep well," he whispers. He gives Emma a kiss on her forehead, she had fallen asleep as soon as Robin laid her down.

"Will you put the other children to bed and come back to me?" Regina asks softly.

"I will," Robin says, "see you." He leaves the room and makes sure the children go to bed, promising them they'll see Regina soon. He then returns to Regina.

Regina smiles immediately when she sees Robin coming back into the room. She looks at him with expectation in her eyes. There is room enough on her other side on the bed.

Robin drops his shoes in the corner of the room and lies down next to Regina. He takes her close to him.

"I've missed this so much." Regina whispers.

"Me too," he whispers.

Regina smiles. She sighs and falls asleep within minutes. The next morning she wakes up, for the first time in what feels like forever, with a smile on her face.

Robin notices Regina woke up and looks at her. He smiles too. "Did you sleep well?" he asks. He looks out of the window, where Emma is sitting on a trunk, looking out over the valley.

"I did. I really did." Regina then startles and jumps out of bed. "Where is Emma?"

"She is sitting right there," Robin says calmly. He guides her eyes towards the window, so she can see Emma sitting there. Her body looks fragile.

"She needs me. I need to go to her."

"Give her time," Robin says.

"What if she runs away again?" Regina mumbles.

"We will keep an eye on her," Robin says. At that moment Julie comes out of the house. She carries some bread and sits down next to Emma. Her feet barely touch the ground.

Regina looks at the scene that's developing in front of her.

Julie gives the piece of bread to Emma and takes a bit of her own. You can see how Emma looks at Julie with a small smile and accepts the bread. She takes a little bite too.

Regina smiles at Robin, leaning against him now. "So... What now?"

"I don't know," Robin says, "get things back to normal?" he says.

"What is normal?"

"Just back to a peaceful life I guess," Robin says, "finding a home, finding Henry, Snow and Juli."

Regina nodds. "I would love to find them." she whispers. "But I don't dare to ask Emma where she send them, because I don't want to trigger something."

"I thought you..." Robin starts, but at that right moment someone knocks on the door.

Regina startles and looks at Robin. She waits for him to open up the door.

Robin walks down and opens the door. It's Juli.

"Robin? Who is it?" Regina asks from upstairs.

"It's Juli," he answers. "You can come down."

"Juli? Juli!" Regina shouts out. She runs downstairs and hugs the woman in front of her. "You found us."

"Of course I did," Juli says and she hugs her back. "But the orphanage...? It's burnt to the ground."

"It is." Regina whispers. "But that's not a problem anymore, since I have my magic back."

"I'm glad," Juli says with a smile, "I'm sorry I didn't come earlier. I visited Snow first."

"Snow?" Regina whispers. "She's... She's the girl I helped to the hospital. She lost... lost her child." Regina looks down.

"Yeah," Juli says, "I saw her a lot after it happened... She needed some help giving it a place. So I thought it would be good to visit her first. She left you a letter."

"A letter?" Regina asks softly. She takes over the paper from Juli and starts to read.

"She is still in the hospital, her condition isn't very good. She can't come out of her bed yet, so she asked me to give this to you," Juli says.

‘Dear mom,   
I think you're awake too. I'm still in the hospital, so I couldn't come to visit you. I hope I'll be able soon.   
Did you see Emma already? Is she okay? I worry so much about her.   
If you see her and maybe even talk to her, I know you're able to get her back if you really want it, can you tell her I forgive her? Tell her I still love her. I would love to visit her myself, but I can't walk and I don't think she'll come to me.

I miss you,  
Love   
Snow’

"Emma needs to read this letter." Regina whispers. "And then I need to see Snow." She looks at Juli. "Can I?"

"Yes of course," Juli says, "she is in the same hospital as where you brought her."

Regina nodds. She slowly makes her way outside, to Emma. "Emma? Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asks softly.

Julie is still sitting next to Emma. She says a quick goodbye and then hurries off to Robin's house, so Emma and Regina can be alone. Emma doesn't really have a choice.

Regina softly smiles while sitting next to Emma. "I have a letter I want you to read." Regina hands over the piece of paper.

Emma takes the letter from her mom. She lays it down in her lap and doesn't open it. She looks at her mother.

"It's from Snow White." she whispers. "But you will like it, I promise."

"You promise you're not tricking me?" Emma asks, folding open the letter.

"I promise."

Emma reads the letter and keeps silent. The urge to burn the letter to dust is clearly there.

"She forgives you, Emma." Regina whispers.

"I killed her child, mom," Emma reacts

"I know. And she knows. And she still forgives you. Doesn't that mean something?"

"It means you two don't know what you're doing," Emma says, looking at the letter again.

"We trust you." Regina answers, without any hesitation.

Emma keeps silent, knowing it would be useless to contradict her mother now.

"We do." Regina smiles now. She gets up. "Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"I got some already from one of the girls," Emma says, not remembering her name. She feels bad about that... "Did you ever tell them that I was the one who killed their parents?" she asks her mother.

"I didn't. And unless you want me to, I won't. That's in the past."

"I want you to tell them," Emma whispers, "I can't handle their kindness." She looks down with tears in her eyes. She quickly wipes them away with her sleeve.

Regina nodds. "If that's what you want, then I will. But Emma?" Regina waits until Emma looks up at her. "You'd be surprised what people can forgive." She smiles.

Emma smiles a little, "I'm already surprised," she whispers. "But... Can I go when you tell them? I don't want to be there."

"Tell you what? You wait here, outside, with Robin, while I'll tell them. I'll ask them if they want to talk to you and if so, I'll call you inside. What do you say?"

Emma hesitates, but then nods. Before her mother leaves she grabs her hand, "what do I say?" she says. Tears stream over her face.

"You know what to say when the time comes. I promise."

"No no I don't," Emma says. She is crying harder now, feeling so desperate.

Regina hugs her daughter again, giving the warmth of her body to her. "You will. I promise." She gives her a kiss on the forehead and then heads inside. She sends Robin to watch over Emma. Regina then gathers all the kids together in the small living room of Robin's house.

Juli joins Emma and Robin.  
The kids look up at Regina when they're sitting together.

Regina tells them the truth: Emma killed each and one of their parents.

The kids keep quiet. Some startle, some start to cry, but not really because the news is shocking, but because they fought so hard to not think of their parents anymore and now Regina starts to speak of them. Some even feel relieved, living and not knowing what happened to your parents is hard. "So my parents did love me? They didn't abandon me?" Julie says, she is always the first to talk.

Regina nodds. "Yes. Yes, they did love you. All of your parents loved you."

There are a lot of different feelings in the group and it takes a long time before everything is calmed down again.

"Emma... Emma is right outside. She's very scared of your reactions to her. She knows she did the wrong thing, a very wrong thing, but... But so did I in my past. And I've been forgiven. Maybe Emma can be too?"

The kids don't move, but when one of the kids stands up the rest does too and together they walk outside. Robin and Juli turn around to look at them, but Emma doesn't dare.

Regina looks outside of the window to see what's happening.

Emma looks around and faces the children. Some of them walk back inside, angry, but some of them stay. Emma walks to them and rips out her own heart. "Crush it if you want," she says, "I deserve it." The heart lays on the ground between her and the kids, but no one takes it.

Regina just keeps looking. She doesn't realise she's breathing superficially.

The children keep looking at the heart. Some really want to move, but they don't.

"Please, someone, pick it up and give it back. Forgive my baby girl." Regina whispers in front of her.

Another bunch of kids walk away from her, only a few are still staring.

"Please." Regina whispers again.

Charlie and Julie look at each other and then, as if they read each other's mind they step towards the heart and pick it up. Emma closes her eyes, waiting for the pain to come.

Regina holds her breath.

Everyone is now inside except for Julie and Charlie. They push the heart back inside Emma's chest. She gasps for air and opens her eyes.

Regina keeps looking now. She doesn't notice the other children around her.

"What are you doing?" Emma whispers. Julie smiles at her. "We're doing the right thing."

Regina looks at the other kids now. "Not one of you is forgiving Emma?"

The children back away a little, startled by Regina's direct words. "Should we?" someone asks.

"Only if you want to. I can't make you forgive her. You have to want it yourself."

The kids keep silent now. "She killed our parents," a boy says.

"She did. So did I, many years ago. I have killed innocent people and burned down entire villages. Why did I deserve a second chance and Emma doesn't?"

The children don't know what to say. "you're our... mother."

"But if I didn't do the things I've done in my past, I would never have Emma and I would never have all of you. All things happen for a reason."

"We would never have had you," a girl says, understanding Regina's words. "But it's so.... Cruel."

"It is." Regina whispers. "But does that make it less worth it?"

The children shake their heads, "but she made us poor too," one of the girls says. They're hard to convince although some of the children start to feel more, well... Soft towards Emma. "You forgave her already?" A boy asks.

Regina nodds. "I do."

"I do too," the boy says.

"Yes?" Regina asks softly.

"If you think that's the right thing to do, yes," the boy says.

"Your heart will tell you the right thing to do." Regina smiles.

The boy nods and walks away to a group of other kids who are talking. Emma is still outside with Julie, Charlie, Juli and Robin. Nobody else wants to forgive Emma, not yet.

Regina sits down at the table and waits.

Robin comes in first and sits down next to her. "Are you okay?" he asks.

"They aren't ready to forgive her. Not yet. I think it will take some time."

"Yeah I think so too," Robin says, "but I think Julie and Charlie will be a good first start for Emma. They forgive her already, well... Kind of."

Regina smiles. "One by one, right ?" she whispers.

"Exactly," Robin says, "we can't expect them to forgive her immediately, I think. Such things take time."

Regina nodds. "I wonder if Emma... If she took Leopold with her. Here." Her eyes should the concern she's feeling.

"We haven't seen him yet," Robin says, trying to sound optimistic.

"That's true." Regina smiles now. "We... I need to go to Snow. Do you think Emma wants to come with me?"

At that right moment a loud "what!" comes from outside. Charlie walks away from Emma. Julie hesitates, but decides to follow Charlie. Emma sinks to the ground.

Regina startles. She runs outside. "What is going on?" she wants to know.

"It doesn't matter," Emma says, tears in her eyes, and she starts to walk away. Juli comes to them too.

"No, please. Emma. I want to help you."

"I. Don't. Want. Your. Help..." Emma snaps.

Regina startles. "Alright." she whispers.

Emma sighs and walks away into the woods, throwing her own heart on the ground. When it hits the ground she collapses a little, but now her heart isn't in her chest, she is able to stop her feelings and poof away.

Regina saw what happened. She picks up Emma's heart and puts it in a box in Robin's bedroom. She then hides away in a corner.

"Give it time Regina," Robin says when he sits down next to her.

"I won't get her back. She's gone again." Regina whispers.

"You got her back already," Robin says, "she may be gone again, but you can do this. You still want to get her back right?" He asks just to be sure.

"Of course I do." Regina whispers. But does she? Really? Isn't going back to the darkness so much easier?

"It is, if anyone knows that it's you," Robin says, "did you want to get rid of your darkness immediately? Because I don't think so, but here you are."

"I remember well." Regina snaps suddenly.

"And are you the same person now? I don't think so."

Regina's eyes darken a bit. "It's so easy to go back." she then whispers.

"Yeah, I know," Robin says. He saw that happen so many times.

"But I'm trying not to. I promise." Regina smiles softly. "I want to be good. And I want Emma to be good as well. She can be. If she allows herself."

'I know you do and I think you're succeeding," Robin says, "never have I seen a spark of darkness in your eyes when I visited the orphanage. And Emma... it will be hard to get her back, but I don't think it's impossible."

"You do? You really think so?"

Robin shrugs. "Yeah I do," he then says.

Regina leans against him. She startles when a familiar voice starts to talk inside her head. Her body goes rigid.

Robin takes her hand in his. He has seen this so often that he almost knows exactly what's going on. "It's okay," he whispers.

Regina flinches.

"You know you're safe right, nothing will happen to you," Robin whispers.


	29. Emma

"Good girl." Regina mumbles.

"Please, Regina," Robin whispers. "Please don't do this."

"I'm trying!" Regina snaps again. "It's not that easy!" Regina startles when someone appears next to them.

Robin doesn't say a thing and he doesn't see a thing. He doesn't see the figure Regina sees.

"You." Regina whispers softly.

"Pleasure to meeting you again," the figure says.

"But... How?"

"It's not that hard to get in your mind, to be honest."

"It isn't?"

"Not at all, your mind is weaker than you think."

Regina looks down. "I'll be good." she whispers.

"That's very good to hear indeed."

Regina nodds.

"Get up and meet me in the cellar."

"Which cellar?" Regina asks.

"Didn't you know this house has a cellar?"

"No." Regina whispers again. She gets up and walks downstairs. She doesn't notice Robin any longer.

Robin comes after her. "Regina, what are you doing?" he asks.

"I need to go to the cellar." Regina mumbles in front of her.

"No you don't, there's nothing there."

Regina doesn't listen. She finds the way downstairs and walks off the stairs. She looks at the person now in front of her.

Magic makes Robin unconscious and magic locks the door behind Regina.

Regina flinches.

"Don't be frightened." A grin follows.

"But I am." Regina whispers. She feels the cold breath of the person in front of her on her warm skin.

"Why?" the figure whispers.

"Because I know what you're capable of."

"That's right," the figure says. His hands are on Regina's hips now.

Regina looks up at him.

"So tell me, how are you doing lately?"

"Why do you care?"

"Why wouldn't I care?"

"Because you never cared how I've been doing."

"Now I do."

Regina gasps for air when his hands wander to places her body likes. "Please." she whispers.

"Please stop? Or please go on?" he says with a grin.

"I... Please. I don't know. Please."

He touches her exactly where she likes it. "I'll take that as a 'go on' then.'

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

"As far as I remember someone cast a curse."

"Emma. She... She would never take you with her. And she wouldn't give you magic."

"True," Leopold says, "but I changed her mind." He raises his eyebrows and laughs.

"How?"

"You know my ways," Leopold whispers and he touches Regina again, right there.

Regina gasps for air again. "Please. Say you didn't hurt my daughter." Regina begs.

"I do everything to get what I want," Leopold says, "I think you know me well enough to know that."

Darkness appears in Regina's eyes. "What did you do to her?" she wants to know.

"This," Leopold says and he touches her again. Now he kisses her and starts to undress Regina. "And this."

"You're lieing !" Regina snaps loudly.

"Of course I'm not lying," Leopold grins. He takes a knife out of his pocket. "Oh yes I forgot to mention this." he grins.

Regina screams out of frustration. "I hate you!"

"I knew that already."

"Let go of me!" Regina now starts to struggle against his hands.

Leopold keeps holding her close. "Why? I thought you liked this." He unzips her dress.

"I don't!"

He now kisses her to make her stop talking.

Regina struggles against his body.

"Did you know you're a lot weaker than your kid?" Leopold says, "she is a serious fighter."

"Let me go!"

"The exact same words your Emma used," Leopold grins. "Clearly family...".

"Stop talking!"

"She didn't say that," Leopold says stroking her back.

"Please!"

Leopold rips Regina's heart out. "It feels so good I can finally do this," he grins and he pushes her heart back again.

Regina moans of pain. "That hurts!" she snaps.

"Of course it does that's the whole point," Leopold laughs. "Oh! And I can do this too," he says while pinning Regina to the wall.

Regina gasps for air.

"Lovely," Leopold says and he starts to choke her. Then the door opens and Juli steps inside. Leopold tries to make her unconscious, but it won't work. He poofs away...

Regina sinks down to the ground and coughs.

Juli kneels down in front of her. Not to close, so Regina can catch her breath.

Within minutes Regina has her breathing back under control. She makes herself small to protect her naked, little body. She doesn't look up.

Juli lets her rest and says nothing, but she doesn't leave her.

"Robin?" Regina asks, very softly, after a long time.

"He is coming," Juli says, "and he will be fine."

Regina nodds, turning back into herself.

Juli holds Regina's hand. "I'm sorry this happened to you again," she whispers.

Regina pulls away. "Don't touch me!" she snaps.

"I'm sorry," Juli says. Then Robin comes in.

Regina doesn't look up. She keeps making herself small.

"Regina are you there?" Robin whispers, to let her know he is there.

"C.Cold." Regina just whispers now.

"Shall I carry you upstairs?" Robin asks.

"No!"

"Right," he says. Juli gets a blanket while Robin stays with Regina. But now no one is watching the door some of the kids come in to look what is happening.

Regina looks down again. "Get them away from here. They can't see me like this." she whispers to Robin.

Robin turns around and sees the kids. Before he can stand up to lead them away, Juli is back and after she handed over the blanket to Robin, she makes sure the children stay out of the room.

Regina sighs softly from relief. She grabs the blanket and scrambles away from Robin.

Robin takes a deep breath. He sits down next to Regina and closes his eyes for a while.

"I want to be alone." Regina whispers.

"Then at least let me carry you upstairs, it's so cold here."

"I want to be alone!" Regina snaps now.

"Regina please".

"Why didn't I know there is a cellar in this house? And why didn't you want me to come downstairs?" Regina suddenly asks.

"Because it's not very important to know," Robin says. He knows it too dark to see a thing, which calms him down a bit.

"Tell me!" Regina snaps again. "You're lieing, I know you are!"

"Regina stop it," Robin says, "it's not something to think about right now."

"Yes, it is. Tell me!"

"Fine," Robin snaps back, "you know what? Go see it for yourself." He stands up and puts on the light. He slams the door behind him.

Regina crawls away under the blanket now. Robin scared her to hell.

All kind of stuff comes into the light. All the things are are baby's things. A little crib, a whole pile of baby clothes and some blankets with animals on it. It's clear that someone expects a little girl...

Regina keeps hidden under the blanket. She closes her eyes against the light that shines through the light blanket. "I'm so sorry." she mumbles. "I'll be a good girl. I promise I'll be an obedient girl."

Nobody hears her.

"Please. Take me away from here. Someone. Just... Anyone." Regina begs, softly, in front of her.

When Juli realizes Robin isn't with Regina anymore (which is after quite some time because the kids kept her busy) she softly walks into the room.

Regina keeps mumbling for someone to just take her away from here.

"I'm here for you," Juli says. She looks at the stuff standing in the cellar, confused... Did Regina see this already? "Can you walk?" she asks.

"I want to be left alone!" Regina snaps again, not coming out from under the blanket.

"I'll get you out of here," Juli says.

"NO! I want to be left alone!" Regina screams now.

Juli sits down against the wall with a big distance between her and Regina. She is not leaving

Regina looks up from under the blanket. "Can't you just... " But her voice silences when she sees all the baby things.

Juli follows Regina's gaze.

"What is this?" Regina wants to know.

"I... I don't know," Juli says honestly.

"Was... Was Marian expecting a baby? When... When I killed her?" Regina whispers.

"I honestly don't know, I'm sorry," Juli says. And besides the fact she really doesn't know, this are not questions for her to answer.

"Get Robin. Please?" Regina asks softly.

"He left the house..." Juli says, "but I'll try to find him for you, I promise. But before I go, I really want you to go upstairs, it's so cold down here."

"I said NO!" Regina snaps again.

"I'm not that easy to scare away Regina," Juli says, "I'll get Robin for you, but I have one condition. I'm doing it for your own safety."

"NO!"

Juli sighs, but leaves the room to get Robin. He isn't hard to find, because he is already on his way to the cellar. He walks in and looks at Regina, while he sits down on one of the steps of the stairs.

"Was Marian expecting a girl? When I... When I killed her?" Regina asks immediately.

"Yes, she was," Robin only says. He stares at the baby's things in front of him.

Regina looks up at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past," Robin says. "but... I couldn't just throw all the memories away by getting rid of all these things." Between the baby stuff are also the clothes and toys of a little boy and some jewelry.

"I understand. I won't come here ever again." Regina whispers. She poofs the both of them into Robin's bedroom. "I promise I'll be a good girl." she whispers from out of the darkest corner.

"Regina..." Robin says, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I kept those things. I just didn't want to trigger something." This was exactly what he feared would happen if Regina saw the things.

Regina slowly nodds. "I understand." She looks up at him. "I'm cold."

"Come here then," Robin says. He is sitting on the bed. Now Regina can know that Marian, his son and his daughter are still in his mind almost everyday...

Very carefully Regina gets up from out of her corner and walks over to Robin, the blanket over her shoulders.

Robin takes her in his arms, making sure the blanket stays around her.

Regina leans into his touch, into his warm body. She sits on his lap and rests her head against his shoulder. "Emma." she whispers.

"What's it?" Robin says, softly stroking her hair. His arms are tightly around her.

"Leopold hurt her. He needs to die."

"How could he get to her?" Robin says. He is shocked, not only by the fact that Leopold hurt Emma, but also by the sudden statement that he needs to die.

"I don't know and I don't care. He needs to die." Darkness starts to take over Regina.

"Regina look at me," Robin says.

Regina looks at Robin, darkness in her eyes. No sign of something light.

"It's to big of a risk to kill him, Regina," Robin says, "you can't slip back into the darkness."

"Didn't you hear me? He hurt Emma. He needs to pay." A low and dangerous voice comes from Regina.

"Yes, but if it gets you back into the darkness, it's not worth it," Robin says.

"You don't trust me?"

"Of course I do, but can you be sure the darkness won't take over? Can you promise me that?"

"Yes! Yes, I can!" Regina snaps.

"Then what is it that I see in your eyes? Because it looks like darkness to me."

Regina looks down. "It's nothing." she mumbles.

"It's not nothing and you know that," Robin says.

"He. Needs. To. Pay."

"Then you can pay with him and I won't let that happen," Robin says.

"You can't stop me."

"I can't, but that doesn't mean I won't try."

Regina shakes her head. She poofs into some clothes now.

"How can you take care of your children when the darkness takes over again? You can't... please don't do this."

"The children." Regina whispers now. Robin triggered something, something that could get her back fast. "How are they? Where are they?"

"They are downstairs. They're worried about you and they miss you," Robin says.

"They shouldn't be. I need to take care of them. Not the other way around."

Robin takes a deep breath. "You're right," he says, "you don't have to take care of them alone, we will help you. And it doesn't mean you can't have times where you can be alone, but falling back into the darkness... you just can't do that."

Regina shakes her head. "I can't. I can't do that." she repeats with a soft voice, concentrating on Robin's face to take in this new information.

Robin nods and looks back at her.

"No going back to the darkness." Regina whispers. Another poof and she's dressed in a light dress now.

Robin smiles.

Regina turns around and walks to the window. She looks outside. "She's still not back." she whispers.

"She isn't," Robin says, not knowing what to say. He can say that she will come soon, but he can't know that...

"The kids need to eat dinner." Regina mumbles. She waves with her hand. Shouts of joy and surprise come from downstairs.

Robin grins. "Right," he says, "let's go downstairs to join them."

Regina nodds. Together they walk down the stairs but Regina's thoughts are clearly somewhere else. She smiles to the kids and laughs with their jokes and enjoys seeing them eat like its their last meal. But her thoughts are with Emma. Emma and Leopold.

Robin can see Regina's mind is not here, but he lets her.   
The kids enjoy the meal very much and don't ask Regina hard questions, they're just glad that they're having fun together.

Regina smiles when a little girl sits down on her lap. "Hi there."

"Hi," the girl giggles softly. She leans against Regina's body. She closes her eyes and just takes in the smell of the person who feels like a mother to her.

Regina closes her arms around the little girl's body. "Did you eat good?" she asks softly.

"Yes I did," the girl says, "I loved it very much. Did you like it too?"

"I'm not very hungry." Regina whispers.

"Ow that's too bad," the girl says, "because the food is so nice. You really should try the pudding."

"I'll try. Robin, can you give me some pudding, please?"

The girl smiles. Robin hands over the pudding. "So try it," the girl says, "it tastes like strawberries."

Regina takes a couple of spoons. She giggles. "It really is good!"

"I told you!" the girl says.

Regina giggles again.

"I'm glad your back," she then says and she leans against Regina's chest again.

"Me too." Regina whispers softly in the girl's hair. She sends a message to Emma using her thoughts. *Where are you? I miss you. *

*you miss me?* Emma sends back.

*Of course I do. I love you. You're my daughter. I want to help you.*

*So you're not angry that... I ran away?*

*I'm worried. Not angry, of course not.*

*I want to come home, it's cold out here.*

*Please, come back home. I'm right here.*

Emma appears in the doorway and looks into the room. It's just a peek, because she fears the children.

*I know you're there. Come on in, sweetheart, I'm right here. I'm here for you.*

Emma looks at the ground, very, very nervous.

*Take your time. I'm right here.*

She gathers all her courage together and walks into the room.

Regina smiles at her. "Do you want to sit next to me?" she asks softly.

Emma nods and she sits down at the empty chair of the girl who is sitting on Regina's lap. She bites on her lip and puts her hair behind her ears.

"Take your pick. There is plenty of everything." Regina smiles.

*No thanks, I'm fine* Emma sends, but she does pick a carrot from a plate and takes a little bite.

Regina doesn't push her. She herself eats a slice of bread with cheese.

Emma forces herself to keep her chin up. She remembers herself what she did when she was the princes. Always behave, don't be frightened. She doesn't show that she startles when she sees her mother eat something, although it really stuns her... in a good way.

Regina softly strokes Emma's hair. She recognizes this behaviour; she used it herself when she was married to Leopold. *You don't have to put on brave face, Emma. You're home. You're safe. I'll make sure of that.* she sends through her mind.

*I don't want to look weak, because I'm not weak*

*You're not weak. We all know that. I just want to give you the chance to be yourself.*

*I don't want to be myself. I don't like myself enough to be it.*

Regina nodds slowly. She understands. *Just know that we like you, just the way you are. If you feel comfortable enough, you're more than welcome to show us the real you again.*

Emma now looks at her mother, a little bit angry. *Who is 'we'*

*Me. Robin. Juli. Snow. Some of the kids. Others need some time to forgive you, but they will. You'd be surprised what people can forgive.* Regina replies back, honestly.

*I see* Emma replies. She takes another carrot. "You should try the pudding," the girl on Regina's lap says. Emma startles.

Regina remains silent and looks at the scene in front of her.

"It's really nice," the girl says. "It is, right, Regina?"

Regina nodds, smiling. "It really is. It tastes like strawberries." She winks at the little girl on her lap and then at Emma.

The girl giggles. Emma forces a smile. "Thanks," she says and she takes some pudding.

Regina looks at the other kids. "What are the plans for today?" she asks them.

The kids shrug. "We can go swimming?" one of the boys suggest. "Yes and then you come with us!" a girl exclaims. They really missed Regina.

"Sounds like a nice plan." Regina smiles. "Emma, would you like to join us?"

"N... no no," Emma says, "I'll be fine. I don't really feel like swimming right now. But ehh... thanks."

"You can come and sit by the lake?" Regina suggests." Maybe read a book?"

"I don't know," Emma says. *I don't want to ruin the fun* she sends her mother, although she likes the idea.

*You won't ruin it. The worst thing that can happen is that you'll have some fun yourself.* She winks.

Emma sighs and agrees to come with them.   
She takes a book to the lake and sits down a big distance away from the rest, who are having fun together.

Regina decides to sit down between the group of kids in the water and Emma who is reading a book. Regina smiles at Robin and Juli who are joining the kids in the water.

"Come in!" Robin shouts from the water. Emma looks from over the book to the water.

*Why don't you join them?* Regina suggests, sending this message through her mind towards Emma.

*I join if you join* Emma sends back, trying not to regret her words.

Regina giggles. She nodds to Emma and jumps out of her clothes, only wearing her undergarments now. "Lets go!" she shouts with a bright smile.

Emma smiles back. She hesitates for a moment, but then runs to the water, grabbing her mother's hand in the process and pulling her with her. She keeps on her dress.

Regina falls flat down in the water, but jumps up just as quickly to throw water to Emma and the other kids. She doesn't mention the dress. "Catch me!" Regina shouts out with lots of laughter. She starts to run through the water, making everyone even more wet than they already are.

Emma is soaked in no time. The kids are all laughing and they run after Regina to take revenge, splashing water on her all the time. Emma doesn't join but watches with a smile, a real one.

Regina 'accidentally' trips and takes Emma down with her in the process. She picks up her little girl and holds her in the air for a short period of time... Then the two of them fall into the water again.

"Oh mom!" Emma shouts out and she laughs. "You're horrible!"

"Am I? I don't think so!" Regina laughs as well. She winks to Robin and together they start to tickle the kids.

The kids start to run away in laughter. Some of them run up the shore others dive so Robin and Regina can't get to them.

Regina gets to Emma and starts to tickle her on the places she knows Emma can't stand.

"No," Emma moans, but she can't help but laugh, "stop it mom."

"Alright, alright." Regina laughs.

Emma smiles and lets out a sigh. She dives, so her whole body is under water.

Regina smiles when she sees her daughter enjoying herself like this.

Although Emma doesn't have contact with the other kids, she is having a good time. She forgot what swimming felt like and it gives her a free feeling when she is under water. A bit like the time she rode on Rocinante with her mother, but then more... quiet.

Regina smiles. She looks at the other children and asks herself why they don't interact with Emma. Sadness appears in her eyes

"It's okay," Emma says, who appears next to her mother.

"What is?" Regina asks, looking at Emma.

"That they don't want me to join them," Emma says. "I can see in your eyes that you don't like it."

"I don't understand." Regina whispers. "I've raised them better than this. At least... In my memories of this land."

"I killed their parents, mom, I set their home on fire and gave them a miserable life with no food and money. I don't blame them."

"I did far worse and I have been forgiven."

"I know," Emma says, "but that took time too, didn't it?"

"I guess it did. Look who's teaching who now." Regina giggles.

Emma grins.

Regina winks at her. "Who wants to play a water game?" Regina poofs a soft ball in her hand. "2 teams. Goal is to keep the ball in your team as long as possible. Who wants to choose? I need 2 persons."

Julie raises her hand. "Can I?" she asks all exited.

Regina nodds. "Who's my second person?"

Nobody reacts. Emma wants to be in Julie's team so she keeps quiet too.

"Robin?" Regina laughs to the man, her man, next to her.

"Right, right..." Robin says with a wink. "Julie you start."

Regina smiles and waits to see what happens.

"Emma," she says. Emma startles and looks around if not some of the other kids is named Emma too.

Regina smiles brightly.

"Me?" Emma asks. Julie nods.

Regina keeps smiling brightly.

"A... Alright," Emma says and she walks towards Julie. Then Robin chooses Regina. He winks.

Regina giggles and swims over to Robin. The rest of the group gets divided one by one. Regina throws the ball towards Robin.

The match starts and everyone is having fun. Robin's team is on the winning hand. Emma startles when she realizes why she is having fun, why she is so calm. She doesn't have her heart... It makes her both happy and sad that life without her heart is so much better. She catches the ball and throws it to someone else again.

Regina enjoys these moments so much. But she knows Emma doesn't has her heart. Without anyone noticing Regina poofs Emma's heart into her hand. She very gently pushes it back into Emma's chest when she hugs her daughter softly. Emma doesn't notice a thing.

Emma plays on, but after a while she notices something strange. A feeling she didn't have before. She looks at her mother.

Regina smiles and keeps on playing.

Emma walks away from the game onto the shore, into the woods.

Regina decides to give her some time. She knows Emma feels happiness inside her heart again, after a long time, and she needs some time to get used to it.

Emma buries her heart somewhere in the woods. She doesn't feel like getting used to happiness again, living without feelings is a lot easier. She then walks back to Robin's house and takes a shower, her dress still on. "Where did Emma go?" Julie asks, when Robin's team scores again. "We need her," she smiles.

*Where are you? The kids are asking for you.* Regina sends to Emma.

*I'm at Robin's house* Emma sends to her mother. *Sh... Shall I come back?* She is afraid her mother will see in her eyes that her heart isn't inside of her anymore.

*Yes, please. Everyone misses you. Come back after you picked up your heart in the woods.* Regina sends back.

*Everyone? You mean only you.* Emma sends and she keeps quiet after that. She won't come back.

*Julie asked for you, Emma. She said the team needs you.*

Emma keeps quiet, she is upset her mother saw through her so easily.

*You forget I know you pretty well, sweetheart. I'm not angry. I know it seems, it feels, better to live without a heart, but it's really not. It's a lie you keep telling yourself.*

No sound from Emma...

*Emma? Please.*

*I finally had fun mom... without that stupid heart, but you put it back inside of me without telling me and ruined everything. Just let me live without it...*

*I can't, Emma. I really can't. My mother lived years without a heart and believe me when I say... She couldn't feel love for anyone, including her daughter.*

Emma sighs and poofs herself to the swimming place. She sits with her back against a tree and sighs.

Regina decides to give her some space. She waits for the kids to notice Emma and invite her back into the water.

In the end Julie sees Emma and comes up the shore. Their team is 20 points behind right now. She whispers something in Emma's ear and Emma can't help but smile a little.

Regina makes some extra points for their team.

Emma comes to join them. She jumps into the water with her dress on. She doesn't care that she just changed.

Regina smiles. She scores another couple of points for her team. "You're going to lose!" she giggles.

Emma grins and keeps her distance. With her magic she makes the ball come in the possession of her own team. "We're not!" Julie laughs.

"Since when is magic aloud?" Regina laughs.

"No one told us we couldn't," Julie says.

"That's true, I guess." Regina smiles. She interrupts the ball when Emma throws it at someone of her team. "Got it. Again!" she laughs.

Emma uses her magic to get the ball back at her team. The kids pass it very quickly and score. Emma grins.

Robin's team, including Regina, try to get the ball back but they fail miserably now Emma is back in her team.

Emma stops using her magic after a while so they can play normally again. Their team is doing better now. Some kids even compliment Emma when she has a good catch.

Even when Emma doesn't use her magic, Robin's team doesn't get the ball back.

Emma's team now has a good spirit and although Robin's team has a lot more points than they have, they get closer and closer.

Even though Robin's team tries their best, at the end, Emma's team still wins.

"What's the price?" Julie dares to ask, although it's more a joke then a serious question.

Regina smiles. "What do you want to eat tonight? Our team will make it from scratch." She giggles.

"Is that even a question?" another team member asks. Lasagna of course, always lasagna.

Regina giggles again. She knew that answer would come. "Let's go then!" she smiles. "Of course, everyone from the winning team who wants to help... Is welcome as well." She smiles; she knows how much Emma likes to cook and help with making lasagna.

Emma sighs but smiles. She knows her mother is trying to get her involved in things...

Regina and Robin lead all the children, including Emma, back towards Robin's house. With magic Regina has provided all the ingredients of the lasagna, but like she said: they will make it from scratch.

The lasagna is ready in no time and all the kids sit down around the table.

Regina smiles and eats a bit of her piece of lasagna.

Emma hesitates, but decides that she will eat her piece. The game made her hungry.

When Regina sees her youngest daughter eat very good, she herself eats good as well.

The dinner is silent, but good. Everyone was hungry after the match.

Regina looks at Robin when most of the kids are done and have left the table. "I need to visit Snow White this evening. Is that alright?"

"Yes of course," Robin says.

"Do you want to watch the children for me? Please?"

"You don't even have to ask that, of course I will," Robin says. When he gives Regina a kiss on her lips a lot of 'oh's and giggles fill the room.

Regina smiles against Robin's lips. "They're tired. They need to go to sleep." She winks. "Emma?" She turns towards her youngest daughter. "Do you want to come and visit Snow White with me? Maybe we can talk about where Henry is on the way over there?" Her voice sounds soft, not angry at all.

Emma immediately pulls back in herself. "No, I don't want that at all," she whispers. She doesn't want to talk about it in front of everyone.

"It will be just you and me, Emma. What do you say? I would love it if you'd come with me."

"I don't," Emma whispers.

"That's alright. Maybe next time." Regina doesn't want to push Emma. "Maybe you rather want to stay here, with your friends, to read a little bit before going to sleep?"

Emma startles and immediately stands up. Her chair falls down in the process and makes a very loud sound. She hurries out of the room.

Regina looks at Robin, startled as well. "Did I... Did I say something wrong?" she whispers.

"I guess so..." Robin says.

"What then?" Regina needs to know.

"I don't know," Robin says, "I don't know what goes on in her mind."

*What did I say wrong?* Regina sends to Emma now.

Emma doesn't react and just blocks her mother.

*Emma, please. I'm trying my best here.*

*Stop trying...*

*Why?*

*You're trying too hard.* Emma stops talking. Her mother only makes things worse. She really said something wrong.

*I... I'm sorry.* Regina sends back. *I'm going to see Snow White now. If you want to talk to me, I'll be back afterwards.* Regina says the same thing to Robin and then quietly disappears into the early evening.

"You want me to come, or do you rather go alone?" Juli asks Regina. She ran after her. "I'm okay with both, I just wanted to ask."

"I want to be alone for a little while, if that's alright." Regina just whispers.

"Yes of course," Juli says, "I understand. You know you can come to me whenever you want right?"

"I guess so." Regina whispers, not looking back.

"Alright," Juli says, "she is in room 23, thought you wanted to know." She smiles. "She'll be happy to see you."

Regina nodds and keeps on walking. She doesn't really notice a thing until she bumps into someone on her way to the hospital.

James apologises and wants to walk on, but when he looks into Regina's eyes, he recognizes her.

Regina doesn't look up. She herself mumbles her apologies and wants to walk on.

"Hey," he says kindly, "You're Regina right?"

Regina startles when she hears her name. She snaps out of her own thoughts and focuses on the stranger in front of her. "I am." she nodds. "I'm sorry, who... Who are you?"

"I'm James," he says, "Snow's husband. You must be her mother, am I right?"

Regina nodds again. "I am."

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" he asks her.

"I'm actually on my way to see Snow. She's in the hospital."

James smiles, "I know I just came from her, I'm sure she will be happy to see you," he says, "shall I lead you to her?"

"I'll find it on my own. Thank you." Regina whispers.

James can see Regina is sure about it and he nods her goodbye. "It was a pleasure to meeting you," he says.

"Maybe I'll see you again. Later." Regina whispers. She follows her way to the hospital. After a while, when she's walking through the woods, she bumps into someone else.

"Well hello there," Leopold says.

Regina startles. She knows that voice. She looks up and stares straight into Leopold's eyes.

Leopold grins. How much he likes that frightened look of hers.

"I need to be somewhere. Let me through, please."

Leopold pretends to let her through. "What could possible be more important than me?"

"Everything." Regina snaps.

"Wrong answer," Leopold grins, he walks closer to her.

"Let go of me!"

Leopold lets go of her. "It is that I have promised you daughter not to hurt you..." He grins.

"Which daughter? I have two, you know." Regina spits in his face.

"You're giving me ideas," Leopold snaps back. He pushes her against a tree out of frustration.

"Let go of me." Regina whispers now.

Leopold softly strokes her cheek.

Regina looks down.

"Good girl," he whispers. His lips very close to Regina's.

Regina, obediently, opens her mouth and allows him to go on.

Leopold lets his tongue slip inside of her mouth...

Regina kisses him back, like an obedient girl.

Leopold deepens the kiss and then he lets his hand go over her legs, under her dress.

"Someone could see us." Regina whispers, looking around her. She notices a couple of men, drunk men, luring at them.

"Why would that matter?" Leopold whispers.

"Please. They are coming over here." Regina's voice sounds panicked.

"Never mind, I'm willing to share," Leopold grins.

"Sh.. Share?"

"Yeah, wouldn't that be fun?"

Regina looks at the men who have now approached her and Leopold.

"Joining the fun?" Leopold says. The man grin and come closer. This situation is perfect for Leopold, he can hurt Regina without breaking his promise. He lets Regina go and hands her over to another man.

"Please." Regina whispers. Her magic fails. It always fails when she's frozen like this.

The man in front of her lifts her up, so she lays in his arms. One of the other men strokes her legs. He goes up and up.

"Please...".

The man raises his eyebrows.

"Stop." Regina whispers.

The man just drops Regina and lets her fall with her back on the ground.

Regina curls up on the ground.

The men all grin and leave her. Leopold stands over her.

Regina looks up at him.

"Good luck with your journey," Leopold grins and he leaves.

Regina sighs with relief. She gets up and continues her journey to the hospital.

Although it gets darker outside, the hospital is full of light. The woman at the counter greets Regina, "Can I help you?" she asks.

"I'm here to see Snow. Snow White." Regina whispers.

The woman looks on the paper in front of her. "Room 23," she says, "my colleague will bring you there. You know her?"

"She's my daughter."

"Oh alright," the girl smiles, "sorry I always need to check those things." One of her colleagues leads Regina to Snow's room.

Regina follows slowly.

"Mom!" Snow says immediately when she sees her mother come in. She wants to sit up, stand up so she can walk to her but the pain gets her back in the bed already when she makes her first move.

Regina quickly runs over to her eldest daughter. "Snow." she whispers. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling okay," she says. "And you?"

"Just... Tired, I guess." Regina smiles now. "Are you feeling better?"

"A bit," Snow says. "How are Robin and the kids?" She feels like she has to asks this before she can get to Emma and Henry.

"They're good. I have my magic back, thanks to Emma, so food isn't an issue any longer. I... I can heal you, if you want to?"

"You can?" Snow says. She smiles.

Regina nodds. "I can but only if you want me to."

"Yeah," Snow says, "that's alright. Have you seen Emma or Henry already." She moans if pain. Her whole body still hurts.

Regina first heals her daughter before answering her question. She strokes a lock of hair out of her face and smiles. "Emma is with me and Robin. She's safe but she needs time. I haven't figured out where Henry is yet."

Snow now wraps her arms around her mother's neck and takes her in a long hug. "Thank you," she whispers.

Regina smiles softly. "That's alright."

"I'm so glad you found Emma and that she is kind of alright," she smiles.

Regina smiles back. "Me too. And that I've got you back. I... I met your husband on the way over here. James. He looks an awful lot like David. Or am I imagining things?"

"They are twins," Snow says with a grin.

Regina giggles. "No kidding. Does he make you happy?"

"He does, mom, I promise," Snow says, "we... we would have had a child together."

Regina nodds. "I know." she whispers. "Emma... I think she's really sorry but she has a hard time showing it or even admitting it. She doesn't want to look... Weak, I guess."

Snow nods. "Yeah I know," she says softly.

Regina hugs Snow. "I'm so glad I have you back. We do need to look for Henry. He's all alone out there."

"I'm so worried," Snow says, "does Emma know where he is?"

"I don't know. She hasn't mentioned it yet."

"She must know it, she created all this," Snow says.

Regina nodds. "I'll ask her again."

"Thanks," Snow says. "But tell me more about how you're doing, I missed you."

"I'm... Fine." Regina whispers.

"You're not fine, mom," Snow says, "I can see that."

"Did... Did Leopold visit you today?" Regina asks softly.

"Leopold?" Snow says, "no he didn't. Is he here?"

"No. Never mind." Regina whispers again.

"No tell me, mom," Snow says, "what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, really."

"You can tell me, mom," Snow says, "maybe it's good to get it out."

"He said he promised my daughter not to hurt me. So if he didn't promise you... He promised Emma. And he told me he has hurt her. Like he hurt me." Regina looks down now.

"No..." Snow whispers, "how could he possibly do that.... He... Argh, he is a monster."

Regina keeps looking down. "I'm sorry." she whispers. "I know he's your father."

"He is not my father anymore," Snow says immediately, "I don't like him, I started hating him a long time ago. How can I possibly love him after what he did to you... and Emma."

"But he is still your father." Regina whispers again.

"I don't care," Snow says, "you didn't like your mother, I don't like my father. That's just how it is...".

Regina nodds. She smiles softly. "Thank you." she whispers.

Snow hugs her mom, "but is Emma okay then? She didn't tell you about this?"

Regina shakes her head. "She didn't. He... He told me."

Snow looks down and bites her lip.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't protect her against him."

"This is not your fault," Snow says immediately. "she cursed us all. Or do you think it happened after the curse was broken? And then still... you shouldn't blame yourself for this, if you're doing that right now."

"I... I don't?"

"No of course not," Snow says.

Regina slowly smiles now. "Do you think you're well enough to come home with me?"

"Yes I think I am," Snow says, "I'm very tired, but I would love to see Emma and meet your kids and Robin of course."

Regina nodds. "Do you want to walk with me or do you want me to use magic?"

"You choose," Snow says.

"No, you choose." Regina smiles.

"Just poof us there," Snow grins, almost falling asleep already, "I think I'll collapse if we walk."

Regina nodds. She checks Snow out of the hospital before poofing the both of them to Robin's house.

In Robin's house everyone is asleep, but it's not a natural sleep. It's a sleep caused by magic. All the kids are lying on the floor or on the table, as if they just fell down. A scream comes from upstairs, from a room locked with magic.

Regina startles. "Stay here." she instructs Snow White before running upstairs and knocking heavingly on the door. "What's going on?" she shouts through the door.

No answer comes, only small begging whispers which tell a person to stop.

"Emma? Emma, is that you?" A fireball appears in Regina's hand which she releases immediately at the door. It bursts open.

Emma and Leopold are together in the room. Emma doesn't look at her mother, she isn't in this world anymore. Leopold lies on top of her small naked body. Emma's legs are tied up to the side of the bed, so they stay open for Leopold. Her hands are bound together. Leopold grins when he sees Regina come in. "You're too late, dear," he grins.

Regina shoots another fireball at Leopold. Darkness appears into her eyes. The Queen takes over just as fast. "Get off of her!" She pins him against the wall.

Leopold only grins and winks at her.

With a wave of her hand Regina makes sure Emma gets untied from the bed. She runs over to her and strokes her face. "Emma? Emma, mommy is right here." she whispers.

"Help, stop, no, please, stop, just stop," she mumbles barely hearable. She doesn't move at all.

"Emma, sweetheart, it's me." Regina whispers again. "Please look at me."

Emma turns her head towards her mother, she breathes very fast. There's panic in her eyes. So much panic...

"I'm here, baby. Mommy is right here." Regina whispers.

Emma grabs her mothers wrist, just to hold something. She is not herself, she is not here.

Regina softly strokes Emma's hand. She gives her daughter all the time she needs to come back.

Emma can't get her breathing under control, but between her short breathes she manages to whisper something to her mother. "Mom?"

"I'm here, baby girl." Regina whispers. She puts a blanket over her youngest daughter's body.

The blanket makes Emma relax a bit. She pulls it up to her chin and looks at her mother with eyes still filled with fear.

"He won't hurt you ever again. I promise." Regina now looks at Leopold who is still pinned against the wall. Her eyes grow dark with no spark of light in it. She squeezes her hand so she starts to suffocate him. "You." Her voice sounds low, dangerously low.

Leopold gasps for air, but it doesn't make the satisfying grin on his face disappear.

Regina shokes him harder. "You're done hurting me. Hurting Emma."

"That depends on you," Leopold gets out.

"You don't think I won't kill you, do you?"

"I doubt it."

"Too bad." Regina whispers. She shokes him harder and harder.

Leopold's magic fails and he can't fight Regina's magic by hand so he lets her choke him, making sure his grin doesn't fade from his face.

At the last moment Regina releases him. "You don't think it would be that easy, did you?" Regina laughs.

Leopold laughs while he catches his breath, so he sounds like a screaming animal... He grabs his knife.

Regina immediately let's it fly out of his hand and into hers. "No no. You are not killing yourself." She smiles again.

"You're smarter than I thought," Leopold grins. "Shame I have my magic back." He starts to choke Emma from where he is sitting, knowing she is to weak to fight back.

"Stop it!" Regina shouts out. She pins him back to the wall, tieing his hands as well.

Leopold only laughs. 

Emma coughs and curls herself up. She stretches out her arm to grab one of Leopold's knifes that lays on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Emma?" Regina asks softly.

Emma looks at the blade, which is already covered with her blood. A bit more won't hurt anyone, and even better she can't hurt anyone and she can't be hurt by anyone ever again...

Regina sees what Emma wants to do. She lets the knife fling out of Emma's hand and into Leopolds stomach. She smiles.

Emma startles and hides herself under her blanket. Her whole body is shaking.   
Leopold almost collapses because of Regina's sudden move. He tries to get the knife out of his stomach, but his hands are tied up...

"Do you want to try as well, Emma?"Regina asks softly.

Emma stretches out her arm, so her mother can give her the knife, but she doesn't have the intention to hurt Leopold. She just wants to kill herself.

"Towards Leopold, sweetheart. Don't use it on yourself. It's not worth it."

Emma doesn't listen and Leopold starts to laugh.

Regina uses her magic again to throw the knife in Emma's hand towards Leopold. Right above his crotch.

Leopold tries not to react, but fails...

Regina laughs. Her laugh sounds too familiar. It reminds her of her old days. Her old ways.

Leopold never heard this kind of laugh before, it frightens him. He moans of pain.

"Have you ever actually met The Evil Queen?" she asks Leopold.

"I was always more powerful than that Evil Queen of yours," Leopold grins.

"Were you? Maybe. Maybe not. Today you're not." Regina twists the knife above his crotch.

Leopold holds in a scream. "Such a good example for your little girl," he snaps. The pain is unbearable.

"Killing the man who hurt my daughter isn't a good example, but letting you live neither. Regina looks at Emma." Emma, sweetie? "

Emma turns around to look at her mother.

"Let's finish him." Regina whispers.

Emma's body starts to shake as if she is very very cold. She turns away from her mom and stands up from the bed, the blanket around her body.

Regina takes her daughter into her arms. "What do you want to do, Emma? I'll listen to you." Regina whispers.

Emma frees herself from her mother's grip and walks to the window. She starts to climb out of it.

"Emma, no!" Regina shouts out. She takes Emma's hand and pulls her back. "What are you doing?"

Emma doesn't speak and looks at her mother with an angry face. She tries to free her hand from her mother's grip.

"No, Emma. This is not the way." She gives Emma a knife in her hand. "Stab him. Go on. He deserves it."

Emma's eyes grow bigger from fear and she pulls harder.

"Go on." Regina whispers.

Emma shakes her hand. She frees her hand and claims out of the window very fast. She wants to jump, but she needs to climb higher first.

Regina gets her back inside with magic. "Emma!" she shouts. "Stop it!"

Emma's eyes are filled with rage now and she just tries it again

"Stop!"

Emma doesn't stop.

Regina poofs Robin into the room. He's awake, in the meantime. "Can you please hold Emma?" Regina turns towards Leopold with the knife in her hand.

"What are you doing Regina?" Robin asks, "what happened?" He holds Emma very tightly. She fights back, but can't free herself.

"He needs to die. Emma wants to keep killing herself. It has to stop!"

Robin nods. He is not stopping her this time. "If you're going to kill him, I'll take Emma to another room," he says to Regina, "she shouldn't see it."

"Emma should make that choice."

"No," Robin says, "that you do this is your choice, but we can't let it trigger Emma." He knows exactly how this works...

Regina nodds. "Keep her with you." she whispers. She conjures a magical bracelet into her hands and puts it around Emma's wrist. "It's judt to keep you safe, sweetheart." she whispers. When Robin and Emma left the room, Regina turns around to Leopold. Her eyes are black now.

Emma is furious, but Robin is too strong...

Leopold grins at her.

Regina twists the knife above his crotch again and pushes it deeper into his body.

This time Leopold can't help but grown. He bites his tongue. "You turned into me," he gets out. "you see the pleasure in hurting now?"

"In hurting you? I do. I certainly do." Regina smiles, putting a third knife into one of his hands.

Leopold lets out a low scream. He looks at her, making sure his satisfied looks doesn't disappear. He doesn't regret a thing.

"Maybe I don't kill you just yet. Maybe I want to keep you for a while. As my toy. To torture you. Like you tortured us." The Evil Queen is back.

"I'm looking forward to it," Leopold says, acting as if he isn't in pain.

"Are you?" Another knife disappears into his second hand.

He clings his teeth together.

"Do you like that?" Regina whispers, standing close in front of him, her warm breath on his face.

"Moa, not really," he says, trying to sound unbothered.

"You can pretend all you like." Regina whispers. "But I know you like it when I do this." She pulls out the knife above his crotch and stabs it again, right underneath that wound.

"You look adorable when you do it," he grins.

"Do I?" Regina smiles. She wants to break him, just like he broke her and Emma.

"You really do," Leopold says.

"I'm glad you like it." Regina starts to kiss him.

He grins and kisses her back.

While kissing him, Regina turns the knife right above his crotch.

He clings his teeth together again, but keeps kissing her like nothing happened.

Regina smiles against his lips. "That hurts, doesn't it? You can deny all you want, but I feel it hurts you."

"It hurts me, yes," Leopold admits, "but I like it too, I like to see you like this."

Regina smiles again. She lets him go from the wall, but she keeps the knifes in his body.

Leopold can't really stand, but he tries to.

Regina laughs.

Leopold winks. "It nice to see, right," he says, "I did this a thousand times with you."

Regina poofs Leopold away. She doesn't want to hear him talk. She poofs him to her own Castle in this Enchanted Forest. Into one of the dungeons.

"Wauw," Leopold grins.

Regina pins him again against the wall. "You will be staying here." she whispers. "I'll be back. I do hope you won't starve until then, because no one is coming to give you food or even water." She poofs away, back to Robin's house. Everyone is waking up slowly by now.

Regina immediately gets overloaded with questions. Snow is under the curse too and isn't awake yet.

"Everything is alright." she whispers. "I promise."

"Who was that man?"

"He was a really bad, bad man. But he's not a problem anymore. You're all safe."

"Emma didn't look okay," Julie says. "She protected us from him."

"She did?" Regina asks softly. "What exactly happened before I came here with Snow?"

"That man wanted to hurt us," Julie says, "he had magic... but Emma told him he could... have her if he didn't hurt us. I didn't understand...".

"Emma really protected you. She gave everything she has in order to protect you." Regina whispers. She looks at Emma who is almost asleep in Robin's arms right now. She walks over to her and takes her over from Robin. She softly strokes her hair. "Mommy is right here, sweetie." she whispers in her ear.

Emma startles and pushes herself away. She falls on the ground.

Regina startles but picks her up just as quickly. "I'm with you, sweetie. It's alright. Everyone is here for you. You protected everyone. Why did you do that? You didn't have to, but you did."

Emma can't find the words and tries to get away again.

"No, Emma. You're not running away from this. There is nothing to run away from. Everyone in this room likes you. I promise. You gave everything you have, and more, to protect everyone." Regina whispers, holding Emma into her arms, not letting her get away.

Emma tries harder to get away. She doesn't care about anything, she doesn't care about her life.

"Emma, please. Please, look at me." Regina softly asks. She waits until Emma looks up at her. She looks at her daughter with love in her eyes. Nothing but love. It shines through the darkness that has settled in her own eyes after her 'session' with Leopold. It's the only thing, her love for Emma, that makes the darkness go away, even for just a little bit.

Emma closes her eyes. She can't she it, she really can't see it. No.

"Please, Emma." Regina softly cries now. "Please. I love you. I love you so much. Please, come back to me."

Emma curls up and doesn't react... at all.

"Please." Regina keeps mumbling, holding Emma against her chest, softly crying.

Emma is just nowhere. She wants to stop with everything. She doesn't care about anything.

Regina looks up at Juli, desperation in her eyes now.

"Just let her for a while," she says softly. "Give her your love, but also give her time.

Regina nodds. She feels exhausted herself, but tries to stay upright and hold Emma.

"Regina, it's okay to let her rest for a while," Juli says. "maybe keep a little distance and take some rest yourself too."

"I'm not tired." Regina mumbles.

"Don't lie," Juli says. "Rest doesn't mean you give up on her. It means you're strengthening yourself up to give her the best care you can give her."

Regina nodds. "Do you want to stay with her?" she softly asks Robin.

"I'll watch over her," Juli says before he can answer. She knows Robin will never say no, but she also knows he can use some rest. And besides that, maybe Regina needs him right now.

Regina just nodds. She slowly gets up, making sure Juli has Emma before releasing her. She looks at the other kids. "It's time to go to bed. It's already far too late for you all to be up."

"We're not tired," the kids sigh...

"I know, but you will be tomorrow if you don't go to sleep now."

The kids decide not to argue. They would love some attention, but realize that it's not the right moment for that.

"Tomorrow we'll have a nice day, alright?" Regina whispers softly.

"We always have nice days with you," a girl says. They all go to the bedrooms. The places where they sleep are very tall because Robin's house isn't really one for so many people.

Regina softly smiles. She collapses on the couch in Robin's living room when all the kids are upstairs.

Robin stays with her and lies down next to her.

Regina turns towards him. "I want to torture him. Now." she whispers.

"Now is not the time," Robin says, "you tortured him already."

"Not enough. Please."

"Finish it tomorrow," Robin says, "you've done enough for today." He already saw the darkness and he doesn't want her to slip away.

"Please. Robin.. Just... Please." Regina begs now.

"Do it for me," Robin says, "not now."

Regina slowly nodds. She leans her head against his chest.

Robin lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he whispers. He strokes her hair and waits for her to fall asleep, knowing he won't sleep until she does.

After a long, long time, when it's almost morning, Regina falls asleep. It required a lot for her not to poof to Leopold to torture him.

Robin makes sure she is comfortable and when he falls asleep he does too. Snow wakes up very early, still from the spell, and makes sure the kids stay in the kitchen, so Robin and Regina can stay asleep. Juli and Emma are still upstairs.

Regina sleeps until after lunchtime. She startles awake, actually. "Leopold." she whispers. She feels the urge to torture him, to kill him, to smell his blood.

She wakes up Robin. Robin closes his eyes again for a moment. "Are you sure?' he asks.

"Leopold." Regina whispers again. Her hands tremble and she looks pale. She breaths superficially.

"Regina, can you explain to me what you want," Robin says, hoping to understand her a little and maybe even make her look at him.

Regina makes herself small and looks down. "Emma. Leopold and Emma." she mumbles. Darkness appears in her eyes again.

Robin lays his hand under Regina's chin and makes her look at him. "Emma and Leopold?"

"He hurt her. So much." she whispers.

"Yeah," Robin whispers, "yeah he did..." He remembers holding her away from killing herself. "And now you want to... kill him, don't you?"

"Torture him." Regina whispers, darkness in her eyes again.

"The same thing he did to you and Emma, I get it," Robin says, "but can you do me a favor?"

Regina looks at him with questions in her eyes.

"Make it quick, okay?' He says, "I know he deserves to be tortured, but this is not about him, this is about you. I can see the darkness already, so the quicker you do this the better." He looks Regina in her eyes with a serious face.

"He doesn't deserve quick." Regina mumbles, looking away now.

"I know. You're right," Robin says, "but the quicker you do it, the more chance you have that the darkness won't take over."

"Why can't it take over?" Regina asks softly.

"How can we take care of the children? Or Emma, how will we get her back if you're gone?"

"You can manage without me." Regina whispers. "Emma doesn't want to come back. It's exhausting. And that makes The Queen even more want to come out to play."

"It looks like you're giving up..." Robin says. He takes a deep breath, "are you?"

"No."Regina whispers, while looking down.

"Then please just kill him and save yourself," Robin says.

"He. Doesn't. Deserve. Quick."

"That doesn't mean 'Quick' isn't the best option."

Regina's eyes grow dark again. She startles when a little girl, one of the kids from the orphanage, pulls at her sleeve.

The little girl smiles, just happy to see Regina.

Regina slowly smiles back, the darkness in her eyes not gone immediately.

"You're having breakfast with us?" The girl smiles. Snow made breakfast with the kids.

"I'm not hungry." Regina mumbles, looking at Robin for help. But he wants her to eat. The Queen forgot that.

"But you can just join without eating," the girl says. Robin nods at her.

"I... I'll try." Regina feels The Evil Queen getting angry inside of her, but she doesn't want to yell at the little girl. She follows her to the breakfast table.

Robin follows them. He lets Regina sit between the kids, who are very happy to see her.

Regina's eyes shoot daggers to Robin. He knows she wants to go, go torture Leopold, but now he makes her sit between the kids... She can't get angry right now.

Robin shrugs and smiles. The kids start to tell her all kind of stories, things that happened and just jokes and nice things.

Regina focuses on the empty plate in front of her.

"Do you still want us?" a girl then asks. The whole room falls silent. They all asked themselves this question, but nobody had dared to ask it.

Regina startles. "What.. What?"

"Do you still want us as your... children?" she whispers, "because now... you have your own family back."

"You are both my family." Regina answers. There is no hesitation in her voice.

"But we understand it if you like your real family better," a boy now says.

"I wouldn't understand myself if I would do that." Regina answers now. "I loved you like you were my own children and I... I still do. If you all still want to have me." She looks down now.

"We want you more than anything," a girl says. "You're the only one we have and we love you." "yes," a boy adds, "and we miss you...".

"I'm right here." Regina whispers. But she doesn't believe her own words. "I want to come back. But he... He..." She looks at Robin, panic in her eyes now.

Robin takes a deep breath, letting her know to do the same.   
"You look so sad all the time," Julie says.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers. Tears appear in her eyes.

"Why are you so sad?" a boy asks.

"I... I don't know.. What to do." Regina answers, looking at Robin.

"Ow," the boy says, "I'm sorry." The kids keep silent now, look at their plates and eat their breakfast without saying another word.

Regina doesn't know how to handle this. She starts to retreat in her mind, to a safe place.

Robin tells the kids that they'll see Regina later. He takes Regina to the living room. "What are you doing?" he softly asks.

Regina doesn't react.

Robin sighs, "can you look at me?"

Slowly, very slowly, Regina looks up at him.

Robin smiles, but doesn't speak.

"He. Leopold." Regina whispers.

"Let's sit down," Robin says.

Regina sits down, very slowly.

"Now take a deep breath and try to make clear what you want," Robin says

"I want him dead." Regina mumbles without hesitation.

"Right, and how are you planning to do that, because I assume you want to do it yourself."

"Slow and painful." The Queen inside of Regina smiles.

"And what will happen to you when you do it?"

"I. Don't. Care."

"Well I do, so answer that question for me then."

"Dark. It will be dark."

"And you think that's worth it?"

Regina just shrugs.

"Do you think it's worth it?" Robin asks again.

Regina looks away.

Robin doesn't stop looking at her.

"Why can't I just kill him and, be over with it?" Regina asks very softly.

"I'm not stopping you," Robin says, "I'm only trying to make you figure out what's important to you."

"I'm tired."

"The couch is all yours," he says. "Take some rest."

"The kids need me."

"I won't deny that they do," Robin says.

"How is Emma?"

"I don't know, I've been with you all the time."

"Can you please go and find out? I'll... I'll stay here. I promise."

Robin stands up and walks to the room. Emma is still with Juli and when Juli gives him a nod, he knows Emma is in good hands. He goes back to Regina.

Regina is fidgeting with her hands but she manages to stay seated on the couch. She looks at Robin when he walks back into the living room.

"She is still with Juli," Robin says. "I didn't want to interrupt, but it looked okay."

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. "I... I think I need to lay down for a minute. Maybe close my eyes a little bit. Is... Is that alright?"

"Of course," Robin says, "I'll watch over you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Regina sighs and falls asleep quickly. When she wakes up, the darkness is completely gone out of her eyes.

Robin smiles at her. He is relieved he doesn't see the darkness anymore. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Better." Regina whispers.

"I'm glad," Robin says.

"You are?"

"I'm super glad," he says, "come here." He smiles and reaches out his arms for her.

Regina runs into his arms and clings onto him. "Don't let me go." she whispers.

"I will never let you go," Robin says holding her tight. He is happy to have her in his arms again. It has been a long time.

Regina sighs with relief. She doesn't want to revert back to the darkness but sometimes the pull is so big... So tempting..

Robin softly kisses her on her forehead. "I know you will always come back to me," he whispers.

"I will. I'll always try." Regina whispers back.

"I know you will." Robin closes his eyes and softly strokes Regina's back.

Regina strokes his chest, slowly and carefully.

Robin smiles and he lays his hand on hers. "I love you, you know that right?"

Regina nodds. "I do." She looks him deep into his eyes. "I love you as well."

Robin softy kisses her on her lips.

Regina kisses him back.

Robin deepens the kiss, but stays careful.

Regina allows him.

Robin smiles against her lips.

Regina smiles as well. Her heart races in her chest but she doesn't know if it's from excitement or something else.

Robin softy lays his hand on her chest. He feels her heart beating very fast and he looks at her.

Regina looks back up at him. There is no fear in her eyes.

Robins smile now becomes a little laugh. "Alright," he whispers and he kisses her again.

Regina leads his hand to the buttons on her shirt.

Robin slowly unbuttons her shirt and lets it slide off her shoulders.

Regina looks at him.

Robin just strokes her skin and smiles at her.

"No... No more. I don't want to get scared." Regina whispers. "This I like."

"Okay," Robin whispers and he just takes her close to his body.

Regina smiles.

"Snow and James took the kids," Robin says with a smile, "I think they'll have a good day with them. The boys got all exited, I could hear them from this room."

"That's sweet of them. Juli is still with Emma, right?"

"Yeah, she is," Robin says, "she wanted me to say Emma is doing better."

"She... She is?"

"Juli told me so, when she came downstairs to get some food and tea for the both of them,"Robin says, "I didn't want to wake you up."

"Thank you." Regina whispers.

"You're welcome," he winks.

Regina giggles. "I'll kill him. Now. Quick. Before the darkness can take over." she whispers.

"Are you sure?" Robin says. "Take me with you, okay? And... Keep that smile."

Regina nodds. She poofs the both of them to the dungeons on her Castle.

Leopold is still lying in one of the cells, more dead than alive. He lost a lot of blood and he already has an infection because of the dirty atmosphere in the dungeons. He wasn't able to use his magic because his hands are still tied up.

Regina laughs. An evil one. She can't help it.

Robin holds her hand all the time. "Make it quick," he whispers.

Regina lifts up Leopold with one flick of her hand. She smiles. "Any last words?" Her voice sounds dangerously low.

"Tell yourself I don't regret a thing," Leopold shrugs, "and tell Eva I love her. Go ahead."

Regina starts to squeeze his throat. "He doesn't deserve quick." she whispers softly.

Robin pulls Regina back. "You promised," he whispers.

Regina startles but manages to keep Leopold pinned up in the sky, taking his breath away now. "I... I trying." she whispers back. One look at Robin gives her the stimulation she needs. She twists her hand and kills Leopold. She sinks down on her knees. Darkness takes over her eyes.

Robin takes a very deep breath. He didn't realize he hold his breath all this time. He wraps his arms around Regina and holds her hands.

The Queen looks up at him. "You didn't give Regina her revenge." she mumbles, voice low and creepy.

"Regina doesn't want revenge, you do," he says to the Queen.

"Regina does too. After what he did to Emma." The Queen laughs. "I'll make sure she gets her revenge. One way or another."

"He is dead," Robin says, "the only thing you can do now is get over it and let your revenge go. There's nothing you can do anymore."

The Queen laughs. "You keep telling yourself. Maybe one day you'll believe your own lies. But the second you don't expect her to, Regina will snap. She will torture someone. I'll make sure of that." The Evil Queen disappears with a long and loud laugh.

"Damn, Regina..." Robin mumbles. He sighs and walks out of the dungeons.

The Queen has poofed herself, or better Regina, to Robin's house. When Robin enters she lays asleep on the couch.

Robin smiles. He really didn't expect this, but it makes him very happy. He stays with her, softly stroking her hair out of her face.

Regina smiles in her sleep. She wakes up slowly.

Robin looks at her with a bright smile. "I'm so proud of you," he whispers.

"You are? Why is that?" Regina asks softly.

"Because you're here," he says, "because you're here as Regina."

"For now she is." The Queen snaps suddenly.

Robin doesn't stop smiling. He takes her hand in his and squeezes it a little, "I'm glad she is for now," he pretends not to see that the Queen is there.

Regina snaps back. "I'm sorry. I... I fell asleep. Didn't I?" She looks unsure.

"I think you did," Robin says.

Regina nodds. She leans her head against his shoulder. "I killed him. Quick. Like I promised." she whispers.

"Yes, you kept your promise," Robin says, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm very glad you did."

"And she... She didn't come out to play?"

Robin shakes his head, "She didn't."

Regina nodds. She trusts Robin.

"How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted. But fine. I'm fine." Regina smiles now. "Where is Emma?"

"She is asleep," Robin says. "Juli is watching over her."

Regina nodds. "Is she back? Or does the darkness still have her?"

"I don't know," Robin says honestly

Regina nodds again. "Let's go see if she's still asleep, alright?" She walks over to the room where Emma is sleeping. She slowly and carefully walks inside.

Emma lies in the big bed, holding Juli's hand. She is sleeping. Juli smiles when she sees Regina come in. "Hey," she whispers.

"How is she?" Regina whispers.

"She is okay," Juli whispers. She offers Regina the chair next to her.

Regina sits down next to Juli. The Queen keeps her distance because she knows this woman is dangerous. She can see through Regina like only Robin and Emma can.

"How are you?" Juli asks.

"I'm fine." Regina whispers.

Juli decides not to ask further. Emma lies on her stomach, still holding Juli's hand quite tightly.

Regina grows jealous. It should be her who is holding Emma. Not this... Woman next to her. Darkness appears a bit in her eyes. She looks down and hopes nobody saw that.

Juli did see the darkness, but decides to let it go. "You can take over if you want," she whispers, seeing what this is all about.

"No. She chooses you, doesn't she?" The Queen snaps.

"She doesn't," Juli says, "I was just the only one around."

"What did you just say?"

"I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry," Juli says. She means it.

Regina turns away, hurt.

"Can you forgive me, I really didn't mean it like that," Juli says, "please."

"I can. But she can't." Regina mumbles.

"What do you mean?" Juli says, "you think Emma can't forgive you?"

"No." Regina looks at Robin. Does he understand what she tries to say?

"No sorry I get it," Juli says, "I'm just very tired." She really is very tired and that makes her get things slower... "so she is... back?"

Regina just shrugs.

Juli nods. She gets it now.

Regina doesn't dare to pick up Emma's hand. She's too scared to wake her up.

Juli thinks differently and takes Regina's hands in hers. She leads it to Emma's and gently switches. Emma moans a little, but then squeezes her mother's hand a little, still sleeping. Juli smiles.

Regina looks down but keeps holding her daughter's hand.

Juli strokes Regina's back, "she loves you," she whispers. She stands up and gets the notebook that's lying on the nightstand.

"She... She does?" Regina asks softly.

"She won't talk so we wrote," Juli says and she opens the book. there are a lot of lines, but one clearly says: 'will you tell my mom I love her?'

"She... Loves me?"

"Never doubt that," Juli says. "She is your girl."

Regina smiles, just a little bit.

Juli smiles too, just fully.

Regina turns into herself now. She looks at Emma, who is still asleep, and waits for her to wake up.

After a long time Emma opens her eyes and stares at her mother. A small smile forms around her lips.

Regina smiles back, slowly. She doesn't dare to disturb the silence.

Emma curls herself up under her blanket, but keeps looking.

Regina keeps smiling. "I love you." she whispers.

Emma smiles brighter, "I love you too," she forms with her lips.

Regina smiles. "Did you have a good sleep?"

Emma nods softly.

Regina smiles again. "Do you want to eat something? Are you hungry?"

Emma shrugs and grabs the notebook from the nightstand and draws a little apple. Under it she writes: 'you too?'

Regina smiles and nodds. "Yes, I shall eat one too." She giggles. She asks Robin if he wants to bring them both an apple to eat.

Robin comes back very quickly with two big apples. He hands them over and leaves the room. Juli goes with him to give Emma and Regina some time alone. "Call if you need something," they say.

Regina nodds and starts to eat her apple. She moans because it's really good and juicy.

Emma giggles and takes a bite too. 'from your tree?' she writes down.

"Of course, sweetheart." Regina smiles. "Those are the best." She winks.

Emma eats all of it and a satisfied smile appears around her lips. She lies back down and stares at the ceiling.

"Do you want to talk?" Regina asks softly.

Emma shrugs. She doesn't feel like using her voice. She never wants to speak ever again... But she takes her notebook and starts to write. -Does it get better?- he writes

"Does what get better?" Regina asks softly.

-The pain-

Regina nodds. "It does."

Emma relaxes a bit. -and the fear too?- she writes.

Regina nodds again. "Yes."

Emma stretches out her arm, she wants the bracelet off her. She doesn't believe her mother for a second and wants to be able to kill herself whenever she wants to.

Regina shakes her head. "No, Emma. Not until you're stable again."

Emma turns away and hides herself under her blanket.

Regina sighs softly. She tries her best but she doesn't what what else she can do.

Emma just keeps lying with her back to her mother. She cries softly.

"I'm sorry, baby girl." Regina whispers. "I won't do this if I didn't love you."

Emma turns towards her mother again, she knows her mother speaks the truth. -I'm making you tired, don't I?- she writes.

Regina smiles now. "You'll never make me tired, sweetheart. I'm your mother and I'm here for you for as long as you want me."

Emma smiles a little and closes her eyes. She wants to sleep. Being heartless makes her cold and tired.

"Sleep for a while now. I'll watch over you." Regina's soft voice says.

Emma nods and falls asleep very quickly.

Regina keeps sitting by her side. After a while she falls asleep herself.

When Robin comes in and sees them sleeping, he smiles and decides to take a nap himself too. Now the kids aren't home the whole house is silent.

Regina sleeps until someone wakes her up.

Emma shakes her mother's shoulder and points at the window.

Regina looks up.

Emma smiles as her mother looks up at the rainbow outside. -you know what that means?- Emma writes, looking at her mom.

"What does it mean?" Regina asks with a smile on her face.

-It means they're very close to Henry- Emma writes and then she adds, -I had signs built into my curse to know if you all got too close together... It's a left over from the curse-

"They? Who are they? Are they looking for Henry?" Regina smiles brightly. "You are a little genius."

-Snow, James and your kids- she writes. Then she smiles brightly and leans against her mother.

Regina takes Emma in her arms. "That involves you as well. You know that, right?"

Emma shrugs and doesn't feel like writing. She drops her notebook. She then wraps her arms around her mother and bursts out in tears, she can't keep it in any longer.

Regina strokes Emma's hair. She doesn't speak, she just lets her feel her love.

Emma cries for a long time. She sees Leopold as she closes her eyes, but she doesn't open them.

"Leopold is gone." Regina whispers.

Emma shakes in her mother's arms. She nods.

"You don't have to worry about him any longer." Regina whispers now.

Emma nods again, trying to make herself believe it too.

"I promise. You're safe now."

Emma squeezes her mother's arm to make her hands stop shaking.

"It's alright, baby girl. Mommy is right here." Regina keeps soothing Emma, keeps stroking her hair.

Emma lets her dress slip off her shoulders and shows her mother the wounds Leopold made with his knife. She wasn't able to heal them.

"Can I heal them?" Regina asks softly.

Emma nods.

Regina carefully heals Emma's wounds. She feels her daughter relax under her hands.

Emma takes a deep breath. She never told her mother these scars and wounds were the reason she kept her dress on when they went swimming. It feels good not to be marked anymore... Marks make her afraid.

Regina hugs Emma when she's healed completely.

Emma hugs her mother back, but then sinks to the ground.

"Emma? Are you alright? What's going on?" Regina startles.

Emma doesn't react. She doesn't move and her eyes are closed.

"Emma? Emma?!"

Emma still doesn't react. The wounds Regina just carefully healed start to bleed again. Her blood is dark red, almost black.

"ROBIN! JULI!"

They both wake, because Regina is shouting. They run upstairs.

Regina looks up at them, desperation in her eyes.

"What happened?" Robin asks. Juli kneels down to look at what's happening

"I.. I healed her wounds. Wounds from Leopold and his knife. I... I don't know what's happening." Regina mumbles.

Emma breathes superficially and then her breathing stops. "It looks like she's poisoned... but it has to be magic..." Juli says.

"Emma!" Regina cries out. She starts to heal her daughter, completely. It requires a lot, a lot of energy from herself.

Emma's wounds don’t heal, but start bleeding even harder. Everytime someone will try to heal them it will get worse.

Regina stops healing Emma. "What do I need to do?" she whispers in front of her.

"TINK!" Juli shouts out of the window, hoping the little fairy will come to help them. "We need to stop the bleeding without magic," she says, not knowing what to do.

"I... I don't know... How...".

Juli takes the blanket from the bed and takes the band from her dress to tie it tightly around Emma. Emma isn't breathing anymore and her body is not functioning anymore.

Regina starts to back away. She can't see this, can't handle this.

"Come on," Juli whispers and she does everything she can. Tink comes in and looks at the girl on the ground. "What happened?" she asks, sitting down on Juli's shoulder. Robin goes to Regina and wraps his arms around her.

"If she dies..." Regina mumbles.

"Don't think about that," Robin whispers.

Regina looks over her shoulder to Emma.

Tink and Juli are talking and then Tink picks a hair and flies away.

"What is she doing?"

"Getting her heart," Juli says. She takes a deep breath. Her heart is racing in her chest.

"She knows where it is?"

"She doesn't," Juli says, "but it's the only thing we can do..." She looks at Emma, who doesn't seem alive.

Regina backs away even further now.

"I'm sorry," Juli whispers. She sees that the bleeding won't stop. This is powerful magic... there's no stopping it.

Regina starts to cry.

Robin takes her close and makes sure she can't look at Emma.

"I... I can't." Regina whispers. Her eyes start to grow dark.

Robin just holds her close, but he knows he can't protect her.

"She calls me." Regina whispers.

"Don't let her," Robin whispers.   
Tink flies through the window, a glowing red heart in her tiny arms.

"Fiona." Regina whispers.

"Fiona?" Robin whispers.

"She's not dead." Regina whispers.

"What?" Robin whispers.

"She's not dead!" Regina snaps.

Juli looks at Regina now too.

"Help her." Regina whispers. She tries her best to stay with Robin, to stay with Emma. Her daughter needs her right now.

Then a loud laugh sounds through the room. Tink grows and turns into a black fairy, the black fairy... "This will make it all a lot quicker," she laughs very hard and pushes Emma's heart back in her chest. And... Emma dies.

"NO!" Regina screams out. She sinks to the floor.

Juli startles very much and isn't able to function for a moment. Robin closes his eyes and keeps holding Regina.

"Let go of me." Regina whispers, not looking up.

Robin startles and lets her go.

Regina looks up at Fiona. "Why?" she whispers.

"That girl was the one who started. She killed me," Fiona states with a grin.

"How are you alive?"

"I got some help," she makes the real Tink appear in her hand. She clearly forced her. "Tink," Juli gets out.

Regina slowly makes her way to Emma on the ground. She takes her in her arms. "I'll get you back, sweetheart. I promise." she whispers, tears running down her face.

"I doubt it," Fiona grins and she poofs away, dropping Tink. She falls in Juli's hands.   
Robin keeps his distance and looks away from Emma's lifeless body.

"Mommy is going to get you back." Regina keeps whispering, not letting go of Emma's body.

Everyone in the room is silent for a long time.

Regina just keeps crying, whispering, holding Emma's body.

Then Snow and the rest come home. She comes into the room and startles.

Regina doesn't look up. She keeps holding Emma's body against her own. She waves her hand over her youngest daughter, to preserve her body. "Mommy is going to get you back. I promise." she whispers.

"Mom what happened?" Snow gets out.

"Fiona." Regina whispers.

"No," Snow whispers. "She is not... Dead, she can't be." She walks towards Regina, tears streaming over her cheeks.

"Don't take her away." Regina mumbles.

"I... I won't," Snow whispers, "is she really...?"

"Yes."

Snow starts to cry and sits down next to Regina.

"I'll get her back. I promise." Regina whispers now.

Snow doesn't hear it. She lost her mind a little. She holds Emma's hand.

"Don't take her away from me." Regina whispers again.

"I won't," Snow says through her tears.

"I need to go to somewhere I can get her back."

"But... How is that possible? You cant bring back the dead...".

"Fiona can't. But I can."

"How?"

"That's my burden to bare. Not yours."

"Please tell me I want to help..." Snow says, her cheeks are wet from the tears. "Please."

"No. This is something I need to do alone. For Emma. For our family." Regina looks up at Snow. "I promise everything will be fine."

"She... She is my daughter too, why do you have to do this alone?"

"Because I love you. It is too dangerous."

"That's why you need help," Snow says, "please mom..."   
Robin comes to them too now.

"What is it?" Regina asks him.

It's clear that Robin cried too, but he got himself back together. "Shall we lay her on the bed?" he says softly.

"Don't take her away from me." Regina repeats for the umpteenth time.

Robin nods, "alright," he whispers. He sits down on the ground with his back against the bed.   
The faces of the children ar visible from after the door.

"They can't see this." Regina whispers.

James is already there, he looks inside and immediately sees it's better for the kids to stay away. He takes them to the living room, but Julie stays, he doesn't get her with him.

Regina keeps stroking Emma's hair and tears keep falling from her face. "Mommy is going to get you back."

When Julie realizes what is happening she slams the door and runs away.

"Someone needs to get her." Regina whispers softly.

Nobody gets up. "I will go," Juli says after a while. She is experienced in hiding her emotions when necessary so she will be able to talk to Julie. Tink goes with her, but before they leave the small green fairy flies to Regina. "I... I'm sorry," she whispers.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Regina whispers to the green fairy.

"She captured me," she says. "And she forced me to make her alive again. I should have been stronger..." She blames herself for everything.

"It's not your fault. Really."

Tink looks down, "thank you," she whispers, not convinced, but she is thankful. She flies to Juli again and they leave to look after Julie.

Regina slowly gets up, holding Emma in her arms. She lays her carefully down on the bed. "I need to go now. The longer I wait, the harder it will be to get her back. To bring her back."

"What are you going to do?" Robin asks.

"I'm going to the Underworld." Regina announces like it's no big deal.

"No," Robin says, "you can't do that...".

"And why is that?"

"It's dangerous," Robin says.

"And your point is?"

"You can get trapped..."

"Again... What's your point? I at least need to try to get Emma back."

Robin sighs. "I'll come with you," he then states.

"No, you aren't. Like you said, we could get trapped. I don't want you or Snow with me if that happens. It should be my burden to bare."

"Regina," Robin says, "you're not going alone, I won't allow you. We love Emma too."

Regina sighs. Darkness starts to appear in her eyes.

Robin only looks at her.

"Fine." Regina snaps. "But just you and Snow. That's all."

Robin lets out a sigh of relief. "Okay," he says and then he hugs her. He just needs her close to him, he just needs to feel her.

Regina lets him hold her for a little while, but then backs away. "We need to go." Everyone startles when a black cloud appears next to Regina.

Fiona stands in front of them. She fakes a grin.

"You." Regina creates a fireball and wants to throw it at The Black Fairy.

Fiona makes the fire disappear. "I'm here to help you," Fiona says.

"Help me? After you killed my daughter? I don't think so." Regina turns around.

"You think I killed your daughter, just to wrong you?" Fiona says, "not really. Time for revenge is over."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I need your help," Fiona says, "and I know you will only help me and accept my help if you get something back for it."

"Emma." Regina whispers. "You'll help me get her back?"

"If you help me."

"With what?"

"Getting my daughter back," Fiona says.

"Your daughter?" Regina asks softly.

"Yeah, my daughter, I lost her many years ago," Fiona says, "I've tried to get her back for so long, but I realized... I'm not strong enough to do it on my own."

Regina laughs. An evil laugh. "No kidding."

Fiona lifts up her chin.

Regina smiles at her. "I can get Emma back on my own. I don't need your help to do it."

"I know you can't, I tried to do it on my own for years," Fiona says. "But... fine, good luck then."

"But then again... I'm stronger than you are." Regina laughs again. "Why don't you come with me, Fiona? I'll show you how it's done."

"I think you're wrong there. In the end it was your daughter who killed me, because you couldn't get it done," Fiona says, "I'm not interested in watching."

"Fine then. Don't come. Lose the one chance you have of saving your daughter." Regina turns around to Robin and Snow. "We're going."

"I don't see the point in watching you fail. Good luck again," Fiona says and she poofs away.

Regina laughs. "I don't fail, dear Fiona." She looks at Snow and Robin again. "Are you ready?"

"What about James?" Snow says. "And Juli and even more important the kids?" Robin adds.

"James and Juli can look after the kids. I only want to take the both of you with me. Too many people is even more dangerous." Regina explains.

"We need to tell them before we go," Robin says.

Regina nodds. "Go tell them then. I'll pack some things we might need."

Robin nods, "You don't want to say goodbye?" he says and he walks to the door.

"No!" Regina snaps. "It would hurt too much if I need to stay down there."

"Fine," Robin snaps back and smashes the door behind him.

Regina startles. This is exactly why she doesn't want anyone to come with her. The darkness is threatening to take over and she doesn't want anyone around when that happens.

In the meantime Snow tells James the plan. He doesn't agree.   
The children are very dissapointed and Juli understands it. Julie and Tink are with her. Robin returns after a long time.

Regina has packed some of her magical items that might come in handy. She looks up at Robin. "I'm ready to say goodbye to Juli, James and the children now."

"I'm impressed," Robin says sarcastically. "Thanks for realizing this now, I just explained it all...".

Regina lifts her head up high and walks downstairs to the kids. "I can't leave without saying goodbye now, can I?"

"I'm glad you realize that as well," Robin says, his tone still sarcastic.

Regina ignores him. She hugs and kisses all of her kids. "You promise me you'll behave with Juli and James, alright?"

"Why are you leaving us?"

"Because I need to try to get Emma back."

The kids nod, but are very sad.

"I will come back." Regina smiles.

"How long?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. I really don't know how time works there."

"But we will miss you, we already miss you." They have been all by themselves the last few days, until Snow took them, but they long for Regina's attention.

"I know, baby, I miss you all as well, so I'll be back as soon as possible. Alright?"

"Will you really miss us?" they say.

Regina lowers to the ground to be at the same height as the little ones. "Of course I will. You are all as much my children as are Snow and Emma. I would do the same for anyone of you."

Now they softly smile. "Take Julie's ribbon so you can think of us," a girl says.

Regina smiles. "I will." She takes over the ribbon Julie hands over to her. She then hugs everyone once again.

"Come back soon," Julie whispers, "with Emma." Her eyes are red from tears and she feels frightened. Juli brought her back.

Regina nodds. "I'll do everything I can to bring everyone back safely." Regina, Snow and Robin walk upstairs to say goodbye to Emma. Regina cries again, holding onto Emma's body for a little while longer.

Robin holds Regina in his arms.  
Snow is devastated and conflicted. James won't let her go...

"Snow, you can stay here with the children if you want to. Please, I would feel much more at ease knowing you are safe."

"I... I-," Snow starts, "she is my daughter." But then she adds, "I should find Henry too. Mom I don't know what to do...".

"I know. You focus on finding Henry and Robin and I will bring back Emma."

"Tell her I love her, will you? And please come back safely," Snow says. She hugs her mother and sees Emma lying there. She starts to cry.


	30. Planning for Paris

"We'll come back safely. I promise. I won't tell her you love her. You tell it yourself when we get back, alright?" Regina smiles and takes Snow in her arms.

Snow can't help but smile and she cries in her mother's arms. "I love you, mom," she whispers.

"I love you too, sweetheart." Regina whispers in Snow's ear. Again a black cloud appears next to them. Regina sighs. "Figured out I need your help to open the portal to The Underworld?"

Fiona grins, "exactly," she says.  
"Because you need this..." Black fairydust appears in her hand. "Unless of course you still want to do this all by yourself, then I'll go again."

Regina sighs again. "You can come with us. But in there, you're on your own. It's a one way trip."

"You will need me there, if you want it or not. Believe me, I know everything about that place, you can't do this on your own."

"If you say so." Regina laughs. "Let's find out."

"You think I'll give you this fairy dust if you talk to me like that?" Fiona says.

"Of course you will. You need me."

"It doesn't matter until you realize you need me," Fiona says, "You're not planning on taking me and my daughter back, you're not going to help me so why should I give it...".

Regina sighs. She then surprises everyone with her next words. "Maybe your daughter is the one you need to get back from the darkness. So we can give it a try."

Fiona looks up at her, almost startled. She tries to find a sign in Regina's face so she can tell if she is lying, but she can't find any. With a little nod she drops the dark fairy dust on the ground and a portal appears.

"Let's go!" Regina takes one last look at her youngest daughter before jumping into the portal.

Snow nods and then leaves the room with James.

Regina, Robin and Fiona appear on the other side of this world. The Underworld.

Fiona gets the dust off her dress. She knows exactly where they are, she has been here many times before.

Regina looks around. "Why does The Underworld look exactly like Storybrooke?"

"Secret lover," Fiona winks.

"Excuse me?"

"You have a secret lover down here who made this place look exactly like the place you love..." she just states.

"Who is that?"

"His name is Hades."

"The God of Death?"

"Exactly."

"Let's find him. He's the one who can get our daughters out of here, isn't he?"

"Problem 1," Fiona just states. "He never comes out. But maybe for you...".

"What do you mean, maybe for me?"

"I just told you he is your secret lover," Fiona sighs.

"What does that mean?" Regina snaps.

"Are you stupid?"

"Apparently!" Regina snaps again, a fireball appearing in her hand.

Fiona sighs, "right," she says and she starts walking.

Regina makes the fire disappear. "Where can we find him, Fiona?"

Fiona turns around. "Just follow me," she says. Her tone is almost kind.

Regina and Robin follow Fiona.

They arrive at the gates of a giant cave. "Hades!" Fiona shouts.

Regina looks around.

"Is she here?" Hades calls from inside the cave.   
"Yes she is," Fiona says, "not that you're not going to get her!"

"Hades? What do you want?" Regina calls throughout the cave.

"Ssttt," Fiona says, "you give him the opportunity to choose what he wants...".

"He can have everything, as long as I get my daughter back. Mine and yours."

"Exactly," Fiona says, "so if you let him choose he will say that you have to stay with him forever... very great idea indeed."

"Not forever. For a while, I don't mind. If it will get me my daughter back, it's worth it."

"Trust me, you don't want that," Fiona says.

"And why is that? It can't be any worse than with Leopold."

"He is worse than Leopold, I have experience, just trust me," Fiona says, "He didn't want me so he let me go, but he does want you and his magic is powerful enough to keep you there forever."

"We'll see about that."

"No we won't," Fiona says, "just let me fix this! I know that man... We can be strong enough together."

"I won't do anything that will put our daughters at risk, Fiona. It's not worth it."

"You think trying to defeat him together is a bigger risk?" Fiona says, frustrated now, "I told you, the moment he has you he will NEVER let you go again. I know that for sure and that... that's putting our daughters at risk."

"What's your plan then?" Regina wants to know.

"You will see when you come out!" Fiona shouts at Hades. She doesn't answer Regina's question.

Regina remains silent and looks at the entrance of the cave to see if Hades comes out or not.

Hades appears next to Fiona, very close to her. He lifts his chin and his eyes are on fire when he sees Regina.

Regina looks up at him. She still remains silent, letting Fiona try her idea.

Fiona's magic is strong enough to keep Hades away from Regina. She now looks Regina into her eyes, signing that she has to pin him up the wall while she keeps his body frozen.

Regina does what she has been told. She pins Hades against the wall. She slowly walks over to him. "How do we get our daughters back?" she asks him, her voice dangerously low.

Fiona takes a deep breath. Hades is speechless. He stares at Regina, knowing she is not the one, but very gorgeous too, just as her sister.

"How do we get them back?!" Regina snaps now, pinning him harder against the wall.

"You fooled me," he snaps towards Fiona.   
"I know," Fiona answers," but if you ever want to find your true girl... you have to help us."

"Now!"

Hades gulps, "what does she look like?" he says to Regina.

Regina takes a picture out of her pocket and shows it to Hades.

"Ah, that girl," Hades says, "Emma." He winks, "I should try the mayor's office, if I were you." He doesn't care if they know where she is, they can't leave, so...

"Once we get her... Where is Fiona's daughter?" Regina wants to know.

"The one with the scar shaped like a star?" he says, "guess she is with her."  
Fiona's eyes light up. She can't believe she will see her daughter again and that is was this easy.

"What do we need to do to leave?"

"You can't leave," Hades states.

"Why not?"

"I don't want dead people to escape my land," Hades says.

"I don't care. I don't want my daughter to be here."

"Too bad..." Hades grins.

"Tell us how!"

"No."

"TELL US!" Regina shouts now. She pins him even harder against the wall.

"This is MY land with MY rules," Hades says. "I won't make an exception for you."

"What will it take for you to do exactly that?"

Hades grins, "ask Fiona," he says, "she tried everything, she knows the answer."

Regina looks at Fiona. "Well?"

"Nothing," Fiona says, "we can do nothing to convince him..." She looks down.

"Nothing?" Regina asks softly.

"I tried it all and nothing can let him make an exception..." she sighs.

"Everyone wants something. What do you want?" Regina asks Hades now.

"Your sister, Zelena." he states. Fiona looks at him, after everything she has done for him he just gives Regina the answer right away...?

"Zelena ?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Hades says.

"Why Zelena?"

"Does that matter?"

"She's my sister."

"I know that," Hades says.

"I can't give you her. We don't have a great relationship, Hades. She won't listen to me."

"Then that's too bad for you," he says, "because that's the only way out of this place with your two little babies."

"I'll make sure I'll get her for you." Regina whispers.

"Great," Hades says, "don't forget she needs to stay with me forever."

"I don't care what she needs to do. I just want my daughter back."

"You have to make her stay with me forever, that's part of the deal," Hades says, "do we have a deal?"

"What will happen if I don't make it happen?"

"I'll think of something," Hades says, "maybe I'll let you stay with me instead...".

"Deal." Regina answers immediately. As long as her little girl is safe in the world of the living. Nothing else matters.

"What?" Fiona says. She realises Robin is no longer there. She knew that would happen.

"I. Said. Deal." Regina looks around. "Where is Robin?"

Fiona looks away. "Let's find our daughters."

"Where is Robin?"

"Back home," she says.

"Home? What do you mean? Did Hades send him back to the land of the living?"

"Only people with magic abilities are able to stay here."

Regina sighs. "You could have mentioned that before we came here." she snaps.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come, and besides that he wouldn't have let you go with me alone, so... You could also just thank me."

Regina turns her back towards Fiona and faces Hades again. "We get our daughters and we can leave, right? I promised I will get Zelena for you."

"Zelena first, milady," Hades says with a wink. 

Fiona almost can't wait to see her daughter again. Hades never told her where she was and all her attempts to look for her failed. She really wants to go and see her right now.

"How do you suppose I can get Zelena here if I can't leave?" Regina snaps.

"You can leave, and so can Fiona," Hades says, "you two are alive and I always say... The less living people in my world the better."

"We're not leaving without our daughters!" Regina snaps again.

"Then again: too bad."

"Too bad for you as well. You're not getting Zelena this way."

"I lived without her for many years, I'll be fine a few more. One day I'll find her."

Regina starts to choke him now. "Where are our daughters?"

Hades rolls with his eyes. "Mayor's office," he then just gets out, "I already told you that."

"Both of them?"

"How can I know if I'm not there," Hades jokes.

Regina lets him go. She poofs Fiona and herself to the Mayor's Office in The Underworld. "Emma? Emma, are you here?" she shouts out.

A pair off eyes carefully look around the corner. Emma looks at her mom.

"Emma? Emma, sweetheart, are you here?"

Emma takes one step to the right so she stands in the doorway. Her appearance is ghostlike.

Fiona looks away and stares out of the window, it hurts to see mother and daughter so happy. She wants her own kid.

"Emma!" Regina shouts out. She runs to her daughter and wants to hug her.

Regina's arms go right through Emma's body and Emma backs away.

"No." Regina whispers. "This isn't supposed to happen. Why is she like this?" Regina asks Fiona.

Fiona turns around, quickly wiping away her tears. "I don't know," she says, "I really don't."

"Emma? Can you hear me?"

Emma nods.

"Can you talk to me? Do you know where Fiona's daughter is?"

"Yeah," Emma only says. "I know where she is. Hades got her just a little while ago."

"Hades has her?" Regina turns around to Fiona. "He's toying with us."

Fiona nods. All her hope flows out of her and she has to fight her tears. "Yes," she says, "he will never stop toying with us, with me, I think...".

"Why is that?" Regina wants to know.

"I don't know," Fiona says, "he enjoys it, I don't know what I did to him, but I don't blame him..."

"Of course you should blame him. He doesn't has any right to do this."

"I did the same many years," Fiona says

"Yes, you did. And it's not right, but everyone deserves a second chance. I got one."

"Why?" Fiona says, "why do you give me a chance?"

"Because everyone deserves one."

"Well..." Fiona says, "I don't need one." She turns away, "I'm quite fine on my own...".

"Fine then." Regina snaps. "What's our next move?"

"Well you have what you wanted," Fiona says, "so I guess you just leave." She looks out of the window, tears run over her cheeks, "maybe it's just not meant to be for me."

"No, we are going to find your daughter, make Hades make both of them alive again and leave this world."

"Thanks," Fiona whispers.

"Emma? You stay right here, alright? Mommy is going to get you out of here, I promise. Fiona is going to stay with you. I need to try it alone first." Regina poofs herself back to Hades. "Hades? You can have me, for one day, but then you'll let me, Emma, Fiona and her daughter go. I'll get you Zelena once we get back to Storybrooke. You have my word."

"A week," Hades says, "and what if you won't get her for me? You know I'll find you wherever you are."

"I get a week to find Zelena for you or do you want me to stay a week?"

"Both."

Regina slowly nodds. "But then you let Emma, Fiona and her daughter go back to Storybrooke. And I get to say goodbye for one week."

"Maybe more, I don't know yet," Hades grins.

"But Emma, Fiona and her daughter can leave and I get to say goodbye?"

"Hmm... Maybe," Hades says, "how can I trust you. How can I know you will get Zelena for me?"

"You just have to trust me. But I have a feeling I won't want to return after my week with you, so you can be pretty sure."

"Right," Hades says. "But as long as you stay with me, Fiona's daughter will too."

"Fine. Just take Emma back to the living." Regina poofs Emma and Fiona from the Mayor's office to Hades.

Fiona arrives, but Emma doesn't because she is more ghost than human. Fiona looks at Regina, her eyes full of questions.

"Get Emma here as well." Regina says to Hades.

"A kiss for a girl," he says.

Regina slowly approaches Hades.

Hades smiles at her. Fiona takes Regina's hand and pulls her back a little.

"Let go of me. I know what I'm doing." Regina pulls her hand back and stands in front of Hades now.

Fiona lets her go. She would have done the same...  
Hades keeps standing in front of her, waiting for her to come closer.

Regina closes the small gap between herself and Hades now.

Hades looks down into her eyes.

"You can have all of me, for a week, I promise. Just get Emma here, let me say goodbye and take her and Fiona out of here. Back to the living. Back to Robin and our family. After my week with you, you let me and Fiona's daughter go and I promise I'll get Zelena for you. Do we have a deal? "

"I'll let Fiona's daughter go as soon as I get Zelena," Hades states, "and I'll get your daughter here if you..." he just comes a bit closer.

Regina kisses him.

Hades makes sure Emma appears during the kiss so that she can see them.   
"Mom stop," Emma says, but Hades doesn't let her.

Regina takes a step back when Hades lets go of her. "Emma, you can go back to Robin. I'll join you in a week. I promise. Right, Hades?"

"No I don't want that," Emma says, before Hades can even speak.

"You don't have a choice, Emma. You can't stay dead. You have to come back home."

"I don't want you to do this."

"It's my choice. Let me do this for you. Please. I can't have you dead, Emma."

"I don't want to go back like this," Emma says, "that's my choice. I can stay dead."

"No. No, you can't." Regina looks at Emma. "I want to do this for you. Please, let me do this."

"Mom no... I don't want you to do this for me," Emma says.

"Emma, I'm doing this. Please tell Robin I love him and I'll be seeing you both within a week." Regina looks at Hades.

"I'm staying," Emma says, "I don't want this, I didn't ask for this."

"I know you didn't. But you're going. I'd rather have you being mad at me when we're both back with Robin and the others."

"You want me to hate you then?" Emma says. "Just don't do this!"

"Emma, please." Regina notices Hades patience is running thin. "Please, I love you. I don't mind doing this for you. I promise I'll be safe."

"I don't want this! I would rather be dead!"

"You don't mean that. What's a week when that means I'll have you back? Nothing. This week will be over soon, I promise."

"No."

"Let them go. Please." Regina whispers to Hades.

Hades shakes his head.

"Why not? I thought we had a deal!"  
"Emma, please!" Regina begs now.

"No no no," Emma says.   
Hades walks closer to Regina, "shall I make her leave then?" Hades whispers in her ear.

"Yes. Please, send her back to Robin. Tell her you'll send me back in one week."

"No mom, don't do this to me!" Emma says, but Hades already brought her back to the real world.

Regina looks up to Hades when it's just the both of them now.

"Very well," Hades says, "where do we start?"

"Where do you want to start?"

"I don't know, what do you suggest?"

"I'll do whatever you want me to."

"Well then," Hades says, "enlighten me...".

Regina slowly kisses him again.

Hades kisses her back, deeply, holding her close.

Regina leans into his touch because she knows that's what he wants.

They kiss for a long time and then Hades takes them to a room.

Regina looks around. "Where are we?" she asks softly.

"My domain," he says with a grin.

Regina just nodds.

They spend the night together and the morning... And the afternoon... And the evening... Without eating, sleeping, peeing, drinking... Anything. He just takes her fully.

After being 24 hours with Hades, Regina is more than exhausted. "Please. No more." she whispers softly.

Hades is immortal, inhuman and doesn't need anything so he keeps on going.

"Please." Regina whispers again. She coughs up a bit of blood

Hades goes on for another full day.

Regina doesn't respond any longer now. She just stares in front of her.

Hades stops for an hour to make sure Regina can get what humans need to stay alive.

Regina just keeps staring in front of her. She doesn't notice Hades is leaving her alone.

A girl comes go give her food and water. To wash her and to prepare her for the upcoming night.

"Leave me alone." Regina whispers.

"You will die if you don't drink," the girl says without emotion.

Regina drinks a bit of water.

"Right, now some food."

Regina eats an apple. A red one.

Hades returns after a while.

Regina crawls away from him. "Please, no more. Let me rest for a little while. Please."

"No," Hades says, "this is my week." And he just takes her all over again.

"I... I can't anymore." Regina whispers after a while. "Please. Please, stop."

Hades doesn't listen.

Regina shuts down. Her body and her mind decide to not function any longer.

That doesn't stop Hades. He just goes on and after another day he orders a nurse to bring her back, bacause otherwise the deal will be broken.

Regina doesn't notice anything around her.

"Wake up girl, your deal is about to be broken...".

"No.. No, no broken deal." Regina mumbles.

"Then wake up, drink and eat and make sure he has a good time in this last three days..."

"Three... Three days? I... I won't make that. I'm exhausted. He's.. He's a monster!"

"Ow tell me something new..." the nurse says. "I'll tell him you will die if he goes on, maybe that will make him stop... Although I doubt it."

"I can't anymore." Regina startles when Hades walks back inside towards her.

Hades immediately gets to her again. "If you pass out, the deal will be broken."

Regina nodds. She tries her best, but with every hour that passes, she starts to lose her conscience. "Please.. Please. How much longer?"

"This night and I'll give you some rest again. I've some buissiness to do."

Regina nodds and gives him the last bit she has. When he leaves her, she passes out on the ground.

The nurse waits for her to wake up.

Regina has a lot of trouble waking up. "Deal... Deal can't be broken." she mumbles.

"Exactly, so get yourself together," the nurse says. "He'll be back in a few hours."

"How much longer?" Regina asks softly.

"Hmm... Let's say... Another week?"

"What.. What? No... No, he promised. We have a deal!"

"If you know Hades, you know he is more powerful than deals. He just does what he likes."

"Please... Please..." Regina begs.

"I'm sorry but I can't do anything about it... He is a god and gods alway get what they want."

Regina scrambles away when Hades returns. "We have a deal." she whispers.

Hades grins and immediatly gets down and covers her body with his. "You think I care about my part of the deal?" he whispers, kissing her in her neck

"Hades, stop!" Regina shouts out now.

"Why?" Hades whispers while he just goes on.

"Because I gave you everything I have!" Regina snaps now.

Hades smiles. "Alright sweetheart," he says sarcastically, "but I'm not done woth you yet."

"Just let me sleep. Just for a little while."

"I'll give you two hours," he says and he walks out if the room.

Regina falls asleep immediately. When Hades returns she has poofed herself into a light dress that leaves little to the imagination. She looks up at him. "Better?" she asks softly.

"Perfect," he whispers, still that grin on his face.

Regina smiles softly, walking closer towards him. "Do you like what you see?"

Hades smiles, "I do," he whispers and he lays his hand on her waist to pull her closer.

Regina nodds. "Tomorrow I can leave. Right? The week is over."

"Prove yourself and we will see," Hades says.

Regina slowly nodds. She looks up at him again.

Hades only grins and gives her space to prove herself.

Regina lets the dress fall off her shoulders. She closes the gap between Hades and herself, putting her naked body against his.

This is what he wants. Hades softly touches her body, but not too much, so she can lead and show herself.

Regina leads his hands to where she likes it. Her hips. Her back.

Hades softly touches her there, while he kisses her on her lips.

Regina kisses him back. She allows him to enter her mouth. She leads the both of them towards the bed.

Hades follows her growing more satisfied every second. He smiles against her lips.

"Do you like this?" Regina asks softly.

"Just go on," Hades whispers with a grin.

Regina pulls him above her and allows him to enter her. "Take me. Make me come." Regina whispers.

Hades turns her on and takes her, all of her.

Regina moans of pleasure. "Make me come." she whispers again.

Hades grins and makes her come indeed.

Regina sighs from excitement. "Thank you." she whispers now.

Hades finishes and lies down next to her, "you're welcome," he grins and he strokes her skin softly. "You may go in a little while," he whispers, moving up so he can kiss her again. "Just a little bit more."

Regina nodds and gives him what he wants.

"You can go now," Hades says, kissing her one last time. "You did a good job" he whispers.

Regina nodds. She poofs herself into some clothing. "Can you bring me back? Please?" she whispers softly.

"So you're begging now? Alright. Don't forget to bring Zelena here within a week," he says and he poofs her to Robin's cabin.

Regina immediately crawls away into the closet in Robin's bedroom.

No one ever looks inside the closet so it's only after a day that Robin opens it and finds her. Fiona had gone to Hades after a week and saw Regina had to be home. and then Robin knew exactly where to look.  
"Hey there," he whispers. lowering himself to her hight.

Regina doesn't look up. "I'm tired." she whispers. "Let me sleep."

"Can you sleep on the bed?" Robin says.

"No!"

"It's okay," Robin says softly and he gets her a pillow, places it carefully under her head and lays a blanket over her fragile body.

"Don't touch me!" Regina snaps. "You don't have the right to touch me!" She starts to scream.

"I won't don't worry, don't worry, it's okay." Robin whispers.

"Let go of me! I'm tired! Can't you see I'm tired? I gave you everything I have!"

Robin just sits down with his back against the closet, he doesn't touch her.

"What are you doing?" Regina's voice sounds panicked now.

"I'm watching over you," Robin says, "I love you."

"You can't. You can't love me. I need to go back to Robin and Emma. Hades, when can I go?"

"You are back, I'm right here," Robin says, "I am Robin and... Emma is here too."

"You're tricking me." Regina whispers. "Emma? I need to see Emma. How much time has passed? Emma? Emma!"

"It's okay Regina," Robin whispers, "can you look at me?"

"Emma! Emma!"

"Regina," Robin says, "please look at me, just for a moment. Please come back."

Very slowly Regina turns towards Robin. "What can I do for you?" she asks softly.

"Nothing," Robin says, "just... Just come back to me."

Regina quickly comes out of the closet and positions herself in front of Robin. "I'm here." she whispers. "I won't complain. Good girl. Good girl, Regina."

"Regina no," Robin says. He forces himself to relax and just looks at her. "You're safe now."

"Safe?" Regina cocks her head to the side as if she doesn't know what that word means exactly. "Safe?"

Robin smiles. "Safe yes," he says, "now please look me in the eyes and you'll know it's just me, Robin, and that I won't do you any harm."

Regina looks him right into his eyes. She cocks her head to the side again. "Who are you?" she asks, very softly.

Robin closes his eyes for a moment.  
"What did he do to you?" he then whispers.

Regina startles. "He?"

"Hades." Robin says.

"You are Hades. Aren't you?" Regina cocks her head again. Her big brown eyes look confused.

"I'm not."

"Who are you?" Regina asks again.

"Robin."

"Robin?" Regina repeats. "Robin."

"Yes Robin, Robin is right here."

"I love Robin." Regina looks down. "Does that mean I love you?"

"Yeah, I think you mean me by that," Robin says, "I love you too."

Regina starts to take off her clothes, a light dress. "You can have me then. I'll be good. I'll be a good girl."

"No Regina I don't want that," Robin says. He takes her hand and before she can pull back he places it on his chest. "Do you feel that?" he says, "that's my heart beating. I'm not a god, I'm real."

Regina looks up at him again. "You have a heart." she whispers. "You really are Robin. It's not a trick."

"It's not a trick," Robin repeats her words.

"Safe?"

"Yes, safe," Robin whispers.

Regina looks at the closet.

"You want to stay here in the closet?" Robin asks her.

"May I? I'll be a good girl, I promise." Regina's voice sounds very small.

"You have a choice here Regina," Robin says, "you know that. I'm Robin and you know I don't care about you being a good girl or not, do you hear me?" He speaks on a kind tone and keeps looking Regina in her eyes.

"Yes." Regina answers softly. She looks down. "How is Emma?" she wants to know.

"She... She isn't very good," Robin says.

Regina crawls away in the closet. "My fault. That's my fault. I'm so sorry. Bad girl, Regina, bad girl!"

"No of course not," Robin says, "don't be ridiculous...".

"Go away. Go away! I only hurt people!" Regina starts to scratch herself on her arms.

"Regina please stop," Robin says, "it's not true." He has to grab her hands so she doesn't hurt herself.

Regina starts to scream again. "Let go of me! Let go of me!"

"Regina, look at me," Robin says, not letting go, "calm down and look at me."

Regina looks up at Robin and flinches. "You're Robin." she whispers.

"Yes I am," Robin says. He doesn't let go of her hands.

Regina sinks into his arms. She cries softly. "I'm safe now. I'm safe." she whispers.

"Yeah," Robin whispers and he holds her close. He strokes her back to calm her down, but lets her cry as long as she wants.

Regina leans into his touch. "N.oo." she begs softly. "I'm too tired. I gave enough."

"Calm down," Robin whispers, "you're safe, remember you're safe..." he keeps whispering comforting words just to keep her here.

"Safe." Regina struggles against his hold for a little while longer but afterwards she sinks into his arms, completely exhausted. "Closet. Safe in the closet. With Robin." she whispers before she falls asleep.

Robin moves her so she lies in a bit more comfortable position. He doesn't leave the closet with her, he just stays there and holds her close.

After hours and hours of sleep, Regina wakes up. She looks around her, disoriented.

Robin doesn't say a thing and lets her figure things out.

"Hades?" Regina asks softly. When no one answers, she looks at Robin. "Robin." This time it's not a question. She leans against his shoulder.

Robin smiles at her and strokes her hair when she lies down.

Regina's body stiffens immediately. "No." she mumbles. "Not ready."

"It's okay," Robin says and he makes sure he doesn't touch her any longer.

"Okay." Regina repeats softly. "Emma?" she then asks.

"It's complicated," Robin says, "she is not really herself."

"What does that mean?"

"She is a ghost," Robins says, "not a human being...".

"But that... That wasn't the deal!" Regina shouts out now.

"I don't know anything about that, I'm sorry," Robin says, "what kind of deal did you make?"

"I stayed with him for a week and he would send Emma back. He... He lied!"

"He did send her back," Robin says, "just not as a human... She is here in the house somewhere."

"I failed. I failed my little girl." Regina cries. She starts to scratch herself again. "I need to go back to him."

"No Regina!" Robin says harder than before and he grabs her hands again tightly. He won't let her go until she is calm again. "Listen to me, you're not going back and you didn't fail her. Now take a deep breath get yourself together." He knows it hard to say, but he doesn't know another way to truly reach her.

Regina scrambles away from him, out of the closet and into a dark corner of the bedroom. "I need to go back! He wants something and I need to bring it to him! I need to bring Zelena to him!"

"You can't give him that if you act like this, you need to calm down so we can talk about this and think about this."

"Nothing to think about. My sister needs to go to Hades. Now!"

"You will ruin her life!" Robin reacts.

"What do you suggest then?" Regina snaps.

"At least think about other options," Robin says.

"There are none!"

"You can't just safe yourself or Emma by ruining your sister's life. Hades will do the same to her as he did to you... You can't do that to someone. You know that more than anyone else."

"She doesn't love me. I don't care what happens to her."

"That's not fair."

"What is?" Regina cries again.

Robin takes her in her arms. "Ruining someone else's life, so safe your own," he whispers, "she doesn't deserve that."

"But Emma doesn't deserve to be dead!"

"But Zelena has nothing to do with that, so you can't just kidnap her and hand her over to Hades...".

Regina turns her back towards Robin and starts to scratch herself again. "I need to go back to Hades. Make a new deal." she mumbles.

"Stop it! You won't make things better by hurting yourself. You need to calm down," Robin says.

"Hades!" Regina shouts out. "Hades! Take me back!"

"No," Robin shouts. "I won't forgive you for this" he adds in a soft voice before Regina disappears from sight.

Regina looks up and doesn't see Robin any longer. She looks right into Hades' face. "You lied!" she shouts.

"I didn't lie at all," Hades reacts.

"I asked you to bring Emma back to the living and you... You..." Regina falls silent. "And you did. You... It was a trap." She takes a step back.

"I wouldn't call it a trap," Hades says, "I did what you asked and now you have six days left to bring me Zelena."

"I... I'll try. But then you make Emma alive again? And Fiona's daughter as well?"

"That's exactly what I'll do then, yes," Hades says.

Regina nodds. "Alive and in the living world, right? With me and the rest of my family?"

"Yeah," Hades says, "that's pretty much it yes."

Regina nodds. "Send me back. I'll get my sister for you." she whispers.

"Very well." he says and he poofs her to the real world again.

Regina reappears in the bedroom with Robin. "He didn't do anything. We just talked." she immediately whispers to him.

"Thank god," Robin says. his voice is distant and a bit angry. "don't do it again...".

Regina nodds. "I promise." She takes a step towards him. "Can I make you not angry at me?" Her big brown eyes look up at him.

"No," Robin says, "not today." he walks away from her. He hasn't looked her in the eyes for one second, knowing he would have changed his mind.

Regina flinches away. "I... I'll be here." she whispers. "In case you change your mind." She takes off her dress and lays down on the bed. "I'll be here."

"Regina don't do that," Robin says, "I don't want you to do that."

"Every man wants this." Her voice sounds hoarse.

"Well I don't," Robin says, "not now."

"But eventually."

"No Regina!" Robin snaps.

Regina startles heavily now. She scrambles away from him. "I don't like angry men. They are a lot more rough on me." she whispers.

"I won't be 'rough on you'!" Robin says, "just stop with this nonsense."

"Go. Just go. Leave me." Regina mumbles. "Everyone does."

"Regina, really?" Robin says and he finally looks at her. "I know you're hurt, but you're hurting me too right now."

"You won't leave me?" she asks him, with tears in her eyes.

"Of course not," Robin says, feeling tears coming up too. "I will never leave you."

"I know. I know. I don't understand why I feel so afraid right now." She poofs herself back into her clothes.

Robin takes a deep breath and walks to her. He sits down on the the bed.  
He takes her hand in his and stares out of the window in complete silence.

"I need to see my sister." Regina whispers. "I need to talk to her."

"What do you have to talk about?"

"Something."

"Tell me."

"She's my sister. Can't I talk to her? Please?" Regina whispers. "I won't force her to do something she doesn't want."

"You promise?"

"I promise." Regina looks up into Robin's eyes. "I really promise."

Robin nods, "okay," he whispers.

Regina looks down now. "I just don't know... Where she is."

"With Daniel right?" Robin says. "You... ehh...".

Regina nodds. "Right." she whispers.

"Don't you... have something of his? Something on which you can use a locator spell?"

"No." Regina whispers

"How can you find her then?"

"I don't know." Regina sighs. She looks down, staring at her hands. She then notices the small ring on her right hand. "I... He... I got this from him." she whispers, showing the ring to Robin.

"That... was the thing I meant," Robin says.

Regina takes off the ring. She casts a locator spell over it. The ring glows up and starts to fly in front of her. "We need to follow it." she whispers.

"We?" Robin says, but then he gets his mind back together. "Yes right."

"Don't you want to come with me?" Regina whispers.

"Yes I do," Robin says.

Regina starts to follow the flying ring, holding Robin's hand into her own.

Robin follows Regina

They walk a long, long time. Regina keeps holding Robin's hand. When they reach the next village, the ring falls on the floor in front of a big house.

"So I guess that's it then?" Robin says.

"What do you mean?"

"This is where your sister is?"

"I guess it is. We'll have to find out. They should be awake since everyone else is." Regina knocks on the door and waits for it to be opened.

Zelena opens the door with a baby on her arm. "ehh... Regina? Hi."

"Zelena." Regina doesn't smile. She remembers how her sister has acted towards her in the past. She looks at the baby.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you. Who is this?"

"This is Luna," Fiona says, "my daughter." She smiles when she talks about her little girl.

"Your... Your daughter?" Regina mumbles.

"Yes," Zelena says, "is there something wrong?"

"Hades." Regina just whispers.

"Hades what?"

"Hades wants you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it's the only way to get Emma back from the death."

"I don't understand..." Zelena says, "you have some kind of deal or..."

Regina slowly nodds. "But I... I can't ask you to go to him. He... He's a monster." Regina whispers. "And we don't like each other. And... And you have a daughter. It's... It's too much to ask. I'm sorry." Regina turns around.

"Wait," Zelena says, "at least come in, you really don't make sense."

Regina slowly turns back around. She nodds and she and Robin enter Zelena's house.

Zelena makes some tea. She lies her baby in the crib in the living room and sends her other two kids upstairs. The eldest looks at Regina, she recognizes her, but then walks upstairs with her brother.

Regina recognizes she eldest girl as well. "It's nice to see you again, Glenda." Regina whispers softly.

The girl nods, "you too," she quickly says and she disappears behind the door.  
Daniel is upstairs working and doesn't know something is going on downstairs

Regina looks at Zelena.

"So... What's going on here?"

"I told you. Emma died and I made a deal with Hades. I need to get you to him in exchange for Emma's life." Regina looks down. "To be honest, I... I didn't want to give you a choice, but... But you have children. I can't force their mother to go to Hades to save my own kid." Regina whispers.

"You wanted to hand me over to him?" Zelena says, shocked, "I... I'm glad you didn't," she adds, "I don't know what to say...".

"Don't say anything." Regina whispers now. "I can't force you."

"But your Emma..." Zelena says, "you will lose her."

"I know." Regina looks up. "I know." she whispers now.

"For how long do I have to stay?" Zelena asks.

"I think forever. Which is why I can't ask this of you. It wouldn't be fair."

"Maybe we can go to him together?" Zelena says, "maybe we can talk to him, or... Maybe I can convince him...".

"Would you want that?" Regina asks softly.

"Yeah," Zelena says, "I would want that for you and Emma."

Regina nodds and looks at Robin. "Is that alright?" she asks softly.

Robin nods. "who am I to stop you?"

"I want you to agree with the plan or else I won't go."

"I agree," Robin says.

"You do? You really do?"

"Yeah I do," Robin says. He actually doesn't, but he wants to give her space. "Don't let him do anything to you okay? Will you promise me that? Don't make stupid deals."

Regina nodds. "I... I promise." She looks up at him. "I promise."

Robin smiles, "alright," he says. "You two go together then?"

Regina nodds. "Yes."

"Okay," Robin says, "now?"

"Can we?" Regina asks Zelena.

"I'll tell Daniel and my kids," Zelena says, "the quicker the better." She shrugs and walks up to get Daniel. He is surprised to see Regina and he is surprised Robin agrees with this plan...

"Daniel." Regina whispers. She takes a step closer towards Robin.

"Regina," Daniel says with a polite nod.

Regina looks at Robin. "He scares me." she whispers.

Robin takes her hand in his, "you don't have to be scared," he whispers.

"I just want Emma back." Regina cries now.

Robin takes her close. "I know," he whispers. He softly strokes her hair. "and maybe this is the way."

"You think so?"

"I don't know, but we can't lose hope right?"

Regina nodds. She looks at how Zelena opens a portal to the Underworld. Her magic is so much stronger than hers...

Daniel doesn't agree with this, he is furious...  
"Are you coming?" Zelena says when she sees Regina staring at her.

Regina nodds. She takes Zelena's hand and they jump into the portal together. They appear next to Hades. "You're really powerful." Regina whispers.

Zelena looks at Regina, a bit surprised by her words. "You're powerful too," she reacts.

Regina shakes her head. She looks at Hades.

"Believing you're powerful is the first thing you need to do to become it," she says. She then turns to Hades.

"You did it," Hades says, "I'm proud of you."

Regina looks down.

"You are not going to get me so easily," Zelena says.

Regina looks up again. Her eyes show panic.

"Well that's too bad," Hades gets out. He looks at Zelena and gets out of breath. His heart is racing in his chest. "that was the deal."

"Just let her speak." Regina defends Zelena.

"I know you love me," Zelena says, "I can see it in your eyes. You want me and now I'm here you want me even more, don't you?"

Regina takes a step back. She knows Hades can be very angry and she's scared he will take it out on her.

"If you touch her, I'll make sure you will never see me again," she says to Hades. She is scared, but doesn't let it take her over.

"Emma." Regina whispers.

"Don't worry," Zelena says. "We will get her back."

Regina looks at Hades again. "Will we?"

"Yes," Zelena says, looking at Regina, "never tell yourself otherwise, because then... you'll just lose."

"Hades? What do you want exactly?"

"Zelena. Forever."

Regina looks up at her sister. "I don't think that's going to happen."

"Nope that's not going to happen indeed," Zelena says, "I have a family. You could have one too," she says to Hades. "If only you would take me for a week and then move on with your life. Find new love and let me go...".

"No!" Regina suddenly shouts out. "He will destroy you, Zelena. He... He's a monster!"

Zelena looks at Regina. "I don't think there is another way... If he agrees."

Regina looks at Hades, waiting for his answer.

"A year?"

"Take me instead." Regina whispers softly.

"I WANT ZELENA," Hades shouts out, before Zelena can say something.

Regina flinches away immediately. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't shout like that," Zelena snaps. She knows this man. They fell in love a long time ago. She knows he wants her, but she also knows he wants her so badly that she can make a suitable deal.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers again.

"If that sorry was meant for me... don't be," Zelena says.

Regina looks down. She's so scared. "Just make a deal. I want to go back to Robin." she whispers.

"You know I'm doing this for you right? so you can have Emma back," Zelena says, "I want to suffer as less as possible and that takes a little time, I'm sorry."

Regina nodds. She almost hides behind her sister. "Take your time." she whispers.

"Three months will be fine for me, no more" Zelena says, "it's that or nothing so the choice is yours. I know you can't resist."   
Hades nods. "four months," he says.  
"Deal," Zelena reacts.

Regina waits for the deal to be over.

Zelena nods, feeling sad but satisfied. A weakness for children must be in the family.   
She turns to Regina. "Please get well okay," she whispers, "please remind yourself how powerful you are."

"I will look after your children. I promise." Regina turns towards Hades. "Emma and Fiona's daughter?"

"You will?" Zelena says. "Thank you so much." She has tears in her eyes. "Will you tell Daniel I'll be back soon? And will you tell them I love them with all my heart?"   
Hades lets Zelena finish.

Regina nodds. "I will. I promise." She looks at Hades again. "Emma and Fiona's daughter? Will they be back alive? Not living like a ghost?"

"Hmm..." Hades says. "I'll think about it."   
Zelena looks at him furious and then she walks to him and starts to kiss him. "Let those girls live, and I'll give you more, keep them and you'll get nothing."  
She hates this. Hades is disgusting, but she wants to do this for the girls.

"Zelena, please. You don't have to do this." Regina begs.

"I can't live with the idea that I could have saved two girls, two families," Zelena says. Hades strokes the skin under her shirt already and she closes her eyes for a moment. "I just can't..." she whispers.

"Please, Hades. Take me. She doesn't deserve this!"

"Hmm... No," Hades says with a grin.

"Emma and Fiona's daughter?" Regina asks again, softer now.

Hades lets both the kids appear next to him.

Regina looks at them. "Please, make them alive again now." she almost begs.

With a wave of his hand Hades makes the children alive again. They stand with their two feet on the ground again.

Regina runs towards Emma and takes her into her arms. "Honey." she whispers.

Emma doesn't move much, but she manages to lay a hand on her mother's arm.   
Zelena smiles.

"Thank you so much, Zelena." Regina whispers. "I owe you one, big time."

"You're welcome," Zelena says, "and Regina...?"

"Yes?" Regina looks up to her sister.

"Please take care of yourself okay?" she says. "Put yourself first for a change."

Regina slowly nodds. She looks at Hades. "And now? You'll send my sister back to me within 4 months of now?"

"I think I will," Hades says.

"You made a deal!"

"Well... deals can be broken sometimes," Hades grins.

"No, this one can't!" Regina screams.

"We will see about that," Hades says. He starts to laugh.

"Can you let us go now?" Regina whispers.

Zelena nods towards Regina, when Hades poofs the tree of them to the real world again.

Regina hugs Emma again. "I'm so glad you're back." she whispers.

"I'm not," Emma whispers.

Regina looks at her, stunned. "What... What did you just say?"

"I'm not." Emma repeats.

"Why... Why not?"

"You made that deal to get me back and I didn't want that, and now Zelena is there and I don't want that! I would rather be dead okay...!"

Regina poofs away immediately. She can't handle this.

Emma tries to find something so she can kill herself. She still can't use her magic because of the bracelet.

Regina poofed away, deep into the forest. She leans against a tree and makes herself small.

Fiona appears next to her.

Regina startles. "Leave me alone. Please." she whispers.

Fiona doesn't say a thing but sits down with her back against a tree. She waits and gives Regina time.

"Go. Away!"

"No I won't," Fiona says, "just think I'm not here."

"GO AWAY!"

"No."

Regina's head snaps up. "Why are you baiting me so bad?"

"I'm..." Fiona starts, "you don't want to be alone. You don't have to be alone."

"GO!"

"Why? Please Regina...".

Regina startles when Fiona uses her name. "Because you're just here to hurt me. So go."

"Of course I'm not," Fiona says, "not anymore."

"Why not?"

"You helped me get my daughter back."

"So? That doesn't mean anything to you."

"It means the world to me."

"Does it?"

"It really does," Fiona says, "no one ever did such thing for me."

Regina looks away.

"But... what's the matter? Why are you so sad again?"

Regina isn't ready to open up to Fiona just like that. She shuts down again.

"I'm sorry," Fiona says. "I know this is hard and I understand that you don't want to talk to me."

Regina doesn't answer. She just looks away.

"Shall I get someone for you?"

Regina doesn't react.

Fiona doesn't say a thing either and just picks some flowers that stand around her.

"I'm tired." Regina whispers.

"What about I'll poof us home, so you can rest."

"I don't trust your magic." Regina whispers, softly.

"I understand," Fiona says. "Promising won't help?"

Regina shakes her head.

"Okay," Fiona whispers. "Then you can rest here I guess."

"You won't leave me?" Regina's voice sounds small, almost like a child.

"No I won't," Fiona says, "I won't leave you, I promise."

Regina's head sinks onto Fiona's shoulder. She's too tired to keep herself upright.

Fiona stares in front of her and then grabs Regina's hand and squeezes it, more like an impuls than a planned action.

Regina's body tenses, even in her sleep, but she doesn't pull away.

Fiona can't help but smile just a little.

In her sleep Regina seeks comfort with Fiona. She almost curls up on her lap, holding tightly onto her.

Fiona lets her and feels relaxed. No one ever sought comfort with her and it feels good that Regina trusts her enough to do just that.

When Regina wakes up again, she looks disoriented. She looks up into Fiona's eyes, looking for some kind of hint to whether she will hurt her or not.

Fiona smiles. A gentle one.

Regina slowly retreats away from her, after realizing how she is clinging to Fiona. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Don't worry it's okay," Fiona says.

"Mother wouldn't approve it." Regina mumbles, again with a very small voice.

"Your mother isn't here," Fiona says. "So you also don't have to worry about that."

"Mother isn't here?" Regina looks confused and tears spring into her eyes. "I know she doesn't love me but I didn't think she hates me this much to abandon me in the woods."

"She didn't," Fiona says. "I don't think she is in your life anymore, Regina." She doesn't know for sure.

"I don't know either. Where is daddy?" Regina looks up at Fiona, hope shining in her big brown eyes.

"I... Eh... I don't know," Fiona says, "he is not here, I'm sorry."

"He left me too? I must have been a very insolent girl." Regina cries again.

"I don't think he left you to be honest. Parents don't do such things."

"But where are they? Where am I? And who are you? I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

Fiona's mouth falls open a little, "I'm Fiona," she then says. She looks into Regina's eyes. "We know each other..." She doesn't says from what exactly that won't help... "You saved my daughter," she just says.

"Me? I... I did something... Good? Mother always says I'm no good. I'm always a disappointment."

"You are not," Fiona says, "you did something good, you did many good things."

"Mother says otherwise." Regina mumbles.

"Maybe," Fiona says, "but that was the past." She starts to understand what's going on.

"The past?" Regina doesn't understand.

"Yeah, you don't seem like yourself now," Fiona says, "tell me more about you."

"Mother says I'm not aloud to talk to strangers. If she finds out, I will surely be punished."

"You're not living with your mother anymore," Fiona says.

Regina looks more confused now. "Of course I am. I'm only ten years old. How can I not live with Mother and daddy?"

"Regina," Fiona says, "you're not ten anymore." She smiles and lets a mirror appear in her hands. "Just look."

Regina startles. She crawls away from Fiona. "You use magic!" She looks afraid. "I don't like magic."

"You have magic too right?"

"I don't have magic. Mother says I'm too big of a disappointment to have magic."

"Just take a look in the mirror okay? And tell me what you see."

"It's just me."

"How old are you?"

"I'm 10."

"No you're not," Fiona says, poofing the mirror away again. "Do you know Emma?"

"Emma? Who is Emma?"

"Your daughter."

Regina looks confused again. She looks around her. "Where am I? I want to go back to daddy. You scare me."

"Do you know Robin?" Fiona says. "I won't hurt you or something, don't worry."

"Who are those people you keep talking about? I don't know them. I want my daddy!"

"They are your family, Regina," Fiona says. "You're daddy isn't here."

"Daddy! Daddy!"

"Please Regina you need to come back," Fiona says, desperately.

Regina looks down. "Am I doing something wrong? Mother always says I never do the right thing."

"You're doing nothing wrong, trust me," Fiona says. 

Then Emma appears next to them, but she keeps her distance.

Regina startles when someone appears next to them. "Who are you?"

Emma startles, "I... I'm Emma," she says and she looks at Fiona, who explains what's going on.   
Emma looks back at her mother with tears in her eyes.

Regina eyes Emma. "I feel like I know you."

"You do know me," Emma says, "I'm your daughter. You just saved me and... and I was rude to you and please come back. I... I want to say sorry." Tears stream over her cheeks.

"Did you do something wrong?"

"Yeah, yeah I did," Emma says.

Regina cocks her head to the side. She eyes Emma from head to toe. A spark of recognition flares up in her eyes.

Emma sits down next to Fiona, who lays an arm around Emma's shoulders. "You have the feeling you've seen her before, don't you?" Fiona asks

Regina slowly nodds. "I want to come back." Her voice sounds more like her own again, but still a bit small.

"You will come back," Fiona says, "don't rush it. You're already a step closer."  
Emma looks at her mother, while she lets Fiona hold her closer.

"She's my daughter. Let her go." Regina's voice sounds dangerously all of a sudden.

"Mom?" Emma says.

"I don't have myself under control." Regina whispers.

Fiona nods. She tells Emma to go home and she promises the first thing Regina will do if she is completely back is coming to her. They speak about some other things very softly and then Emma looks at her mom and poofs away. "You're back a little bit?" Fiona asks.

"Maybe. I don't know. I feel... Weird."

"You're acting weird too," Fiona says, "can you tell me your name and your age?

"I'm Regina." Regina whispers. "I think I'm... Old. Older than a person should be. I'm The Evil Queen."

"You are Regina, yes," Fiona says, "you're older than 10 if that's what you mean and you WERE the evil Queen." She tries to make it clear.

Regina slowly nodds. Remembrance appears into her eyes. "Emma." she mumbles.

"Yes...?" Fiona says, pushing her towards remembrance.

"She wants to kill herself."

"She does?" Fiona says and now she understands it. Emma came here to say goodbye, not to say sorry...

"Yes. Yes, she does. She didn't want to be saved from The Underworld." Regina whispers again.

"How do you know that? You saved her," Fiona says, glad Regina is more herself again.

"She didn't want to be." Regina whispers again. "The deal I made with Hades... She didn't want me to do it, but I still did."

"I'm sorry," Fiona says.

"Where is she? I need to find her."

"I poofed her away to Robin's home, she should be there," Fiona says.

"Can you bring us back there? Please? I... I don't trust my magic right now."

Fiona poofs the both of them to Robin's house. No one is home, but the door to the cellar is open.

"Emma?" Regina quickly runs downstairs into the cellar.

Emma lies in a corner asleep. She is surrounded by a few empty wine bottles.

Regina runs over to her. She sinks down next to her and takes her into her arms. "Mommy is right here." she whispers.

Emma startles and wakes up. Her head aches and she feels like throwing up.

"Mommy is here. It's alright." Regina whispers.

"Mom," Emma whispers.

"I'm here. I'm right here, honey."

Emma clings to her mother.

Regina holds Emma close to her body.

Then Emma stands up and runs to the bathroom. She throws up in the sink.

Regina follows her and holds her hair aside, slowly stroking her back to calm her daughter down.

Emma cleans her face and leans against her mother. "I'm so done, mom," she whispers.

"I know you are, sweet head, but giving up is not an option. I'll help you, I promise."

"You should help yourself, not me," Emma whispers.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

"I know you're not."

"You don't have to worry about me, Emma. It's my job to worry about you."

"Why did you save me?" Emma softly asks.

"Because I love you, Emma. And not only I. A lot of people love you."

"You still love me?"

"Emma... Of course I do. Why shouldn't I?"

"I only cause you trouble."

Regina giggles. "You take after me." she laughs. "I'm kidding. Emma, you really aren't just trouble. You mean everything to me."

Emma hugs her mother tighter. She smiles.

Regina smiles back at her youngest daughter. "No trying to kill yourself. Can you promise me that, Emma?" she asks softly.

"It's harder than you think," Emma whispers.

"I know." Regina whispers softly.

"Once I'm alone it's so hard..." Emma says, "it's so easy, easier than living."

Regina nodds. "Why don't you stay with me, when you feel it's hard?" she suggests.

Emma nods. "Yeah," she whispers, "I'll try." Then she looks up. "You know why I stayed in the underworld and didn't move on?"

Regina shakes her head. "Do you want to tell me why?"

"Because I know you would save me," Emma says and then she whispers. "And I wanted that."

Regina smiles, a genuine one. "Really?"

Emma smiles, "yeah," she whispers, "but I didn't want you to save me like this, that's where I got mad, I'm sorry."

"I understand why you got mad, Emma. I really do." Regina whispers. "But it was the only way to save you and I would do anything for you."

"And I don't want you to do anything for me, I know you would have found another way, but you wanted to do it so fast...".

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers softly.

Emma nods. "Will you promise me then not to do such thing again. I told you I didn't want it."

Regina nodds. "I promise. I really do."

"Okay."

Regina hugs Emma now.

"I hope I mean this," Emma whispers, clinging tightly to her mother.

"You can do this, Emma. We can do this." Regina whispers in Emma's hair.

Emma nods. "Yes," she whispers, "yes we can."

Regina keeps holding Emma close to her body, giving her all her warmth and love.

"Don't let me go," Emma whispers.

"I won't." Regina whispers back.

"Why is life better than death?"

"Because in life you can feel things. Not only the bad, but sure as hell the good things as well. And they are worth it. They are so worth it." Regina whispers.

"You make it worth it," Emma whispers, "you always do."

Regina smiles softly. "I try."

"And you succeed," Emma whispers. "I just forget that very often."

Regina giggles. "Let's go outside. A bit of fresh air will do us good."

"I look like shit," Emma sighs, but she cant help but giggle too.

"That's not true." Regina winks.

"Liar," Emma grins.

"If you want to, you can magic yourself into an other outfit." Regina suggests.

Emma looks at herself and nods. She poofs herself in another dress. A black one, but also a warm one, because she realizes how cold she is.

"It's quiet cold indeed." Regina whispers softly. She poofs a long black jacket over her own clothes. "Ready?"

"Okay," Emma whispers and they walk outside together. "I hope we don't come across other people."

"And if we do? It won't be a problem, Emma. Everyone loves you."

"You don't seem to remember I cast the curse."

"I do remember. But the people I know have forgiven you. As have I. It will be alright, I promise."

"You do remember I ruined your life right?"

"You didn't ruin anything." Regina whispers softly. They walk through the forest together. Regina startles when some men appear on their path. She recognizes them from the tavern.

"Don't lie mom," Emma says. Sh startles because her mother startles.

"You," one of the men says with a wink.

"Go away."

"Wow, why so angry," the man says, "who is that little thing?" He points at Emma.

"I'm Emma," she just states, trying to sound confident.

"Leave her alone." A fireball appears into Regina's hand.

"Am I doing something to her? Since when is talking illegal?" the man says.

"Since it's YOU who is doing the talk."

"Wait a minute," the man says, "you came to ME for money, you can't blame me for anything."

"That is the past. You can leave us alone now." The fireball doesn't go away.

"You bumped into us, not the other way around, madam," the man says, "don't be so aggressive."

"Then just let us pass. Thank you."

"Have a good day," the man grins. When Emma walks by he softly strokes her cheek and winks.

Regina releases the fireball to his chest.

"Mom no!" Emma says. The man dives and escapes the fireball.

"He isn't aloud to touch you like that." Regina's voice sounds dangerously low.

"Just don't...".

"Why not?"

Emma shrugs. "It's not worth it."

"It is." Another fireball appears in her hand. "Go away!" she shouts at the men.

The men laugh and they're betting. One man steps forward. "Free beer this whole night right?" he shouts to the other men. He strokes Emma's cheek again.

Regina lets the fireball go again. This time she doesn't miss.

Emma backs away. "Mom you promised to listen to me," Emma says, but the man already falls down, no life left in his body.

"I can't let them touch you like that. Let me protect you, Emma, please."

"No you did enough," Emma says.

Regina nodds. She startles again when one of the men takes her hand.

"What the hell!" he shouts in her face.

"Let go of me." Regina says calmly.

"Why should I?"

"Because I don't like it and I'm saying no." Regina pulls her hand back.

Emma sighs. "She is sorry she killed your friend, but now we have to move on," Emma says. "Thanks for everything..."   
The man is so surprised by this simple, sarcastic words that his grip loosens a bit.

Regina and Emma start to walk away.

Emma says nothing.

"You can defend yourself, can't you?" Regina whispers softly. "I'm sorry."

"I don't have magic, because of this bracelet you gave me," Emma starts, "and yes I can, he was only stroking my cheek... yet, but still...".

"I can't take the bracelet off you, Emma. I... I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Emma sighs. "Right..." she whispers.

"You understand?"

"Yes... no, but I know I won't change your mind, so I decide not to fight."

Regina nodds. "Thank you." she whispers. "Why don't we go back home?"

"We've been walking for only five minutes," Emma says, looking at her mother. "Are you scared?"

Regina looks at Emma. She decides to be honest with her youngest daughter. "I am." she whispers.

"For what?" Emma asks. She stops walking.

Regina shrugs. "For the dark. For the cold. For those men."

"Let's go back then," Emma whispers.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Emma says.

Regina takes Emma's hand and walks with her, back home.

"I think I'm still a bit drunk," Emma confesses. "I feel much better when I am."

"When you're drunk? Honey...".

Emma looks down. "yes."

"Why?"

"It makes me lighter, more free."

"You have to find things, more healthy ways, that make you feel like that as well."

"I wish I could...".

"You can. You just have to give it time."

"I gave it many time, I tried it again and again, before I cast this curse and I never found something." Emma sits down at the table. "I'm just done searching all the time... I never find something."

"Why don't you stop searching? Try to just... Enjoy life? Enjoy the little things?" Regina suggests.

"You think that will work?" Emma says, looking up and resting her head on her hands. "Do you do that too?"

"I try. And it sometimes works. And it's... The best thing in the world. Enjoying the sunset. Reading a book. Things like that."

Emma nods, "I'll try to," she says, but she can't believe it really works.

"We can try it together at first, if you want to?"

"You would want that?" Emma asks. "I would love to do it together."

"Me too." Regina smiles brightly. "I really want to."

"It's a shame we don't have our mobile phones anymore..." Emma says with a grin. "We should have recorded this."

"What do you mean?" Regina giggles.

"The two of us planning something together, something positive, without crying, killing and that kind of stuf. Without someone getting hurt, you know what I mean." She smiles. "It has been a long time since we had a normal conversation." She looks down at her feet a bit nervous for her mother's reaction.

"It has been, hasn't it?" Regina smiles. "I like this." She lays her arm around Emma's shoulders and takes her close.

Emma hugs her back. She is afraid the alcohol makes her like this and that when the alcohol is out of her body, she will be as sad as always.

"I'm getting kind of tired. Shall we rest a bit when we get home?" Regina asks softly.

"You can," Emma says.

Regina nodds. They arrive back home, in Robin's place.

"Ill take a shower," Emma says, "you can go to sleep."

Regina nodds again. "You will be here when I wake up?"

"Yeah I will," Emma says.

She takes a shower, lights the fire and grabs a book from her room.   
She reads for the first time in a very very long time and she is completely lost in the words.

Regina falls asleep on the couch. When she wakes up, she stares into Robin's eyes.

Robin sits next to her, enjoying her peaceful face. It's rare so he takes it all in, until she wakes up. He smiles at her.

Regina softly smiles back. "Are the kids alright? And Snow and James? Juli? Emma?"

"They're all alright," Robin says, "they really are. Emma hasn't even noticed me coming in." He grins and looks at Emma who is hidden behind her book.

"She sat with me the entire time?" Regina smiles now. "Thank you, sweetheart." But Emma doesn't hear it, too lost in the words in front of her. Regina looks back up to Robin who is coming closer.

In real life Robin doesn't come closer. It's only her imagination...

Regina looks away. "Hades." she whispers.

"He is not here," Robin whispers.

"I know he's not. But he hurt me." Regina whispers softly.

"I'm sorry," Robin whispers. He lays his hand open for her so she can take it if she wants to. "You want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about?" Regina whispers. "He hurt me. That's all." Regina lays her hand in Robin's.

"Okay," Robin says, "If that's all, it's okay." He means it.

Regina looks down. She wants to tell Robin how unsafe she feels but she doesn't. She doesn't want to get locked up, like back in Boston and she doesn't want to lose her kids. None of them.

"You know you can tell me everything, right?" Robin says, recognizing the fear in Regina's eyes.

Regina shrugs. "I know." she whispers.

"I won't force you, but I want you to know you can," he says, squeezing her hand a little.

Regina smiles. She nodds in appreciation.

"You had a good time with Emma?"

"I did. And she did as well. I'm glad she's reading again. She always liked that." Regina smiles.

"Yeah, I was so happy when I saw it," Robin says, looking around at Emma

Regina smiles, shoving closer over to Robin now.

Robin moves close enough for Regina to let her head rest in his lab. He softly strokes her hair and looks at Emma, who is still focussed.

Regina closes her eyes. She relaxes into Robin's touch.

"You don't know how happy I am that you two are doing quite okay together," Robin says, "I was so worried."

"Hmmm... I do hope we'll continue down this path." Regina mumbles.

"I hope so too," Robin says. "I know you two will fight for that. It won't be easy."

"But it will be worth it. Where are Fiona and her daughter?"

"It will be absolutely worth it," Robin says. "I don't know to be honest. I've been with the James, Snow and the kids all the time."

"I do hope they are alright." Regina whispers. "What about... Daniel and Zelena's children?"

"Daniel is... well, devastated to be honest," Robin says. "The kids don't know yet. I wanted him to tell it."

Regina nodds. "He'll never forgive me, will he?"

"I won't say never, because I can't know that," Robin says.

Regina nodds slowly. "Where are they?"

"They're at their home."

Regina nodds again. "I... I don't know what to do now." she softly admits to Robin. "How to move on."

"Just let it be," Robin says, "don't think about it too much and live your life. It will be a hard time, but you're not alone. You have me, Emma, Snow, the kids, Juli, we all love you."

Regina nodds. "I'll try." She smiles now. "Why don't we all go back to Storybrooke?" she softly suggests. "That is if... If everyone wants that of course."

"Back to storybooke?" Robin says surprised, "are you sure?"

"Only if everyone else wants to." Regina whispers.

"I do, I go where you go," Robin says, "but I don't know if you'll make Emma happy with that... and the rest...".

"That's why I won't go if someone doesn't want to. If Emma likes to stay here or even wants to travel to a different realm... I'm in. You too?"

"Yes, I am," Robin says. "Of course I'm in." He smiles.

Regina smiles. She pitches the idea to Emma.

"You ask me if I want to go back?" Emma says looking up from her book. "Honest?"

"Please be honest." Regina smiles.

"I don't want to go back," she says, "you do?"

"I don't want to go back necessarily. I just want to start somewhere new." Regina explains.

"Yes I want that too," Emma says, "just somewhere no one knows us, I don't want to go back."

Regina nodds. "We'll do that. With our family."

"Yes," Emma says, "Maybe I can try school again." She looks at her lap.

"You would want that?" Regina smiles brightly.

"Maybe," Emma says, meaning yes.

Regina's smile doesn't disappear from her face. "I think I would like to work again."

"Me too," Robin says. "And maybe if we find a good place to live, the children can go to school too. I think that would be good for them."

Regina nodds. "I agree. I can imagine Julie wants to go back to work as well."

"Yeah, I think she would like that," Robin says. "But where do you want to go?"

Regina sighs. "I don't know. Emma? Do you think of a place where you would like to go?"

"Hmm..." Emma says, "not really, maybe back to the 'real' world, but another place, Paris?"

Regina laughs. "Paris? Why don't we try something American? Like... New York?"

"Why?" Emma says and she lifts up one eyebrow.

"French isn't really my language. Unless you really want to go abroad, what do you think of London?"

Emma shrugs. "Yeah," she says, "I like the idea."

"Or do you prefer Paris above all?" Regina smiles.

"Paris just sounds so cool," Emma says. "I'm reading about it." she grins

"Let's go to Paris then. When shall we leave?"

"That was quick," Robin grins. "It will be hard to understand the language, we are coming there with about 40 kids remember."

"They'll speak English as well, won't they?"

Emma shrugs. "I hope so."

Regina laughs. "Paris is a city of the world. Of course they talk English."

"Right," Robin says. "I think we should take it a bit slow. Just prepare everything and see when we're ready to go. Maybe it's tomorrow, maybe next week. We'll see. That will give us less pressure I think, and besides that, we're not in a hurry."

Regina nodds. "That's true." she smiles. "Emma, do you want to tell the other kids the plan?"

"Why me?" Emma says, not wanting to get away from her book.

"It's just a suggestion." Regina winks. "I can tell them as well, if you want to."

"Yeah you can do it," Emma says, "I'm sure they'll be happier to see you than me."

"Why don't we go together? Please?"

Emma looks up from her book again. She doesn't want to but says 'alright'.

"Let's go. I'll tell them. They'll be thrilled." Regina smiles.

"They've never been in our world," Emma says when they walk to James' and Snow's house. "It must be strange for them to see cars and mobile phones."

"Luckely they have someone who can help them."

"Yes you," Emma quickly says.

Regina laughs. "I don't think so, sweetheart." she winks.

Emma smiles. "Okay then...".

"They have you. You are the smart one when it comes to phones or the Internet or anything related to that."

"The things you call smart," Emma says with a grin, "I also know very well how to get in trouble with it."

Regina laughs. "But you learned, didn't you?"

"I hope so," Emma says.

"I know so." Regina smiles again. She and Emma arrive at Snow's and James's place.

When Snow opens the door she hugs the both of them. Robin smiles and walks inside to talk with James. "I'm so glad you are okay," she says with tears in her eyes.

"We're both alright. It's alright, everything will be fine." Regina smiles.

"I was so worried," Snow whispers, "oh the kids will be so happy to see you!" she says excited.

"We're excited as well. We have some big news." Regina winks at Emma.

"You do?" Snow says, "well I'm curious." She smiles and leads them to the big living room, where most of the kids are playing.

"Hi there." Regina smiles softly.

"Regina!" they all say at the same time. They jump up and hug her with everything they have. They all want to tell and ask Regina things, so it's one big chaos.

Regina laughs. "I can't follow you all." she laughs, never letting go of Emma's hand.

Emma feels a bit uncomfortable, because everyone is hugging her mom and she is just standing there. Then Julie comes to her and gives her a hug. Emma doesn't care it's just one single person, she is happy someone takes the time for her.   
"We have missed you!" "I've drawn a car." "Are you okay?". "We have seen the ocean." "Are you staying with us now?" All the kids are still taking at her at the same time, too exited to stop.

Regina sits down on the couch, taking Emma with her to sit next to her, along with Julie. She makes the other kids sit down on the floor, in front of the couch. She explains the plan.

The kids stare at her. "We can go to school there?" one of the girls asks, not believing what Regina just said. Regina had taught them a lot, but school... that was something more.

Regina nodds. "Yes. Some of you will be in the same class as Emma, so you are very lucky." Regina winks at Emma. "The rest of you will learn everything very fast. You are all very smart kids. And I'll be there, when you get home, as will Robin, Snow and James. Julie will be around too. She can live with us or not, that's up to her."

Juli smiles to Regina from the back of the room and nods, telling her she would love that.

Regina smiles back. "So... What do you all say?"

The children nod. "we would like that." "tell us more about this other world."

"Where should I start... Emma, do you have an idea?"

"Ehh.. it's different from here. There are... less trees, more buildings. High buildings in all kinds of shapes and cars. Horses but then... riding metal boxes. I don't know, I think you should see it for yourself."

Regina nodds. "That's right. But you'll adjust very quickly, I promise."

"You'll love it," Snow says. "Now get yourself some food, I just finished the soup."

Regina smiles. "Let's go eat then."

Robin comes to Regina. "James and I were thinking, what if we go soon and find us a place to live in Paris?" he says, "maybe that's a better plan than just appearing there with fifty people." He smiles and James does too.

"No. You can't leave me." Regina immediately starts to panic.

"It was just a suggestion, don't worry," Robin says immediately. He looks at her and takes her hand in his. "Then I'll stay."

"I can take care of that. Our home in Paris. If I can use just a bit of magic before we go. Please?"

"What will you do?" Robin asks.

"I can cast just a tiny piece of The Dark Curse. It's a tiny, tiny part of it, just enough to get us a decent home in Paris. Big enough for our family. And maybe even a job for us, unless you want to get yourself your own job."

"That curse is called 'dark' for a reason Regina," Robin says. "I'm done with the trouble magic causes us." He takes a deep breath, knowing that magic will be the best shot they have.

"It's The Dark Curse when you cast the whole damn thing. I won't do that." Regina explains.

"I will agree, but I've one condition," Robin says, "when we're in the 'real' world again, we'll stop using magic." He looks at Regina waiting for her reaction.

"I won't have magic in the real world." Regina whispers. It's a lie but Robin doesn't know that.

"Really?" Robin says with a smile, "but in Storybrooke you had magic."

"Because I wanted it. Now I don't want magic in the real world." Another lie. Regina do wants magic, if only to protect her family.

"You don't?" Robin says, "you're not lying right?". He takes her closer to his body and wraps his arms around her. "I'm glad," he whispers, he could see a spark of lying in Regina's eyes, but he wants to trust her.

Regina smiles. She looks at the kids who are eating Snow's delicious food. "I'll go prepare the spell, alright? That way it's ready for whenever we want to leave."

"Okay, be careful," Robin says, "You're sure you don't want to eat something with us first?"

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry. I'm excited, that's why I'm not really hungry." Regina smiles now. That's the truth.

Robin grins. "Right, see you later then," he says.

Regina nodds. She disappears into a purple smoke, reappearing back in her own Castle and straight into the room where she holds all her magical supplies. She starts to work on the spell, until she gets interrupted half way through her preparations.

"What are you doing?" sounds a voice from the mirror.

"Nothing. Just a bit of magic."

"What kind of magic?" It's Zelena's voice.

"Zelena? How... How are you?"

"I've been better," Zelena says through the mirror. "trying not to let him get into my mind."

Regina looks up into the mirror now. "I'm so sorry." she whispers. "Will you come to us in the real world when he releases you? In Paris? I promise I'll take excellent care of Daniel and your children. I promise."

"Yeah I would love that," Zelena says. "They're coming with you? And maybe... You could take this mirror with you as well? So we can talk sometimes. It's lonely down here." She smiles just a little bit.

Regina nodds. "I will. I promise I will." She smiles as well. "I'm scared." she then whispers softly.

"I understand but you don't have to be scared," Zelena says, "believe in yourself. Think of everything you've done already. I mean... Think of it, you raised fourty kids all by yourself. Did you think you could do that at the beginning?" She winks.

Regina smiles softly. "I guess not."

"You did it anyway," Zelena says with a grin.

"I did." Regina smiles. She finishes the potion she needs for the spell. It will give her family a place to live in the center of Paris. It will be big enough for all of them.

"What are you making?" Zelena asks. She just sits with hee legs crossed in front of the mirror. She is bored and has nothing better to do.

This potion will takes us straight to our new home in Paris. And the most important thing... It will make me keep my magic."

Zelena smiles. She knows exactly why Regina wants that. "sounds good," she says. "Where will Daniel and my kids go?"

"There is room enough in the mansion for them to live with us. If they want to, of course. If they don't... I have a smaller house included in the spell."

"I think Glenda would love some girl of her age around her, but I'm not sure about Daniel," Zelena says, "only one way to find out."

"I have to ask him. I'll do that right away." Regina nodds to Zelena. She poofs the mirror on the wall into her pocket mirror. She looks into in. "When we're in Paris, I'll put you back in a bigger mirror." she smiles to Zelena.

Zelena smiles. "Thanks," she says. "goodbye for now, I think Hades will come and get me soon."

"Good luck. You can do this." Regina whispers before closing her pocket mirror. She poofs away to Daniel's and Zelena's home.

"Regina," Daniel says when he opens the door.

Regina nodds. "Daniel." Her voice sounds soft. Like the girl she used to be.

"Ehh... Come in," he says.

"Thank you. I... I talked to Zelena. She's doing fine."

"You talked to her?" Daniel says. "Define 'fine'. It doesn't say much."

"I didn't talk to her for a long time. I told her the plan. The plan of my family. We want to go to the real world. To Paris. I... I made a potion and a spell which will take us straight to our new home in the center of Paris. You and your children are welcome to stay with us. Zelena will come and find us all when her time with Hades is up. "

"If she is still alive and still the same," Daniel snaps, but it's hard to be angry, because Regina's face and her words are still as they used to be. He almost falls in love with them just as easy.

Regina takes a step back. "I promise I'll do everything to help you and your children. And I'll be there for Zelena when she comes back. It's the least I can do."

"Thanks," Daniel says. He looks into her eyes but looks away again immediately. "It... ehh... It's a good plan. I guess." He takes his youngest daughter into his arms. "We will come with you. Is that... what Zelena wanted?"

Regina nodds. "Yes. I'm sure of that." She keeps looking down, afraid for Daniel's reaction to her. She knows he can get angry all of a sudden.

"Okay," he says, " I'll make us ready." He turns away from her. "you should go," he whispers.

"Are you alright?" Regina puts her hand on his shoulder.

"No... yes, don't do that," he whispers backing away. He is breathing fast all of a sudden and he looks up at her. The best feeling in the world goes through his body and he hates himself for it.

Regina looks away quickly. "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"No... no I'm sorry," Daniel says, "this can't happen."

"What can't?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry."

Regina pulls her hand back, slowly, stroking his back.

"Please don't do that," Daniel whispers, but everything inside him wants Regina. Just her.

"I'm sorry." Regina whispers again. She turns around, her hand slipping over his ass.

Daniel holds his breath and closes his eyes, wondering if she does this on purpose.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. We'll leave after lunch." Regina poofs away to Robin and the rest of her family.

Robin is helping the kids to pack their stuff. They don't have much, but a lot of them want to take stuff from the woods or the house as a memory. Emma went to her own castle with Julie and Juli to look what she wants to take with her.

Regina helps the kids as well. When the night falls she smiles when Emma, Julie and Juli arrive back at Snow's place. "Did everything went well?"

"I've too many books," Emma says. "And I also wanted to take some magical stuff, since I can’t use magic myself."

"There is no such thing as too many books." Regina smiles. "I can teleport them to our new home, if you want me to? What magical items did you want to bring along? Because there will be no magic in the real world, you know that, right?"

"I'm sure you haven't seen my collection," Emma says. "It won't fit in the house... We can make magic if we just have the right ingredients."

Regina shakes her head. "Magic is not an option in the real world. It only causes us pain and misery. Won't you agree with that?"

Emma bites on her lip. She does agree, but magic feels so good. "Yeah," she whispers and drops the bag with her magical items on the table.

"It's for the best, I promise." Regina decides to leave a piece out of the spell she made. She doesn't want magic either.

"Will you have magic?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head. "Just enough to see Zelena through the mirror and talk to her. That's all." she answers honestly.

"Okay," Emma says. "You saw her? You saw Zelena?"

Regina nodds. "I did. She's doing fine. She's looking forward to meeting us in Paris."

Emma smiles, "really? I'm glad!"

Regina smiles. "Me too." She laughs. "Why don't we all go to sleep? Tomorrow will be a big day."

Everyone agrees and they go their way. "Can we have a bedtime story?" the kids ask Regina. It has been a long time."

Regina nodds. She gathers all of the kids around her in the living room and tells the story about a far away King and his Queen.

The kids listen. Some even with her mouths open, they love it.

"So the bottom line of this story is... Never let anyone push you to do things you really don't want to. Not even your mother or the person who takes care of you. Can you promise me that?"

The children nod heavily.

Regina smiles. "Run along now. Have sweet dreams about our first day in Paris tomorrow."

The children laugh and follow Snow who is waiting for them in the doorway. She leads them to their rooms.

Regina smiles to Robin. "I'm tired." she whispers.

"Good it's bedtime then," Robin smiles.

Regina nodds. She follows Robin to the guest bedroom in Snow's place. She feels tensed.

"You're alright?"

"Yes." she whispers.

Robin lies down on the bed, making sure Regina has enough space in case she needs some distance

Regina lays down on the other side, really on the edge of the bed.

Robin stands up and sits down on a big chair in the corner, so Regina can take her space. "Sleep well," he whispers.

"No. Please, stay with me. I just... I... I just need some time. Please, come back to bed." Regina looks up at Robin.

Robin smiles. "Okay," he says, "take your time." He lays down on the bed again and pulls the blankets over their bodies.

Regina quickly looks for the warmth of Robin's body. She puts her head on his chest. "Do you want to stroke my hair? I... I like that very much."

"Yes of course," Robin whispers and he starts to stroke her hair, carefully. He holds her close at the same time. He knows she is tired, so he doesn't ask her things.


End file.
